After working in coaching for the last year, here are the things that have stuck with me so far.

Selecting a coach might feel a bit overwhelming, but getting the right fit is crucial to getting the most out of the experience. The single most useful thing you can do is have a discovery call before you sign up, where you can find out who they are, how they work and if you are both a good fit for each other. Here’s what to look out for on that call.

When you’re starting out, you can have the intention to ‘give your full self’, but end up giving everything you’ve got. There’s a difference and it’s important to understand.

‘Job hugging,’ dropping employee engagement and the costs to businesses. Learn what causes someone to become demotivated, why it’s worth reengaging them rather than waiting for them to leave, and how coaching can help someone become motivated once again.

Understand the arguments for coaching junior team members. Learn how it works and why junior team members are mature enough to realise the benefits for both themselves and their agency.

A lot of people expect professional coaching to be like sports coaching - someone who will watch and listen, then tell you what to do to get better. But professional coaching is nothing like sports coaching.

About a year ago, I hit a crossroads. After almost 20 years of keeping my head down, working hard and just moving onto the next thing without really questioning it, I finally stopped.