TRANSITION AND TRANSFORMATION. COACHING MILITARY VETERANS AND MORE. Foundations – Inner Force and Accountability. Part 4 of 4
Service members develop excellent life skills like leadership, teamwork, critical skills thinking, resilience and an ability to adapt to broad experiences. So will they instinctively benefit from the coaching process?
Yes and No. If you’ve created the foundation we discussed in parts 1 – 3, attuning to gain their trust, inspiring them to move beyond simple goal setting and to dip their toes into self-reflection, you are on the right track.
Personal power and self-identity are often hidden from veterans. They’re not always in tune with their own potential and the long-term results of career or educational decisions. This can lead to a sense of being lost. It can be demoralizing and detrimental, equaling transition failure. And as an aside – they (and us) must resist the notion that all that’s needed for a successful transition is translating their résumé from military to civilian language. Veterans deserve Life-Mapping that is relatable, realistic and motivating.
So, for many veterans, we’ll add specific ingredients to the coaching mix. Ways to increase their accountability in the coaching process is paramount to sustainable success. Finding their inner force to reconstruct narratives based on a blend of beliefs, new intentions, perceptions, and strategy is at the core of thriving. There are many ways to do this. Let’s just examine one – a process I call landscaping. It’s thoughtful, inspirational, not simply visioning with affirmations, nor highly charged or critical. I don’t rush with action items (i.e. résumé) before compelling the client to assess and measure the reality of his or her wishes for the present, the near future, and the far-off future. I accept big dreams – so long as the needs and consequences are examined. Sessions have clear objectives. Clients evaluate their core values and how these critical elements (rarely explored by veterans), align with their life plans. They must investigate the reality of outcomes and create deadlines for their discoveries.
Offering this 360° view of the landscape allows the client realistic perspectives. It holds the client accountable to action items and measurable results through strategic, insightful and empowered decisions. By following the approach presented in all four segments, coaches can benefit military members and veterans in making a successful transition to the civilian sector.
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About the Author:
Jessi LaCosta is a CCE-Board Certified Coach, Author, Professional Speaker & founder of BlueRio Strategies and its Hawk Collaborative. LaCosta is known for groundbreaking training approaches for coaches at the beginning, intermediate and advanced levels. She is proud to have launched the USA’s first-ever *BCC-Approved Coach Training course with a focus on supporting veterans in their life-mapping and transitions to the civilian sector. LaCosta also offers innovative BCC-approved leadership and resilience coach training.
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