Coaching is an essential tool in academia, helping individuals achieve professional growth and overcome challenges. But what makes a client coachable, and are there problems that are simply uncoachable? In this blog, I explore the dynamics of a successful coaching relationship and discuss the conditions under which coaching can thrive.
The Key to a Successful Coaching Relationship
I was recently asked, when being hired by a University to coach their faculty, about numbers. About successful outcomes. I looked back at my work with over 800 academic clients at that time and I could only find around 10 where I can genuinely say that I felt that coaching had not helped them moved forward.
The results are clear: coaching is incredibly successful when the conditions and relationship are right, but no matter how skilled the coach, there must be buy-in and commitment from the client. The client, not the coach, makes the changes. Most clients who are self-funded, that is, those who pay for coaching out of their own pocket, see great results. This is largely due to their motivation obviously: they are committed to making the changes required and are ready to do the work. They are typically proactive, attend sessions regularly, and implement the strategies discussed. They are hungry for change, and are commited to doing the work.
Those clients who are funded by universities or departments can also be highly successful, but this should always be a competitive process. Motivation remains the key factor, regardless of who pays for the coaching, and I encourage departments to make access to the coaching competitive to ensure that motivation is in place.
Coachable Problems and Uncoachable Problems
Most problems in academia are coachable - whether this is around tools and techniques, full on training, mindset, accountability or developmental editing, I tend to go beyond generic coaching and veer into the coach/trainer identity. Because I am an experienced academic, and experienced in teaching writing and career success. Processes, systems, habits, career decisions and writing techniques are absolutely coachable. Developmental editing of papers really teaches someone how to improve their writing through better decision making. However, some problems are not about writing per se, or in fact academia at all, but turn out to be more personal, rather than professional, in nature. These problems, often related to personal struggles or emotional barriers, require a trained therapeutic intervention rather than coaching, but to the prospective client, these differences may not be obvious. For example, trauma or deep-seated psychological issues may manifest in difficulties at work. This is not appropriate territory for a coach.
The Role of the Coach: What to Expect
The role of the coach is to provide you with the environmetn that enables you to flourish by diagnosing the blackages and giving you a roadmap through it. That can range from the very specific - developmental editing of papers and books - or the much larger goals of career acceleration. An experienced writer can train you in techniques. The most important thing is to leave you with all the skills you need to move on from the coaching itself.
But it’s also important to set realistic expectations at the outset. Coaching doesn’t promise overnight transformations, and it’s essential for clients to recognise that results require time and consistent effort on their part - it’s why I run 12 month programmes, because changing fundamentally what you are doing and how you are doing it is not a quick intervention. It requires repeated iteration until it is internalised. A coach helps by giving structure, guidance, and accountability, but it’s the client who must take the action.
Choosing the Right Coach
Not all coaches are created equal. When choosing a coach, it’s important to ensure they understand the unique challenges of academia. Academic coaches, like myself, have experience in the field and are well-versed in the specific demands of academic work. Coaches without this experience, particularly those from corporate backgrounds, might struggle to provide relevant advice or guidance.
The Importance of a Strong Client-Coach Relationship
The success of coaching largely depends on the relationship between the coach and client. A good coaching relationship is built on trust, open communication, and a mutual commitment to success. Clients need to be honest and open, sharing their struggles so that the coach can offer the best possible solutions.
Conclusion: Coaching as a Tool for Growth
Coaching is a powerful tool for growth and development in academia. It allows you to address the challenges that hold you back and equips you with the tools needed to improve your writing and how much you thrive in your job. While most writing problems are coachable, deeper personal issues may require additional support. If you’d like to explore how coaching might help you, you can book a free strategy call with me here.