Why should I work with a Coach?
Have you ever thought about working with a coach but not sure if it’s right for you or how it works? You may also be wondering what sort of coach you need - an Executive Coach, a Business Coach, a Leadership Coach, or a Life Coach.
10 Reasons to work with a coach:
Achieve more
The short answer is that a coach will support you to achieve your goals whether those are business objectives, personal development plans or making changes to your life such as a career change.
Coaching empowers you to reach your full potential. A coach will partner with you to identify where you want to be and how to get there, helping you to identify a plan and actions to make it happen and holding you accountable to take those steps forward.
2. You set the agenda
Coaching is all about your priorities. Together, you’ll identify the themes or challenges you want to work on, with the flexibility to bring in new topics as they arise.
Working with a coach begins with an exploratory chat to identify the topics or themes you want to work on over several sessions.
The coach will guide you through a series of conversations to dig deep into those topics. Of course, if other things come up you are welcome to bring those to the table The coach’s job is to make the discussions as constructive as possible.
3. Space for you
When business and life are so busy, it’s hard to step back and gain perspective. Coaching gives you protected time to reflect on what’s important, away from distractions.
Your time with a coach is space for you alone - it’s entirely non-judgemental, private, and confidential.
4. Feel heard
When was the last time you felt someone was entirely focussed on listening to you and had the time and space to focus on you? A coach is there to listen and support. Coaches are experienced in deep listening. You are free to talk about anything you need including things, that you feel you can’t talk about with your manager, your colleagues, your family or friends. A coach won’t judge or criticise.
5. Support and Accountability
A coach is there to support you and is always on your side. They will help you celebrate what you have achieved and hold you accountable for achieving more.
They act as a sounding board, ask thought-provoking questions, and offer fresh perspectives to help you navigate barriers.
Coaching helps you see challenges differently, overcome obstacles, and break free from limiting beliefs. Unlike therapy, which often focuses on the past, coaching is forward-looking and growth-oriented.
A coach will act as a sounding board to help you think through and clarify your thoughts or challenges. A coach will provide the structure of the conversation and will ask powerful and sometimes challenging questions to help you shift perspective, explore alternative scenarios and see things differently so that you can work through and beyond any challenges or barriers.
6.Clarity, New Perspective and Overcome Obstacles
Unlike counselling or therapy which tends to unpack the past, coaching is about the future. It’s about growth and development. Although it may sometimes involve exploring self-sabotaging thoughts or blocks that have held you back in the past, so you can move around them.
7. Focus on the Future
A coach will help you to identify and achieve goals. A business coach may work with you to identify business objectives, while an executive or leadership coach with work with you on the so called soft-skills you may want to develop such as boosting confidence, improving time-management, building better relationships or becoming a better leader.
8. Set Goals and Make Decisions
9. Motivation and Inspiration
Coaching is not only transformative but can also be enjoyable. A great coach inspires curiosity, confidence, and creativity while providing a relaxed and empathetic environment. Importantly a good coach will provide a relaxed, empathetic environment where you feel safe and can smile.
10. Reach your Potential
Coaching will help you to achieve your full potential. One of the forefathers of modern coaching Sir John Whitemore or Performance Coaching writes:
“Coaching is unlocking a person’s potential to maximise their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them. We are more like an acorn, which contains within it all the potential to be a magnificent oak tree. We need nourishment, encouragement and the light to reach towards, but the oaktreeness is already within.”
What sort of coach do I need?
Your choice of coach depends on the areas you want to develop:
Executive Coach
Develop your leadership skills, emotional intelligence, confidence and motivation
Improve relationships
Get better at time-management and decision-making
Enhance employee performance and engagement and improve their skills
Reduce stress, build resilience and deal with imposter syndrome.
Business Coach
Grow your business - e.g. increase profits, productivity and efficiency and establish competitive advantage
Recruit and retain talent
Be more strategic and innovative - develop and implement plans and objectives
Improve customer satisfaction and team performance.
Career Coach
Consider a career change
Prepare for a new role or promotion
Sharpen your interview skills or map a career progression.
Life Coach
Tackle personal challenges, life transitions, or work-life balance
Focus on health, wellbeing, and purpose
How to choose a Coach
Finding the right coach for you is key. Look for someone you feel comfortable with and who has the skills to guide you effectively. Many coaches offer a free initial consultation to help you decide.
Things to Consider:
Credentials: Look for qualifications like an ILM Level 7 certificate or accreditation with industry bodies such as the International Coaching Federation (ICF) or European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC). There is no single coaching qualification or accreditation so ask a potential coach about their training and experience
Background: Coaches bring diverse experiences; their approach may be informed by business strategy, psychology, or leadership expertise.
Connection: Trust your instincts—coaching is a personal journey, and a good rapport is essential.
If you are thinking about working with a coach it is important to find one that you like and can connect with and build rapport. You can get a good sense of a coach from their website but you should request an initial chat to find out more about them and establish if there is a good fit.
Polly Robinson Executive and Leadership Coach in Bristol.
About Polly Robinson Executive Coach / Leadership Coach
I am a qualified Executive Coach and Mentor (ILM Level 7) based in Bristol, working with clients across the South West, London, Wales, and throughout the UK. I offer coaching sessions both face-to-face and online, ensuring flexibility to suit your needs.
I specialise in coaching business leaders and senior managers across various sectors, helping them navigate challenges, achieve their goals, and lead with confidence.
My Coaching Approach
Coaching with me is about building a strong and trusting relationship where you feel supported, challenged, and inspired. My role is to:
Be a supportive partner—a listening ear, a trusted sounding board, and someone to lean on.
Help you focus on your values, what truly matters, and align these with your decisions and actions.
Guide you through constructive conversations, offering both encouragement and challenge to help you grow personally and professionally.
How does coaching work in practice?
Coaching typically involves 6–12 sessions over several months, providing time between meetings to test and refine new approaches. Sessions can be face-to-face, virtual, or a combination of both.
A Typical Coaching Process:
Exploratory Session: Understand your goals and see if the coach is a good fit.
Ongoing Sessions: Structured conversations designed to challenge and support your growth.
Between Sessions: Apply new insights and behaviours, with your coach offering support as needed.
Coaching is an investment in yourself and your future. If you’re ready to unlock your potential, get in touch today to start your coaching journey.