What is a Coach (and Why Would I Want One?)

 While many people have heard of coaching, few have a clear understanding of exactly what a coach is and does. This prevents people from getting appropriate support for life changes. As a coach the most common thing I hear from people is, “I’m not really sure what a coach does or how they could help me.” 

What is coaching?

Coaching is not the same as consulting nor the same as therapy, but it takes elements from each discipline to create its own unique method. A coach works with individuals who are focused on making changes in their lives. While a therapist may seek to diagnose and treat a client, coaches work under the assumption that their clients are whole, healthy individuals. Coaches ask thought-provoking questions that challenge clients. They create collaborative and individualized strategies, set goals, and keep the client focused on the future.

What happens when someone hires a coach?

While each coach has a unique style and approach, most expect clients to commit to working with them for a set period. This can vary from anywhere between 4-18 months – depending on the changes that the client intends to make. Some coaches meet with clients in person, but many hold coaching sessions over Zoom or the phone. During those sessions the coach will ask probing questions, serve as a sounding board, offer an outside perspective, help maintain motivation, provide strategies, set goals, and ensure accountability. 

What can a coach help with?

Coaches help individuals move forward. They guide business owners as they strategize for growth. They partner with professionals seeking to develop their career path, manage a workplace environment, launch a new business, or find work-life balance. They help students discover career aspirations and plan educational paths. Coaches offer support to individuals seeking to improve relationships, focus on their health and well-being, change their mindset, or alter habits. Essentially, coaches help people create change – even if they don’t quite know what that change is yet.

Is coaching right for me?

Not everyone is a great fit for coaching. Coaches typically like to partner with individuals who have a desire to learn and grow. Ideal clients make a commitment to changing and arrive with some level of motivation to make that change. Since it’s a collaborative process, it’s also important that the coach and the client have good chemistry and feel like the partnership is a good fit. 

At Bauman Consulting Group, we provide both individual and group coaching to help people achieve their personal and professional goals. Find out more at www.baumanconsultinggroup.com.

Successful Strategies for Working from Home

With much of the globe shifting work strategies to account for social distancing measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, many individuals are turning to working from home. While this may sound wonderful to those who have not had the work-from-home experience in the past (and it is!), it is not without its challenges. At Bauman Consulting Group, the majority of our employees work remotely. As such, we’ve developed some tried and true tips for this over the years which we thought we would share with you in case you’re in the process of shifting to remote work as well.

1)    Set up a dedicated workspace. This doesn’t need to be anything particularly fancy, but you want to have a designated space that is your “workplace”. At a minimum, you’ll want a location (such as a dining room table) where you can set up your computer and office supplies. If you can find a location that affords you some natural light, near a window perhaps, you’ll find that to be a wonderful bonus. Take some time to organize this space and set it up as similarly to your office workspace as possible. Make sure that the other members of your household understand that this is your workspace now and should be off limits. This is particularly true if you have small children! 

2)    Set your work hours. Your company may do this for you, but if they do not, it is imperative that you set boundaries around your time. This means identifying what hours you are “at work.” This is important for both you and for others in your life. One of the challenges of working remotely is that others (your boss, your family, your friends) and you can find it easy to blur your times. You may find yourself working more frequently because work is always right there waiting for you. Or you may find yourself struggling to put in enough hours because it is easy to get distracted by household responsibilities (I can throw in another load of laundry!) or others (I can call during the day now, because she works from home!) Setting and maintaining those boundaries are important to your success and productivity. You may find it helpful to even post those hours near your workspace as a reminder to yourself and your housemates that you are working during that time.

3)    Set up a routine. It can be difficult to switch into work mode when you are working from home. As such, routine is critical. Adapt your office routine to your new home-work life. There may be some tasks that you can no longer complete from home. Other tasks may be easier. Your employer may have different expectations for your at-home work. Have the appropriate conversations with those your work with and then map out your daily schedule. This will help you to stay on task and will help you to maintain a sense of normalcy in this time of upheaval. 

4)    Dress for work. One of the things that we hear the most from people when they hear that BCG employees work from home is that we must all work in our pajamas. While that certainly sounds appealing, there is much to be gained by continuing to dress for work. Part of the work routine is the getting up and getting ready part! It is what helps us prepare for the shift from our home lives to our work lives. Research has also demonstrated that we tend to be more productive and more professional when we are dressed more formally. Now, we are not suggesting that you put on a suit while you’re working from home. That may be a bit over the top! But what we are suggesting is that you put the same amount of time and attention into your appearance that you would if you were going to the office. This may involve wearing business casual, or at least stepping it up beyond workout apparel. Trust us – this makes a difference in how you feel when you’re working. If you’re dressed for work, you feel more ready to work.

