We love hearing about success stories from graduates of The Coaching Academy. Jag Shoker became an accredited coach with us almost 10 years ago and has recently had his first book published – well done Jag!
In addition to working for Barclays Corporate as a Business Development Director, Jag is also a successful Self-Development Coach. He coaches business leaders, sports men and women and those in the performing arts helping them to achieve a greater and more sustainable level of success in both work and their personal lives.
Here’s Jag’s journey to becoming a published author in his own words:
I had read somewhere a while back that “an overnight success normally takes about ten years”. Whilst time will tell whether my book “Playing the Beautiful Game” is actually a success I’m naturally pleased that after having tried for several years to write a book I’ve finally managed to do it!
Through the book I’ve tried to express in words the valuable insights I have gained through helping a number of senior leaders and professionals to achieve a greater and more sustainable level of success in both their work and personal lives.
The “overnight success taking ten years” quote is also very apt for me personally as it has almost been ten years since I became an accredited coach through The Coaching Academy. Time and experience have certainly been great aids in enhancing the value of the coaching I have been able to provide to the individuals I‘ve had the privilege of coaching; and I don’t use the word privilege here lightly. Our goals and dreams are often very personal to us and sharing these with someone else and being honest about what is genuinely holding us back is no easy thing. It requires a great degree of trust.
Building trust is something I place great value on. When working as a coach you naturally become a confidant to your clients and maintaining their trust is of vital importance when trying to develop a successful coaching relationship that will help your clients to succeed. By virtue of my career outside of coaching, the individuals I coach tend to work in a senior capacity or in high profile professions. In such situations maintaining the confidence of your clients becomes ever more important.
Aspiring coaches may naturally ask, “How can I effectively build trust with a client?” To them I would wholeheartedly say, develop a genuine desire to help others to realise their hopes and dreams. When you truly wish to help others in this way you can put all the coaching skills you have acquired through your training to much greater use.
With this genuine desire to help others succeed you will put everything you have into each and every coaching session. With this greater presence of mind your ability to truly listen to your clients is enhanced as is your ability to find the right questions to help move them forward.
Like anything else however that is worth cultivating in life, your ability as a coach improves greatly with steady and persistent effort. To new coaches I’d say take every opportunity that life presents to coach others even if that means initially practising on friends and family. Each coaching session will gift you with greater experience that will stand you in good stead as your coaching practice grows and hopefully this in turn will lead you to becoming a trusted and much sought after coach.
Jag Shoker
Author of “The Beautiful Game”
If you have a success story you’d like to share with us please do get in touch with the PS Online team.