Jennifer Selby Long

So it's a great question. The answer is yes, absolutely. And when I began coaching, it just barely existed. As they say, it wasn't a thing. There was a very small number of coaches in the world.

So it's a great question. The answer is yes, absolutely. And when I began coaching, it just barely existed. As they say, it wasn't a thing. There was a very small number of coaches in the world.

And many of the great ones worked at an organization called the Center for Creative Leadership, still in existence today, originally focused on helping leaders of nonprofits come together and grow as leaders and then expanded beyond into business. And my last boss in a real job, as I jokingly say, said, I need you to go off to this leadership school because we report up to HR every

And many of the great ones worked at an organization called the Center for Creative Leadership, still in existence today, originally focused on helping leaders of nonprofits come together and grow as leaders and then expanded beyond into business. And my last boss in a real job, as I jokingly say, said, I need you to go off to this leadership school because we report up to HR every

You have a career trajectory upward here, but frankly, you don't get along well enough with HR people and you need to work on that. And so I'm sending you there to work on that. And it was an absolutely eye opening week. And so the coach who led our group was a coach of Olympic champions. She was a sports psychologist.

You have a career trajectory upward here, but frankly, you don't get along well enough with HR people and you need to work on that. And so I'm sending you there to work on that. And it was an absolutely eye opening week. And so the coach who led our group was a coach of Olympic champions. She was a sports psychologist.

To this day, I still incorporate a great deal of sports psychology or what's now called performance psychology into my practice because athletes engage a coach because they want to win and leaders engage a coach because they want to win. Both of these people want high performance in themselves and in others. And that's why the coach is there, right?

To this day, I still incorporate a great deal of sports psychology or what's now called performance psychology into my practice because athletes engage a coach because they want to win and leaders engage a coach because they want to win. Both of these people want high performance in themselves and in others. And that's why the coach is there, right?

Yes, coaching has a little bit of a therapeutic feel to it, but a coach is not a therapist paid for by the company. The coach is there to help you win at your goals. And in our case, those are largely goals that revolve around their capacity to continue to lead and change and transform businesses. So that coaching was absolutely instrumental to me. It was eye-opening.

Yes, coaching has a little bit of a therapeutic feel to it, but a coach is not a therapist paid for by the company. The coach is there to help you win at your goals. And in our case, those are largely goals that revolve around their capacity to continue to lead and change and transform businesses. So that coaching was absolutely instrumental to me. It was eye-opening.

because a good coach helps you face yourself and look at those flat sides and not just the ways in which you're great when you think about it it's largely high performers and people who are successful who get sponsored for coaching and so it becomes super important that the coach helps you see that what got you here won't necessarily get you where you want to be next and to really face yourself

because a good coach helps you face yourself and look at those flat sides and not just the ways in which you're great when you think about it it's largely high performers and people who are successful who get sponsored for coaching and so it becomes super important that the coach helps you see that what got you here won't necessarily get you where you want to be next and to really face yourself

And how you might be caught up or getting in your own way of that. And by extension, getting in others ways. Another type of coaching that's been extremely valuable to me because I had absolutely no background running a business or having a small business was hiring a business coach. Someone who was more of an advisor in their style coach.

And how you might be caught up or getting in your own way of that. And by extension, getting in others ways. Another type of coaching that's been extremely valuable to me because I had absolutely no background running a business or having a small business was hiring a business coach. Someone who was more of an advisor in their style coach.

and who specializes in small practices that are advisory and coaching, such as my own. So they have tremendous depth. And I think part of my takeaway from that is to some extent, a good coach can cross a lot of different areas from life coaching to leadership to specialized industries. It is helpful when your coach

and who specializes in small practices that are advisory and coaching, such as my own. So they have tremendous depth. And I think part of my takeaway from that is to some extent, a good coach can cross a lot of different areas from life coaching to leadership to specialized industries. It is helpful when your coach

has experience relevant to what it is you're trying to do and where you're trying to do it. Because that particular organization's ability to specialize in the type of business I lead has been enormously helpful to me. And it was one of the reasons that I decided to continue staying focused on leaders and particularly leaders who are leading change often

has experience relevant to what it is you're trying to do and where you're trying to do it. Because that particular organization's ability to specialize in the type of business I lead has been enormously helpful to me. And it was one of the reasons that I decided to continue staying focused on leaders and particularly leaders who are leading change often

change that exists in part because technology is now available that enable things that couldn't happen before. It is very helpful to have your coach be specialized. Great.

change that exists in part because technology is now available that enable things that couldn't happen before. It is very helpful to have your coach be specialized. Great.