An Interview with Personal/Professional Coach, Steve Pilkington
By Cathy Carlton
copyright 2003 - Cathy Carlton - carltonscorner.com


As a newsletter publisher and member of many advertising
cooperatives, I see all kinds of offers and advertisements.

One trend I have noticed both on the internet and in "real
life" is a movement towards a holistic approach to health
care as well as career and life fulfillment issues. I had
been corresponding with a personal/professional development
coach to arrange offering coaching services to my subscribers
when I received from my employer a corporate communique
"talking up" the use of coaching in career development.
This really piqued my interest.

I decided to do an interview with Personal/Professional Coach
Steve Pilkington, to find out more about the coaching profession
and the benefits of employing a coach. Below is a transcript
of that interview:

Cathy:
Steve, Tell me a little bit about yourself --
- Where you live
- Your educational background/degrees/licenses
- Your family sitiuation

Steve:
My wife Ellen and I live in East Central Alabama.
We have a son who is installation manager for a
landscape company and a daughter in college who
wants to study veterinary medicine.

Ellen and I are enjoying the "empty nest" syndrome
and "feel" no ill effects at all.

I hold a Masters Degree from Emory University in Atlanta, GA.

Cathy:
What IS a personal/professional coach?

Steve:
A personal development coach is someone who is by
nature a curious "creature" and is interested in the
success of others. I work with people to develop
systematic strategies to move them either personally
or professionally from point a to point b.

A development coach usually works with a client who is
emotionally healthy but just needs a "nudge" in the
right direction.

For me coaching is a Divine "calling."

Cathy:
What was the most important factor in your decision
to become a coach?

Steve:
I, personally, needed more out of life. I became a coach
in order to be of more service to humankind. I derive
joy and fulfillment from coaching and watching the
personal development in the people I work with.

Coaching can truly make a difference in people's lives...
I've seen it.

Cathy:
Do you offer your services strictly online and over the phone
or do you also offer face-to-face coaching services?

Steve:
At present I offer coaching over the phone...it's convenient
and private.

Cathy:
In your experience, what type of challenge does the typical
client face?

Steve:
The most common comment I hear is "I feel like I should be
doing more with my life." This, to me, indicates a certain
amount of dissatisfaction with the way one's life is at present...
a longing for more.

Coaching will help a person get clearly focused on what
they truly need and want out of life and will help a client develop
the strategies to get there. Coaching offers support, structure
and accountability.

Cathy:
How long do you typically work with an individual client?

Steve:
That totally depends on the individual situation, but usually
coaching is short term from one to six months

Cathy:
These days there are so many people facing what I like to refer
to as "involuntary career changes". Many of these people
worked decades to build a solid career and are now faced
with starting over in their 40's and beyond. What advice can
you offer these people in planning their next career?

Steve:
This is a tough one. Being 40 doesn't mean you are
"over the hill." Sometimes what looks like a closed door
is an opportunity to bigger and better things.

People, like corporations, also have to re-tool from time to
time. We live in a world where change is a rapid and fairly
constant thing.

Never stop sharpening your skills, always be on the "lookout"
for opportunity and never become comfortable where you are.

Unfortunately, in todays world there is no loyalty in corporate
america towards its employees.

Cathy:
What about those just starting out? They're sure to be
somewhat jaded by what they see their parents' generation
going through right now. On one hand they have the advantage
of being younger, cheaper labor themselves, but even the
younger generation in the US is being "pushed out" of jobs in
the offshoring trend. What advice would you offer the younger
generation in choosing a career path?

Steve:
To those who are just starting out I would say that the best
way for you to make it in the corporate world is to constantly
be increasing the value of your "personal stock." By that I
mean when you go to work for a company hit the ground
"running." Learn all that you can about the company you
work for in all departments and make sure your boss knows
what you are learning.

Become the "go-to" person in the company when someone
needs to know something. Strive towards becoming a company
info "broker."

The higher your personal stock is in a company the more
difficult it will be for them to "downsize" you.

Cathy:
As with any other industry on the internet, it's easy for people
to claim to be a coach when they're really not qualified. How
can the internet client be sure that the coach they select is "for
real"?

Steve:
Talk to the person and trust your instincts...if what that person
says doesn't resonate with you, then move on.

If you've already hired a coach and after a short period of
time you feel you are not progressing simply terminate the
relationship.

If a coach pressures you to sign up for coaching this is usually a
sign of desperation on the coach's part...steer clear.

Use your own good sense and judgment. If it doesn't "feel"
right...it
usually isn't.

Cathy:
There are tons of self-help books out there that claim to help
with personal and professional goal setting. How would someone
benefit more from having a personal coach than from reading
books and taking the "do-it-yourself" approach?

Steve:
There is nothing like live one-on-one interaction. There are books
that I recommend to my clients from time to time, but self-help
books are never a substitute for that one-on-one coach/client
relationship.

A coach can support you, challenge you and hold you
accountable, a book cannot.

Cathy:
With all the qualified coaches available, what do you feel you
offer that would make you "THE" choice for a prospective client?

Steve:
I coach the whole person. We human beings are mind, body and
spirit. I coach all three.

For example. I once had a client who ran his own business.
He was "stuck" at a certain level and couldn't figure why he wasn't
making progress.

The issue was not "know-how." He knew how to run a business
but he wasn't aware that he had some personal/spiritual (and I don't
mean religious) issues that were tremendously hampering his
ability to perform at a certain level.

Once I was able to help remove his "blinders" and enable him to
reconnect spiritually and personally he was able to move ahead
with great rapidity.

In my opinion, coaching should deal with the whole person and
should never become just an exercise in goal setting.

Cathy:
If someone is interested in your services, how can they find out
more about you and the services you offer?

Steve:
You can visit my website: http://www.lifecoachpro.net

If you are thinking about coaching I offer a FREE 30 minute no
obligation, no pressure session...more info can be found at the
website above. Simply mention this interview to get your free
session.

Cathy:
Steve, thanks for taking the time to do this interview.
You have offered a great deal of insight into yourself, your
practice and the coaching field in general.

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Readers, I hope this interview helps you understand the
purpose of coaching and helps you make a decision if you've
been "on the fence" about enlisting the services of a personal
coach.

Some people may feel that using coaching services is a
sign of weakness or that it's just too "touchy, feely". In my
opinion, it takes guts and strength to reach for help.

Remember, your coach isn't there to judge or analyze you,
but to provide guidance and direction. Don't let a little
discomfort keep you from achieving a lifetime of success
and happiness.

Here's to your personal and business success!.....

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Cathy Carlton publishes Carlton's Corner, a weekly web-based
newsletter featuring topics such as internet marketing, website
building, e-business, motivational and family issues and now
features Steve Pilkington in "Coaches Corner". You can join
Carlton's Corner by sending a blank email to:
join-carltonscorner@... or visit
carltonscorner.com

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