Susan Kushner, M.A.: Get Coached to Your Dream Job interviewed by Harry Goldstein	"Just like some therapists are touchy-feely, crystal rubbing freaks, so are some coaches. Other coaches may be more goal-oriented, with tons of goal-directed exercises." These are confusing times. A lot of people who were all gung ho for the career they went to school to prepare for are reassessing their options. Others who've been out of school for a while and have been spinning their wheels in temp jobs (or thinking about going to graduate school to earn some more credentials) know that they should be getting on with getting on, but have no idea where they're going or what they're going to do once they get there. We're all running the rat race and at one point or another, and we end up seeking the advice of a trusted friend -- or else paying someone to give us perspective and help us get over the rough spots. Susan Kushner has been a counselor for six years. She's now making something of a transition herself, from working with teens in the New York City Public Schools to developing a private coaching practice where she conducts weekly half-hour phone sessions with clients seeking career guidance, among other things. If you just said to yourself, "What the hell's coaching?!?!" and then starting thinking about Phil Jackson and Bela Karolyi, well, I did the same thing -- until, that is, I had the following discussion with Susan, who gave me the skinny on this emerging career counseling technique. Tripod: What exactly is coaching? Susan Kushner: A coach is a professional who works with clients to discover what they want out of life and figure out how they can go about achieving those goals. A coach is like a consultant one hires to attain more balance and fulfillment in life, by working in partnership with clients to identify personal values and goals. A swimmer might hire an Olympic trainer to help reach for the Olympic gold medal and a person hires a personal or professional coach to help them win their own personal gold medal in life -- whatever that may be. On the other hand, coaching is not therapy. We do not delve into the past and try to figure out why a person is the way they are, and we do not heal people. Instead, coaching is focused on the here and now, while being future-oriented and action-oriented. The premise is that clients are already healthy and well-functioning and coaching pushes them towards functioning even better.
If you don't focus on balancing all areas of life, your professional life will suffer.	Tripod: Do coaches utilize any of the same techniques sports coaches use to motivate people and help them realize their potential? SK: There is a book called Coaching for Performance by John Whitmore. In it, he quotes Tim Gallwey, author of The Inner Game, Inner Golf, and Inner Tennis. Gallwey felt that sports coaching should focus on unlocking inner potential and that an athlete's worst enemy is self-doubt and inner fear -- rather than the actual opponent. Personal and professional coaching comes from the same direction, in that if you don't focus on balancing all areas of life, your professional life will suffer. You need to concentrate on the whole person. Tripod: How much does it cost? Where do you find out about coaches? Are there any kind of accreditation procedures? What about national organizations? SK: An average coach costs about $150 to $250 per month Two recent articles, one in the December issue of New Age Journal, and one in the December issue of Money magazine, outline the major organizations in the field. I am currently being trained at the Coaches Training Institute in Mill Valley, California (415-274-7551). Other training institutes are Coach University (800-482-6224) in Utah and New Ventures West in San Francisco (800-332-4618). Coaching is much more established out west right now. National Organizations include the International Coach Federation and the Personal and Professional Coaches Association (of which I am a member). Any of these places could help you get in contact with a coach. Tripod: You mention New Age Journal -- does coaching have any relation to the New Age, touchy-feely, crystal-rubbing San Francisco flower child culture? And if so, how does someone who's put off by that kind of thing get past it? SK: Coaches come from all different backgrounds, so it's really about finding the right coach for you. Just like some therapists are spiritual, touchy-feely, crystal rubbing freaks, so are some coaches. Other coaches may be more goal-oriented, with tons of goal-directed exercises. Do research. Speak to a few different coaches and take personal responsibility for how you want to work with a coach. If you want visualization techniques or daily action plans, let the coach know. And if the coach still does not give you what you want, find another coach. Tripod: How many sessions does the average coach spend advising a client? SK: Most coaches coach via telephone -- half-hour sessions, four times a week. Many coaches have Web pages and do cybercoaching. Cybercoaching requires that someone be very motivated and independent. More and more coaches are conducting group teleclasses now, where they utilize a phone bridge. Most coaches require a three-month minimum because it takes that amount of time to really start getting comfortable with the process and to see some long-term results. Depending on the personal needs of the client, coaching could last from three months to three or more years.
