There’s More to Coaching than Football
A football coach helps each player discover their strengths and hone their skills to play the best game possible. A professional coach does the same thing. They help you build your professional skills in order to improve your workplace performance. Coaching is a goal-oriented, structured partnership focused on developing professional skills.
The C-Suite
Back in the day, this level of professional support was for the C-suite executives. Now it’s much more accessible for directors and managers. I strongly encourage nonprofit leaders to invest in professional development for their team. I also encourage my clients to serve as coaches and/or mentors to their staff.
Goals
What you get out of a coaching relationship depends on what you invest in the process. What are your goals? Are they specific to your current position or a longer view of your career path? It could be both. We know that development professionals change jobs every couple of years because of limited promotion opportunities and salary increases within small to mid-size nonprofits. When I led my teams at different organizations, I kept this in mind and told each person that I was there to support their goals and their ambitions. Success at your current job prepares you for your next one.
Invest in Yourself
When interviewing for a position, ask about the budget for professional development. If professional development opportunities are not offered at your current position, ask for them. Sometimes, you have to invest in yourself.
Early in my career, this was not obvious to me. If my employer would not or could not pay for my AFP membership or program meetings, then I did not participate. Then a colleague told me she paid for her own membership and paid for her CFRE recertifications because she didn’t want to be denied professional growth. It clicked; I had to be the one in control of my own career growth.
Mentoring, coaching, networking, professional conferences, workshops, and certifications have all helped me grow and establish myself as a professional fundraiser, a coach, and a consultant.
Whether it’s a coach, a mentor, or an accountability buddy, we all need someone we can trust, someone who will listen. A coach is not a therapist, but a coach can help you reach your goals. Let me know if coaching is something I can help you with. I’m also available to facilitate peer group sessions.
Check out the next episode of my podcast, “About Fundraising: The Podcast” where I will go deeper into coaching for the professional fundraiser. Tune in to About Fundraising: The Podcast on Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
At DMGroupConsulting, our goal is to help you achieve your goals. Schedule a free 30 minute consultation.
