I never had a coach from a young age, not because I didn’t want one or think I needed one but because I was never introduced to the concept of just having one.
I think younger generations especially need to understand the importance of having someone to speak to professionally to guide and advise them in various areas, as professional life is tough, complex and most of all – it takes up so much of our lives and for a very lengthy period. (Unless you make it early on and retire…wishful thinking!)
I started having a coach a few years ago and here’s my top 5 results in how I’ve benefited from having a one :
- Developed a stronger mentality : I am known to stress and worry about far too much at times and especially in start-up life, ambiguity can be hard to deal with. When entering periods of uncertainty, I have been able to prepare and manage my mind set far better, ensuring I don’t panic. It is easy to lose your composure during challenging situations and we all go through them, so it’s just about how you deal with them. I now just sit back, remember the world will not end and just dissect what I am doing, why, what’s the problem and how do I best solve it. Taking a breath is key.
- I understand myself more : Getting to know yourself can take a while. It shouldn’t though really, as you see and speak to yourself every day! I know where my strengths lie and where to channel my efforts. This has resulted in me valuing my capabilities and skills set, increasing my confidence.
- I’m able to work better with others : It’s hard to always remember this but – everyone is different! Each of us digest information and communicate differently, which means you have to be versatile and compatible with different people and their personalities. Succeeding here shows great emotional intelligence.
- Simplify complexity : I used to love to panic. If I didn’t know something I thought I was an idiot, when actually if you look around you – the person next to you doesn’t know everything and doesn’t know what you know, otherwise they or someone would have your job. When I’m stuck, I just get back to basics and write down my objective and brainstorm what I need to do and how. I often make myself just consider the top 3 points that come to mind as usually they’re the most important and that’s where your gut takes you.
- I’m not superman and never will be : When launching Deliveroo, I was a lone soldier, running around the world setting up cities so I naturally, for a long time, relied on myself and expected myself to solve everything and if I couldn’t – it was all on me. This is not the case. I was never good at delegating, which I now do a lot more of and I always expected myself to have the answers, so when realising I didn’t, I took advantage of the great people and teams around me to support my growth and knowledge. It’s not hard…always ask questions! Be that person who asks a lot so in the long run you’ll win. Don’t sit in silence and expect things to happen.
So, what next steps should you take?
- Decide on if you have the desire to invest in yourself. Without this, having a mentor won’t be as impactful as you want it to be. Your mind will drift and you won’t reap the rewards. You’re never too old or too wise to have a mentor – we can always improve.
- Research and find a mentor! Make sure you genuinely connect with them – like anything but especially here, the relationship is vital.
- Build yourself an initial plan re what areas you want to focus on and work on this with your mentor.
From here…..anything can happen!
Reach out if you fancy a chat!