Work issues are always interconnected with personal and lifestyle issues.	Tripod: Why would someone want to consult a coach? SK: One woman that I worked with felt she was not being appreciated or respected at her job. She learned to say no more often, and to ask more directly for what she needed. These skills transferred to her personal life as well, and she started to take a more proactive stance with her family and significant other. Another client was on track to becoming a professional singer, but she was not sure if the busy lifestyle of a singer would mesh with her values of being close to nature and family. Many times coaching is about choices and helping clients to make more conscious choices based on a wide range of perspectives through brainstorming. One woman loved graphic design and was trying to figure out how to support herself as a freelancer. Work issues are always interconnected with personal and lifestyle issues. Tripod: What kind of people become coaches? SK: The person who started Coach University was a financial consultant. The people who started Coaches Training Institute were a director of the Learning Annex in San Francisco and a director of a program for actors. So people come from many fields -- consultants, management trainers, therapists, counselors, massage therapists, teachers, etc. Some people go the corporate route and work as executive coaches, and others work to develop a private coaching practice. Tripod: What kind of credentials do you have to have to become a coach? SK: At Coaches Training Institute, you are required to attend four pre-certification seminars. Then the certification program requires that you be working with five paying clients, and it takes about two years to complete. The application process is pretty lenient right now, but they are currently beefing up the standards. Tripod: What are some of the techniques employed to help someone find the career path they want to take -- and what techniques do you use to help people locate themselves on a career path that they've already chosen and want to stick with? SK: First, a coach will usually conduct an intake session. The coach will want to know the level of satisfaction a person is feeling in certain areas of their life (money, career, personal growth, fun/recreation, romance, physical environment, etc.). They may also do exercises related to values clarification to see how much a person's values are being honored in their current lifestyle. Long-term and short-term goals are set -- but remember, the goals are only a game plan, because coaching is a very dynamic and process-oriented partnership. A coach will help a client stay on track by making requests and coming up with a personalized plan to hold the client accountable for achieving their goals. The coach is not a task master, and needs the client to take responsibility for constantly fine-tuning the plan. Coaches frequently work on skills such as limit- and boundary-setting, prioritizing, breaking overwhelming tasks into small, attainable pieces, and communication skills. Tripod: What are some of the more common problems that people bring to coaches to help them sort out? SK: Most people come because they are unhappy in their jobs and would like to figure out the next step in life -- to stay and become more fulfilled in their current job, or to switch jobs or careers entirely. The skills they learn in coaching, however, often extend to other areas of their life.
Career counseling rarely gets beyond, "Let's have a look at your résumé."	Tripod: So what's the difference between a coach and a career counselor? SK: Coaches are much more holistic in their approach. Career counselors will spend a lot of time on techniques such as résumé writing, networking, and they will offer you resources on where to find jobs, etc. Coaching will ask powerful questions, such as, "What do you want out of life?" and "When would you like to start going for your dreams?" and "What makes you extremely happy in life and what steps could you take towards achieving more overall happiness?" Other questions might be more action-oriented such as, "What steps would you have to take to feel more respected at your job?" Then the client brainstorms ideas. Some of the action steps might be to conduct some interviews or do a certain amount of cold calls each day, or spend more time with your family, or spend ten minutes of private time each morning so that you come to work more relaxed, or when you achieve a milestone in your life, reward yourself, etc. These kinds of questions and actions steps are really the essence of coaching, and maybe should be included in the techniques section. Career counseling rarely gets beyond, "Let's have a look at your résumé." Susan Kushner can be reached at [email protected]. For more information, see the International Coaches Federation Web site. © 1997 Tripod, Inc. All rights reserved.