Do you know that feeling when everything seems more complicated than it feels like it should?
When you’re staring at a challenge and your mind feels like a tangled mess of competing priorities and half-solutions?
We’ve been there.
When Shane was promoted to his first manager role, he felt completely unprepared for what he was thrown into…
“I knew my craft well, but now my team members’ livelihoods depended on me. Not to mention, many of them were previously my peers. I felt out of my depth. I wanted to prove I had it all figured out, especially to my own leader. Outside, I pretended I knew what I was doing, but inside, my brain felt tied in knots. I quietly yearned for someone to step in and help me untangle the complexity so I could lead myself, my team, and the business effectively.”
That experience taught him something crucial: most of us don’t need more information. We need clarity. We need someone who can objectively spot what’s really getting in the way and help us simplify the path forward. That's where a solutions-focused coach comes in…
THE VALUE OF COACHING
The International Coaching Federation (ICF) defines coaching as “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”
To put it more simply, coaching is the process by which we help you answer three questions:
What do you want?
Why do you want it?
How will you get it?
These sound simple, but if you're honest, your current answers might be “I don't know,” “I'm not sure,” or “It's complicated.” It’s in these moments where coaching creates the most value: by turning confusion into clarity, and clarity into action.
If you’re new to coaching, here are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions…
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Honestly? Yes. But just because they can, doesn’t mean they should.
Consider this: when you request an Uber, you expect that your arriving driver has completed a driving exam, is licensed in good standing, has appropriate insurance, and has passed a background check. If this isn’t the case, you probably don’t want them behind the wheel, steering you through traffic at high speeds.
When looking for someone to steer you through major challenges and decisions, take the same approach.
At Unknotted Solutions, we’re members of the International Coaching Federation, a global body that governs coaching competencies as well as professional ethics guidelines. We’ve completed more than 60+ hours of ICF-approved coaching education through one of the world’s most recognized coach training programs. We actively participated in mentor coaching with those who have earned ICF’s highest credential.
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Coaching is one of many “helping professions.” Other modes of support include mentoring, consulting and psychotherapy (therapy).
Coaching focuses on future goals, performance improvement, and personal development, while therapy addresses past experiences, emotional healing, and mental health concerns. Coaching helps you move forward and achieve specific objectives, whereas therapy works to resolve deeper psychological issues and trauma. Unlike a therapist, a coach does not diagnose nor does a coach offer treatment.
At Unknotted Solutions, we believe that coaching and therapy are separate tools for helping clients lead positive and meaningful lives. We champion our clients and prospective clients who choose to overcome the stigma surrounding mental health by seeking help through therapy.
If you are currently under the care of a mental health professional, we recommend that you promptly inform your mental health care provider of your desire to engage a coach for personal and professional purposes, and follow their recommendations.
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While consultants are hired to solve specific business problems by providing expert recommendations and deliverables, coaches focus on developing your skills and capabilities to solve problems yourself.
Consultants typically analyze your current situation and tell you what to do, whereas coaches ask powerful questions and provide feedback to help you discover your own solutions and grow as a leader.
If you think consulting is a better match for your goals, check out our organizational solutions to learn how we can best serve you through our core consulting services.
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The possibilities are limitless, but here are some situations where current or previous clients have found success…
First-time managers:
Building confidence to lead former peers without losing relationships
Learning to delegate effectively instead of doing everything yourself
Giving and receiving tough-to-hear feedback
Transitioning from 'doer' to 'leader' mindset
Those in transition:
Playing by the unwritten rules of a new organization’s culture
Making career changes that align with your values
Establishing yourself in a new community following relocation
Those seeking personal growth:
Feeling stuck or stagnant despite your best efforts
Building confidence when facing major decisions
Creating better work-life alignment
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If you’re feeling knotted, and you think that coaching might bring you value, start by reaching out to schedule a “chemistry call.” In this complimentary, 60-minute session, we’ll get clear on what coaching is and what it isn’t. You’ll also get a strong sense of our coaching style so you can determine if we can provide the type of support you’re searching for.
If we agree that coaching will help you get unknotted and that now is the right time for you to commit, we'll discuss next steps (including how to schedule future calls).
OUR COACHING TOOLS
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Adaptable Leader Profile
This development tool is designed to assess your comfort and utilization of eight core leadership postures. As a leader, you'll learn to intentionally show up in ways that best serve others and work toward desired outcomes, no matter the situation.
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The Emotional Intelligence Test™
Created by Dr. Travis Bradberry, psychologist and author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0 and The New Emotional Intelligence, this developmental assessment measures your ability to apply the four core skills of emotional intelligence.
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Cultural Intelligence Pro Assessment
The CQ (Cultural Intelligence) Pro Assessment measures your ability to work and relate across a variety of geographic, demographic, and organizational cultures. Using a four-part framework, it suggests practical strategies for your further development.
READY TO GET UNKNOTTED?
One of the best ways to decide whether coaching will bring you value is to try it risk-free.