George Scully - Be open, be curious, be kind to yourself

What is your coaching niche and why did you choose it?

I work with individuals who have hit a substantial crossroads in their career, business, or life, they are looking for more meaning in their work or lives. People who know things need to change and don’t necessarily know what that looks like. Funnily enough, the niche chose me as that was where I was when I signed up for the Introduction to Life Coaching course and where many of my friends and family were as I went through my training.

"For me, the most rewarding part of mentoring is being able to re-assure course participants and encourage people to step back and enjoy it."How did you start volunteering as a Mentor for The Coaching Academy and why did you want to take on this challenge?

I was invited to join the second cohort of trainee volunteers, having previously expressed an interest in being a mentor. 

I love mentoring - sharing my knowledge, skills and experience - and helping others find their way through the programme and what they may want to do after; especially as my path through the course was not straightforward. I had a 2-year plan to complete my qualification and set up my business and, as for many participants, life got in the way and it took a lot longer.

100 hours of volunteer mentoring is a fantastic achievement! What was the most rewarding part of it? 

For me, the most rewarding part of mentoring is being able to re-assure course participants and encourage people to step back and enjoy it. It's so easy to get caught up in the process and allow our inner critic to get in our way. 

What was one thing mentorship changed in your own life that you didn’t expect? 

No matter what kind of day I have had I always enjoy talking with so many interesting and wonderful people doing the course.

Whilst we understand that you are supportive of all your mentees, can you give us an example of when in your opinion a mentee coach has overcome significant odds to succeed (or done particularly well)?   

I mentored someone who, like me, had signed up with great enthusiasm but, for whom, life had got in the way; and while they were trying to get back on track, they were finding it extremely difficult and were seriously considering giving up. The mentor session helped them reconnect with what had inspired them in the first place, overcome the overwhelm and make a plan to complete it; made up of small achievable actions. 

Tell us about a mentee that challenged your perceptions about what it means to be a successful coach.

The definition of success is so personal and is so different for everyone. I like this quote by Maya Angelou: ‘Success is liking who you are, liking what you do and liking how you do it.’.

I’m interested when people are studying coaching with no intention of setting up in business, they want to add coaching skills to their overall skillset.

"Ditch the perfectionism (it’s a means to procrastination), step back and enjoy it all for the wonderful journey it will be and continues to be."

If you could go back in time to the person you were before attending the free two-day foundation event, what would you tell them?

Go for it. Don’t worry about not being good enough or not getting it absolutely right. Be open, be curious, be kind to yourself and enjoy it for the amazing learning curve it will be.

Is there one tip or life lesson you could share with all aspiring coaches out there that would help them succeed as a coach? 

Ditch the perfectionism (it’s a means to procrastination), step back and enjoy it all for the wonderful journey it will be and continues to be. Oh and, if you want to set up in business, do a business plan and regularly review it.

‘It is never too late to be what you might have been.’ George Eliot

Who do you want to be when lockdown is over?

Would you like to make a positive and lasting difference to others, just like George does? Would you like to have a coaching business you can run from the comfort of your own home?

The free Introduction to Life Coaching webinars are available for you to join. They are interactive, informative and designed to help you understand if training to be a life coach is for you. 

Take positive action, project forward and plan for a year to remember for all the right reasons. Choose from available dates here.