ICF Metro DC Blog

Coaching “on the side” or “at the center”   

By Victoria Baxter, ACC       

I remember the moment clearly. It was in the first half hour of the first session of my coach training program and it was starting off as I expected. Everyone was introducing themselves and explaining why they came to coaching. There were at least two people who were already coaches, and several who worked in organizational development roles.

When my turn came, I panicked. To be honest, I wasn’t exactly sure why I was in the program.

Earlier that summer, I had gone to a conference for my ‘day job’ and attended a coach-led breakout session on how to give positive feedback. It was a transformative session which sparked an interest in coaching, so I connected afterwards with the speaker. She suggested I pick up Lauren Weinstein’s excellent book, Coaching is Calling. After reading it, I found myself  applying to the Leadership Coaching for Organizational Wellbeing program at George Mason University. 

Despite the clear direction I’d felt to apply, once I was at the kick-off that morning, I found myself struggling to fully explain why or how I’d gotten there.

I’ve got a big job. I am the North America lead for the Social Impact practice of a major PR firm. I work with corporate leaders to help them navigate new expectations around purpose, ESG (the environment, social and governance aspects of running a business), and stakeholder capitalism – or essentially, how to be a for profit and be for good. It’s a challenging job, and it demands a lot of my time and mental energy. 

I wasn’t seeking a career change. It had felt right to pursue this coaching program, and once I became engrossed in it, the through line that led the decision to add coaching into the mix started to make sense. Unfortunately it came to me months after the awkward introduction I gave to my cohort.

I have a Master’s Degree in International Relations and Conflict Resolution. My ‘day jobs’ have varied, but have always focused on social justice, particularly on big global issues. In some ways, I was returning to my roots – helping people navigate through challenging times to advance positive impact. And, I was building something new into the work I was doing now. I was learning how to help people not only tell stories of social impact, but also to become more effective leaders for change.

I was able to accumulate the 100 hours needed for my first credential as I found coaching clients and conducted coaching ‘on the side,’ fitting sessions into my already hectic work schedule. It took me a bit longer than others in my cohort to get there, but I recently secured my ACC credential. It’s still an open question as to what, exactly, I’ll do with it, but I’m so happy to have earned it! 

Learning the skill of coaching has made me a better manager. I navigate conflict in my organization more productively. It’s also made me a better sister, friend and wife. I know now how to hold space for people. I can lean on my ability to ask a powerful question, rather than feeling self-imposed pressure to fix everything. 

I’m exploring how to offer coaching in the context of my professional life. I don’t see myself – at least not right now – putting out my own shingle or walking away from the social impact work I love. I want to bring coaching into my work – to be ‘at the center’ of all I do, rather than keeping it ‘on the side.’ I do continue to have a few fantastic clients, and I also offer pro bono coaching to women leaders in global development through WBECS because I’m financially able to do so.

I imagine there might be others out there in the ICF DC Metro community who find themselves in a similar position – whether you categorize your coaching as ‘on the side’ or ‘at the center.’ Proud of your skills, but still figuring out the form.