5)    Prepare to use remote technology. You likely already utilize many of these resources in your daily work in the office, but now you’ll be using them more frequently. And if you haven’t been using these regularly, now is the time to experiment and learn. 

a.     Even though you work from home, you’ll find that meetings are still a part of your work week. There are several free options that you can utilize (if your company doesn’t have paid resources for you). Resources such as Zoom or Skype can allow you to have video face-to-face meetings. If your company uses Microsoft Office, the Teams platform is also a nice option for video meetings. 

b.     Conference calls are another way to manage remote meetings. If your office does not have a conference line for you to use, there are several free sources available such as Free Conference. 

c.     Instant messaging apps make it helpful for you to have quick conversations with office mates – and still maintain the friendly relationships that you had in the office. There are many great apps available. Those using Microsoft Office can utilize Yammer or can chat within Teams. Others may wish to consider apps like Slack or WhatsApp. 

d.     Email will be your best friend. This is a great way to stay in contact and to share information. You’ve likely relied on this heavily in your in-office work – you’ll be even more dependent on it now!

e.     Do not hesitate to pick up the phone. Working from home can get isolating. While using digital technology can seem efficient, it can also result in misunderstandings. When a phone call would be a more efficient method of communication – call someone directly.

f.      If you find yourself in need of office equipment that you don’t have at home there are many apps that give you the ability to transform your cellphone into these tools. For example, Genius Scan and Adobe Scan affords you the ability to create pdfs through your phone camera. Doodle is a great site to find compare availability for conference calls or meetings or to gather opinions through polls. 

6)    Engage in professional development. With some extra time on your hands, it’s a great opportunity to engage in some professional development activities. There are so many great online options – many of which are free of charge. 

a.     Utilize Lynda or LinkedIn Learning. There are great online courses that you can stream on these sites. And many public libraries offer a free way to access these online. Check out your local library’s website to see if they offer remote log-in.

b.     Read books or articles related to your work. Now is the time to spend some hours reading that book on productivity that you’ve been putting off for years. Read up on leadership strategies. There are so many great books and articles out there that you’ll have no problem filling in your extra hours – and benefitting from it! If you need recommendations – send us an email and we’d be happy to provide you with some!

c.     Listen to podcasts. There are some truly wonderful work-oriented podcasts out there. Recently we shared a list of our top podcasts for women in the workplace. We’ll be posting another soon that lists our top podcasts in general for working individuals. In the meantime, put google to work for you and test run some of the podcasts out there!

d.     Enroll in online trainings. What better way to spend your remote time? Many organizations offer online learning (BCG being one of them!). If you’re going to have some down time, you might as well catch up on your training time. Check out your usual provider to see if they offer online options. (Or check out our list of online trainings if you’d like to register for one of those!)

Working remotely can be a great experience – if you plan for it and approach it with the right mindset. Set boundaries and enjoy the change of office scenery. If you’re like our team, you won’t want to head back to office life when the time comes!

The 7 Essential Podcasts for Women at Work

Podcasts have become a favorite medium for business professionals to enjoy insightful content while on the go. The portable, on-demand format allows you to listen on your commute, while you exercise, as you work, or while completing household tasks. There are so many excellent podcasts available on a wide variety of topics – but if you are a woman in the workplace, we’d like to recommend 7 essential podcasts to add to your listening queue. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, serving at a not-for-profit, engaged in public sector work, or working in a for-profit business, these podcasts all offer fantastic advice and insights to help you grow professionally (and in some cases personally as well!). 

1. Courage and Clarity – hosted by Steph Crowder. In each episode, Steph interviews successful female entrepreneurs who took the leap to chase their own dreams and start their own businesses. Each interview is broken into two components. The first focuses on courage or the bravery that led the individual to make the leap. The second focuses on clarity the actual how behind the leap. Listen as each outstanding woman offers words of encouragement and tips for success that can guide us all moving forward.

2. Girlboss Radio with Sophia Amoruso – hosted by Sophia Amoruso (CEO and founder of Girlboss) and Neha Gandhi (editor in chief and COO of Girlboss). In this podcast, you’ll find honest conversations with women at the top – those who have achieved success in their given field. They share insights on how they built their career, the challenges they have navigated, and lessons they have learned along the way. Prepare to be inspired and energized!

3. She Did It Her Way – hosted by Amanda Boleyn. Each week Amanda offers business tips and interviews with women who have successfully left their 9-5 and launched their own businesses. But you don’t have to be an entrepreneur to benefit from these conversations – you can apply many of these ideas to your work no matter the structure.

4. Studio 78: Branding, Productivity, & Business Tips for Creative Women – hosted by Nache Snow. This podcast is geared towards women who work in the creative fields and provides guidance for those looking to launch their own business or create a side hustle. Again, much of these tips can be applied within the organization that you work in, so don’t hesitate to listen if you’re not an entrepreneur! 

