Retirement coach Jan King shares an experience of using her coaching skills outside of a coaching session in this week’s guest post…

Coaching Questions are an Everyday Matter

by Jan King

Really good coaching questions come in useful in all sorts of situations. Many years of carrying heavy handbags on my right shoulder meant that recently, I had to see an orthopaedic surgeon for a suspected injury to my rotator cuff – the ball and socket where arm joins shoulder. He confidently informed me that the solution to the problem was to operate in order to shave off some bone.

Well, I absolutely hate and detest operations. First, because the anaesthetic makes me feel sick for hours and hours, so I have to stay in hospital for far longer than most people do. And second, I’ve been suspicious of orthopaedic operations, in particular, ever since my mother had one done on her foot and subsequently found slivers of bone emerging painfully from her toes.

I’ll try anything rather than have to undergo the knife, be it ever so small and the surgery ever so keyhole. So, putting my coaching hat on, I innocently asked the orthopaedic surgeon the following question: ‘If you didn’t operate, what else could you do that might alleviate the problem?’

It was wonderful to see his facial expression change from confidence to perplexity. But perplexity led to deep thought, as it often does when you ask a client a really good question. Finally, he said — perhaps a bit grudgingly — that he supposed I could try physiotherapy. He didn’t think it would work, but it was worth a try.

Two months later, I’m faithfully following a complicated exercise regime that entails lots of shoulder and neck stretching. And it’s working, so I probably won’t have to have an operation. Which just goes to show that you can use your coaching skills in any situation and get a really satisfying result.

Jan King

30 May 2012

About the author

Jan King is a Retirement Coach, working with individuals, couples and groups to make retirement as happy and fulfilling as possible.

Qualified both as a Family & Marital Therapist and as a Life Coach, Jan has retired twice herself and has first-hand experience of making the transition from work to retirement (and in her case, back again!) and of figuring out not only how to retire and when, but also how to get the very best out of retirement.

Visit her website at www.jkretirement.co.uk,
Catch up with her on Twitter @jankingcoach,
On Facebook at jankingcoaching
Or on LinkedIn at jankingtransitionscoach.
Or you can contact her on 01787 222540/07949 821 670 or email her at ja*@*************co.uk.