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By Akola Thompson- At the stage where he needed to seriously begin thinking about his career path, Bradley Downer was a bit confused about which direction he wanted to head in.
“I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to pursue being a software developer, an IT Consultant or a Computer Scientist,” said Bradley. Recognising that he was facing a predicament that he quickly needed to solve, he reached out to his mentor, Dr Claire Nelson who is a Coach.
It was through the probing questions that she would ask him, that Bradley realised what he needed to do in order to successfully navigate his path. “It was then that I saw the need for asking questions that could lead to gaining better clarity and becoming more accountable.”
Realising the important role that coaching had played in his own journey, Bradley began exploring Coaching as an area of interest. This interest would grow and develop into his conceptualisation and the recent launching of Excellence Coaching Service.
Fully committed to learning more about coaching due to the prompting that he received from a friend, Bradley was led in the direction of Circl. Circl is a leadership development platform that offers leadership development programmes and teaches coaching skills to professionals alongside young adults from underrepresented backgrounds.
Particularly interested in pursuing the guidance form of coaching, Bradley would gain a certificate in this area which is accredited by the Association for Coaching. “During the six-month course, I was paired with a professional who I coached on project management. I utilised thought-provoking questions until she was better in the areas that were causing her trouble. I was also provided feedback in terms of how to become a more effective coach.”
Through his training, he was able to get better insights into how questions can bring clarity, especially as it relates to careers, goals or decision-making. As a certified coach, Bradley now has the responsibility to: (1) Explore, define, and align his coaching with what the client wants to accomplish, (2) Encourage clients towards self-discovery, (3) Evoke client-generated solutions and approaches, (4) Help clients improve their perspectives on work and life, and (5) Improve clients’ leadership skills while unlocking their potential.
When seeking coaching services, Bradley advises that people should keep in mind that coaching does not equal therapy. “Coaching is not mentorship and coaches do not give advice, but rather we ask thought-provoking questions that can aid the client in being more accountable to themselves and others.” He is excited at the launch of his social business as he is now equipped to help bring clarity to people that seek it. (Caribbean Loop)
