Final reflections

By Jon Hobbs, #RideTheWave Coach

Approaching the final module on my RideTheWave training programme, I felt excited and wistful.
 
Excited to complete the programme that had inspired me to reflect on my life, my choices and my career to date. Excited to see the other coaches that I’d grown to appreciate more and more through the duration of the course. Excited to see where I take this new qualification and continue on my development pathway to becoming an accredited coach.
 
Wistful about the end of a 4-month process that had become an important part of my development as a person.

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​I struggled to focus for the first session of the day as I found my mind engaging in next steps rather than the present. I soon snapped out of that mindset when we embarked on our first practical exercise of the day. It’s been a constant throughout the programme that whenever I feel the need for an injection of energy, it’s provided in the form of a practical application of the learning.
 
The best thing about these exercises is that enough time is allocated for a full exploration of the material. So often in modern L&D, material is rushed through in order to cram as much as possible in an unfounded attempt to demonstrate “value”. The nature of coaching is such that it’s an escape from the grind, a chance to think and a chance to breathe – so the fact the programme itself adheres to this principle is I’m sure intentional and definitely appreciated.
 
At the end of the fourth and final module, I felt like I had a fantastic apprenticeship in coaching and could happily continue to build my coaching hours in this “contact sport”. I know that with the knowledge I’ve gained I will be able to offer an important and meaningful service to my coachees.
 
I also know there is a lot for me still to learn as I refine my style and continue to gain experience, “on the job”.
 
It has been made clear to us that it is important for the whole coaching community to value the accreditation process and maintain standards in the industry – so I will be working towards my accreditation over the coming weeks and months.
 
It might take me some time to achieve  accreditation for the same reasons as I had when contemplating signing up to the course (a leadership role in a growing business and two children under 5!) but I want to become an accredited coach and I have RideTheWave to thank for bringing this wonderful new string to my bow.