As a professional, I support people in enhancing their own development plans (both personally and professionally). Whoa… no pressure!
…but how do you know you are ready?
When Coaching or Development Planning Makes Sense—and When It Doesn’t
Readiness isn’t about having it all figured out.
More often, potential readiness for a shift shows up as curiosity, restlessness, or a quiet sense that something needs attention.
Coaching or development planning can be helpful when you want space to think, reflect, and move forward more intentionally.
You don’t need to have something “wrong” to benefit from working with a coach. In fact, the premise of positive psychology and, respectively, the growth-focused coaching that has emerged from the field is to build upon what is working (or has worked in the past) to shift your energy forward. This could be aligning yourself for better outcomes, creating or taking on something new, or simply finding more joy or fulfillment in what you are doing.
Ultimately, when you’re ready to grow with purpose. It’s less about fixing problems and more about creating clarity, alignment, and momentum. Coaching and development planning are about intentional growth, not remediation.
How you think, manage energy, relate to others, and make meaning all influence how you show up in the world, whether you are at work, with your friends and family, or simply working at something on your own.
When development efforts account for the full person, including values, strengths, context, and constraints, they tend to be more sustainable and effective.
Research in human development and positive psychology shows that incorporating these humanistic facets can contribute to increased intrinsic motivation and strengthened engagement, which can further support meaningful goal pursuit.
When individuals connect their work to personal values and strengths, they make clearer decisions, sustain effort over time, and experience greater satisfaction and purpose in their roles.
Therefore, my coaching approaches don’t rigidly extract personal priorities from professional development. This kind of approach supports not only clearer goals and better decisions but also a stronger sense of presence, confidence, and alignment in professional roles.
When Coaching May Not Be Quite Right
Just as importantly, coaching is not always the right fit. You may find that other professional services, be it mentorship, therapy, or consulting, rise to the moment more significantly or saliently for where you are at right now. Or… Sometimes rest, experience, or time are what’s needed most.
Understanding the difference helps you choose support that actually serves you, rather than forcing yourself into something that doesn’t fit.
Simple Signs You Might Be Ready for Coaching or Development Planning
Use reflective signals, not checklists.
- You’re noticing patterns around something you want to understand further or shift
- You’re at a transition point (new role, new direction, growing responsibility)
- You’re asking better questions, even if the answers aren’t clear yet
- You want space to think, reflect, and clarify what matters most
- You’re ready to move from insight to aligned action
If one of these resonates, that’s often enough to start the conversation.
What Readiness Looks Like (and What It Doesn’t)
Readiness isn’t exclusive from uncertainty. Establishing clarity is significant (and research-based), but it’s not a requirement for every moment of our lives. Sometimes lack of clarity can propel our curiosity, exploration, and problem-solving. Finding a balance between the two spectrums can be relevant.
Coaching & Development readiness might look like:
- Openness to reflection
- Willingness to experiment or try new approaches
- Honest self-awareness (even if it feels messy)
Readiness does NOT require:
- A crisis
- A perfectly defined goal
- Knowing exactly what you need
Readiness is often quietly showing up as Curiosity, Discomfort, or A sense that “something needs attention.”
Coaching vs. Development Planning—What’s the Difference?
Coaching:
- Focuses on reflection, perspective, decision-making, and growth over time
- Ideal for leadership identity, clarity, alignment, and transitions
Development Planning:
- Focuses on defining priorities, capabilities, and practical next steps
- Ideal when you want structure, momentum, or a roadmap forward
Many people benefit from a blend of both.
Craftful coaching emphasizes co-creation (not advice-giving). A coaching professional who is truly aligned with their craft will be skillful and poignant with asking you appropriate questions for your specific circumstances and comments made in a coaching session while structuring the conversation so it moves forward, comfortably, in the time allotted.
Coaching and development planning create:
- Space to think
- Questions and structured dialogue that facilitate clarity around priorities and values
- Motivation to set up the practical and aligned steps grounded in who you are
*A professional coach should reinforce confidentiality and psychological safety.
Questions to Ask Yourself Before Getting Started
Questions (or discovery prompts), like the ones below, can help you get started. Your answers may serve as entry points to bring to your conversation with a professional coach.
- Where do I most want to grow or stretch as a leader, professional, or just a person?
- What possibilities excite me most in the next 6–12 months?
- What kind of support would help me move toward my goals more confidently?
- What feels unclear or misaligned right now?
- If everything went well this year, what would I feel proud of achieving?
A Simple Way to Begin (Without Overcommitting)
You can simply be “curious” to explore coaching. See a recent blog post breaking down what I refer to as coaching curious.
Three simple ways to start:
- Complimentary Intro Coaching Session (the ultimate place to learn more about your coach, assess readiness (together) and chip a piece of ice off the iceburg we call “strategy”)
- Blueprint to Begin (the optimal starter experience to align clarity, vision, and direction through 2-facilitated coaching sessions paired with a customized action plan)
- Group or workshop options (the ulitimate place to flex your learning + shared insight from other attendees) — these are also great for defined groups and organizations wanting to dip their toe into enhancing personal-professional development for their people or communities!
Learn more on our Offerings page. Choose your adventure with the buttons leading to your distinct coaching and development pathways!