5. Support is Sexy – hosted by Elayne Fluker. Elayne uses her journalistic skills to offer business insights, inspiration, and practical tips for women seeking to build their professional lives to their fullest. She focuses her approach on building a network of supportive individuals to create a community of encouragement and knowledge. Elayne assures her listeners that you can have it all, but you don’t have to do it alone.

6. Women at Work – hosted by Harvard Business Review Editors Amy Bernstein, Amy Gallo, and Nicole Torres. This podcast is devoted to the struggles that women face in the workplace around gender discrimination and how to navigate these challenges. They tackle some of the toughest issues that women encounter in the workplace in a positive and pragmatic way. They interview experts, share stories from their own career experiences, and offer practical advice for overcoming these difficulties. It’s a must listen for all women in the workplace.

7. Women on the Rise – hosted by Lara Dalch. In this business podcast, Lara offers listeners a holistic view of success. She focuses on the idea that women succeed and thrive when they approach success through a more balanced approach focusing on health, stress, time management, happiness, productivity, and more. She busts myths around perfection and encourages listeners to create their own vision of success – both personally and professionally.

Take some time to download and subscribe to these fantastic podcasts. And, while you’re at it, head over to the websites for each of these to find great articles, downloads, and content. Invest in yourself today so you can create your own success.

Top Secrets of Success from a Professional Coach

When we began our company 8 years ago, our goal was simply to help other people live better lives. We had some tools available to guide us, but it has really been the relationships we’ve had with clients over the years that have given us the most valuable insight into how people live fulfilling lives – lives where they are healthy and full of energy, feel a sense of purpose and happiness, achieve success at work while maintaining a full life at home, and develop meaningful relationships with others in their life. 

Most of our clients had heard of coaching before, but they were skeptical. They weren’t really sure what a coach would do. But what they all agreed upon, was that they needed a partner in this – someone to be a sounding board and to be their accountability partner. Many were wrestling with a single issue that they decided to get help with: a desired promotion, a desire to make a career change, a lack of work-life balance, or a desire to spend more time away from the office. They were surprised to learn that we didn’t believe in one definition of success. Instead, we spent time learning about what success was going to mean for them. They were also surprised to find that what they believed to be one single issue was actually connected with other issues in their lives. In fact, it became clear that there were 4 main areas that were impossible to disentangle as they all impacted one another. We call these the Four Core Components of Success: 1) Health, 2) Personal Fulfillment, 3) Business/Career, and 4) Relationships. 

This is why our coaching is focused on a blended approach – both life and business coaching. It’s all connected! If you’re not taking care of your health, you can bet you won’t feel very fulfilled, your career is likely going to suffer, and your relationships can take a hit. Not nurturing relationships in your life? Anticipate problems in the other areas. It’s a delicate, deliberate balancing act. 

In fact, every client we work with evaluates their life through the Four Core Components of Success. It’s through this analysis that they can identify the big picture or themes that are the root of the problem. And when we address big picture themes, we create success in multiple areas – not just the one that first brought them in.

But what is it about these four areas that makes them so powerful? They each play a key role in your well-being. When they are out of balance, they can leave you feeling unhappy or overstressed. Regardless of your definition of success, these four components are integral to accomplishing it.

Health: Successful individuals dedicate time to their health. This encompasses both your physical and mental health. They exercise in a way that they enjoy. They eat nutritious foods that fuel their bodies. They practice mindfulness and stress reduction techniques like meditation. They make time to play and have fun.

Personal Fulfillment: Successful individuals focus on their inner self. They can clearly articulate their purpose in life is and what they value – and they intentionally live their lives according to those. They spend time on self-improvement and development (both personally and professionally). They nurture their soul. They read books or take classes. They spend time in nature.

Business/Career: Successful people engage in meaningful work. Depending on your stage of life, this can mean going to work every day, writing the novel you’ve been dreaming about, or volunteering for an organization that is important to you. For some this may mean climbing the corporate ladder and landing that c-suite job of their dreams. For others, it means finding a job you enjoy that can support a flexible schedule which allows you to pursue other dreams. The key is that successful people find value and meaning in their work – it’s not simply a job or a paycheck. 

Relationships: Successful people nurture the relationships in their lives – family, friends, co-workers. They regularly spend quality time with these important people in their life and they foster deep connections. They nurture friendships and have a deep sense of community. They have love in their life and companionship.  

Take a moment to reflect on your own life now. What do the Four Core Components of Success look like for you? Could you stand to make some changes? If you would like to learn about how having a coach could benefit you on your path to success, be sure to reach out to us here. We’re ready to help you put your Four Core Components of Success in balance.