On Moving My Desk 90 Degrees…

 by Charlotte Martin

(image source: Unsplash)

Sometimes we don’t realise the impact that will be made by a tiny decision or change.

This term, I turned my desk by 90 degrees and I could not have predicted the improvement it would make or the happiness it would bring me. I know how odd that sounds but it has made such a difference. Now I can see the whole room whilst I work, greet people immediately when they knock at the office door, and enjoy the space I’m in. I feel more at ease and purposeful when I sit there. Until now, I have spent 4 years facing a wall.

I have also spent the best part of a year thinking about writing this article. I made excuses, claimed to be too busy, and at times, downright ignored it. The truth is, I was terrified. It was a big step out of my comfort zone but here I am, writing the article, from the heart because I really want to tell you about something important.

Some of you have heard me talk about coaching. You might have thought ‘what is that?’ or ‘that isn’t for me’ or ‘I don’t have time for it’. I would love to tell you that after a mammoth amount of procrastination and fear, writing this article is the result of a really great coaching session. Well…luckily, I can…because it is. Sorry if that sounds like a cliché, but one conversation really changed everything, both how I felt about myself and getting this one task done which was constantly at the bottom of my to-do list (honestly, for a year).

My coach didn’t give me suggestions, offer advice, or an opinion; he did what a great coach does - listened, asked the right questions and let me do the talking, thinking, and feeling. I had all the answers and everything I needed all along, I just needed to unlock it.

One of the barriers or blocks I faced when writing this article was that I kept thinking I needed to persuade everyone that coaching is incredible, empowering, and applies to all sorts of contexts…and then I realised that I don’t. You are capable and whole, and resourceful. You know how to use a search engine, open a book or listen to a podcast, and can find out for yourself that coaching was found to be the number one skill when Google researched the qualities of effective leaders. You can also find out that companies with a strong coaching culture, whose employees feel empowered, have a higher revenue (see Forbes or Harvard Business Review). You probably already know that every elite athlete or sportsperson has a coach whom they partner with on their journey to the top. A coach doesn’t run the race for them, but facilitates their training so that the individual sees results and sometimes, wins. The research and knowledge is all out there for you, as is the opportunity to try a coaching session and see where it can take you.

Coaching, in the personal development context, is one of the most powerful ways we can connect and communicate with our friends, peers, colleagues, family; and the best part is that it only takes making small adjustments to what we already do daily - have conversations. Coaching is turning a good conversation into a powerful one. It’s just moving the desk 90 degrees. Making small changes for big impact. What could happen if you stepped out of your comfort zone or made a small adjustment?

If you are curious to learn more about coaching, whatever your role in the school community, contact Miss Martin, Dr Webb, or Ms Bolton.