What is coaching? And how to find the right coach for you.

Let's start by comparing mentoring to coaching:

Have you been mentored?

Most likely, yes! You’ll have been mentored by someone more experienced than you - they’ve shown an interest in your development, invested time in showing you the ropes and recommended you for opportunities. 

Most often this is an unofficial arrangement and happens organically when you show a genuine interest in being a team player and becoming better at your craft. 

And there are also platforms for organised mentoring, such as those facilitated by AWUK and Access:VFX and the WIA Mentor Circles.

Last year, I ran my first WIA Mentor Circle with this awesome group of women.

💭 So, who would you count as a mentor? Think about it: who would you credit for going above and beyond in terms of supporting you as you learnt your craft? 

And it can be equally fulfilling to mentor too - in fact, investing in the next generation of talent can help you feel connected to emerging thinking, motivated people and innovative approaches, helping you also question why things are done a certain way, and therefore not getting stuck in the ‘same old, same old’.

💭 Who have you mentored? And how did it feel to see them flourish?

I know I’ve been fortunate throughout both my VFX career and my coaching career to have consistently benefitted from the guidance of mentors. And I have happily, regularly invested in the development of other talented folks too. 

With my fellow Heads of Compositing, all of whom taught me tons over the years.

In my online course, Lead With Ease, I include a lesson on being more intentional about fostering these mentor-mentee relationships. Try asking yourself:

• What skills am I lacking?

• Who do I admire? 

• How can I learn from them?

And then, try reaching out! Or, if that feels too bold, try using an organised mentoring scheme (as listed above).

There is huge value in mentoring! And it’s simple to do, as there’s no training required, and no cost involved.

How is that different to coaching?

Unlike mentoring, coaching is a professional service. Any reputable Coach will have completed coach training, and invests in on-going CPD including coaching supervision.

Ok, so what is coaching?

I like the The International Coaching Federation’s description:

“Coaching is a transformative journey where you discover your true potential. What is coaching all about? Imagine driving on a road you’ve never traveled before. You’re in the driver’s seat, in control of the destination, but beside you is a trusted navigator — your coach — helping you see new possibilities, find alternate routes, and ensure you don’t lose focus. This partnership empowers you to unlock answers you already have within, while also challenging you to go further than you imagined.

At its heart, coaching is about exploration. It’s a process that stirs up creativity, fuels personal growth, and maximizes both professional and personal potential. Through powerful questioning and insightful dialogue, coaches support you in discovering your own solutions, whether for life decisions, career shifts, or business challenges. Coaching goes beyond surface-level improvements; it cultivates deep, lasting change.”

In my own words (and those of wiser coaches than me), Coaching is…

• having a thinking partner

• having an accountability buddy

• having someone in your corner, rooting for you

• having someone gently challenge your assumptions

• having someone hold a mirror up to you

• having a safe space to offload and examine situations

In fact, I feel confident saying, effective coaching will improve self-confidence, mindset, behaviour, communication and performance. 

Are coaching and mentoring ever combined? 

Yes, absolutely! It’s not like the streams in Ghostbusters! And I’m a big fan of flexing one’s style to best suit the client/situation.

So, I take a coaching-first approach, as experience has taught me that the client most often has the best answers to their questions. And, I’m willing to share my own knowledge and experience if/when genuinely of benefit to my client.

"Don't cross the streams!"

What makes coaching effective?

This is something I reflected on in my post-graduate coaching essays and throughout my coaching practice - and I can narrow it down to these two main factors:

1. You have to be ready and willing to change things up a bit! This sounds simple… but without this willingness to try doing things differently, you can’t expect to see results.

2. The coaching relationship is key! Which means, finding the right coach for you - someone with whom you feel trust and rapport and who brings an energy you respond well to.

Finding the right coach for you

Not all coaches are created equally… did you know, unlike therapy, coaching isn’t regulated? 😱

So, when seeking a coach, here’s a simple checklist of additional things to consider:

1) What coaching training have they completed?

2) And do they have regular coaching supervision? (feel free to ask this!)

3) Do they seem genuinely interested in how best to help you? (whether or not that entails coaching sessions with you)

4) Are they a member of a coaching organisation? This one isn’t essential, but for me, I find peace of mind being held to the ICF's code of ethics.

5) And perhaps most importantly, what do others say about being coached by them?

Visiting Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust with one of my coaching supervisor, Annie Lee.

On this final point, I thought I’d share this snippet from a recent client testimonial:

"I cannot recommend Debra Coleman highly enough as a career coach. Her specialized expertise in the Visual Effects and Animation industry—a rare find in career coaching—proved invaluable as I came to her with very specific career goals in mind, hoping to accelerate my professional path.

...If you're in the Visual Effects and Animation industry and seeking a coach who truly understands the unique challenges of this field while offering transformative guidance, Debra Coleman is an exceptional choice. Her coaching doesn't just advance careers—it fundamentally changes how you understand yourself as a professional and leader.” Kemer Stephenson, Head of Character Effects

For the full testimonial, please click here

Like to see how coaching could help you? Book a chat here and I look forward to meeting you.

...and that's my second blog post: thanks for reading. And I'd genuinely like to know:

• Has this been of interest?

• What surprised you?

• And what else would you like to know?