How the advanced diploma has helped me to grow professionally

Completing the AoEC Advanced Practitioner Diploma (number 16) was one of the best experiences of my life….and I’m not exaggerating. I’ve hardly ever felt so challenged, so engaged, or had so much fun. The facilitators on the programme are really experienced at providing a totally safe learning space which is as stretching and enabling as it is supportive. This means that the programme provides the opportunity to do work on yourself as well as work on your coaching.

For myself, the advanced diploma really helped me to grow personally as well as professionally. These are some of the things I gained from completing the programme.

A stronger vision about how I want to be as a coach, as well as how I want to coach

Personally, I came away from completing the programme understanding more about how I want to be as a coach. I am now more able to express myself in my coaching and be the real me. It’s a difficult one to explain but before starting the programme I had this overarching belief that professionalism was everything in my work. I still believe this is important, but now I feel I can bring my whole self to my work with a client now. This adds another dimension to our relationship and real depth to our work together.

On a professional and more practical level, the programme enabled me to make sense of how I want to coach. During the programme we are offered a whole array of knowledge about coaching. This comes in many forms, such as research and theories offered by highly experienced practitioners, academics and psychological schools of thought. I was able to read, listen to, watch, experience demonstrations and debate with my fellow participants across a wide spectrum of what is out there – from the beginnings of psychological theory through to the latest discoveries in neuroscience. I was able to draw on what I wanted to from them and fuse them together in a way that works for me. This is something that continues to grow and add richness to my coaching work as a whole.

Increased credibility and visibility

First, gaining the advanced diploma qualification means that I can market myself as being an advanced level coach. This means that prospective clients have increased confidence in both my coaching ability and the results I can help them achieve.

Second, the diploma is accredited by the leading professional coaching body, the ICF. To be credible today as an independent coach, it is essential to have a professionally recognised coaching credential, underpinned by a recognised code of ethics. Being credentialed with the ICF and trained by the AoEC ticks both of those boxes to the highest standard.

Now that I possess a markedly stronger coaching profile, I also have higher visibility in the coaching arena. This leads to a wider variety of coaching engagements being offered to me and a more robust business. I’m now lucky enough to work with some amazing people who achieve the most amazing outcomes during our time together.

A growth mindset

This isn’t just for children who are learning. This is something we can embrace and take with us throughout our lives.

The advanced diploma has helped me to find more opportunities for my own growth, as well as those opportunities for my clients. Completing the programme gave me such a massive sense of achievement and self-belief, because I pushed through my own self-limiting beliefs to achieve more than I thought at first was possible. I admit that sometimes I wanted to run away, but often just turning up and being present can be enough during those moments of self-doubt and feelings of incompetence.

On a more commercial level, it is key that I believe I can do anything I put my mind to when running my own business. This belief supports my resilience and my drive to succeed, particularly when times are a bit tough.

Ultimately it means my business is growing. Furthermore, I can really enjoy my work and be open to fresh ideas, explore new approaches and be ready for new business opportunities that are as fun as they are stretching!

Our immense thanks to Rachel.

Rachel Daniel is an executive coach, coach supervisor and founder of Rachel Daniel Associates.