Interviewed by: Saleh
Abdullah Alkhamyasi
She said that coaches work with
coachees to close competency gaps required to get to their desired level. Once
the task in hand is adhered to in a sincere and dedicated manner, it will
certainly lead to acquiring the desired competencies that will empower the
national workforce to achieve their professional best.
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| Benita Stafford |
Perhaps
coaching and the word coach in particular have been tied up in our minds to
football. However, coaching has become a discipline in its own right. A
profession, with its own unique tools, techniques and theoretical background.
Recently HR fragrance met with Benita Stafford Smith an Internationally Certified Coach, a passionate
person, an author of two books entitled Man Oman and Ready Set Retire. She has
co-authored two others namely Expert Women Who Speak: Speak Out and from Now to
Wow, Step by Step, An Invitation to Transformation.
Benita hails from Canada. She recalls
that sitting back home Oman was not even in her agenda however, she was
destined to arrive in Oman in April 2008. She took a deep breath and gazed at
me with her usual smile and said do you know that ever since I came here, Oman
has been the dream land where I found serenity and solace.
As a senior coach hailing from Canada
and currently working in Oman being passionate about coaching strikes you the
minute she utters her first word.
When we requested her to define what coaching is she immediately
resorted to her professional definition given by the International Coach
Federation where coaching is defined as “partnering with clients in a
thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their
personal and professional potential.”
When we asked her to clarify how does
coaching differ from profession such as mentoring, training, consulting and
counseling. She flashed a smile and said well that is an interesting question.
Let me tell you. A mentor is expected to have expertise/experience in the industry
the mentee works in or wishes to work in, a coach does not necessarily have
experience in the industry. LikewiseA consultant advises and offers solutions,
a coach does not. Similarly A counselor deals with a client’s past, a coach
deals with the future. Like wise Training is conducted in groups, coaching is
typically one to one. In a nut shell coaching is a personal relationship where
a coach has no other interest than their clients’ success!
About the benefits of coaching Benita revealed that
coaching is a tool people can use to
reach their personal and professional best. Coaching enables coachees to
identify and reach their goals quicker as they are accountable to themselves
and the coach. This has led us to enquirehow can imbibing a coaching approach
contributes in enhancing a competency based Omanization?
Being a passionate coach she is eyeing
the future of coaching with a deft touch of optimism. She reiterated that
coaching has a very exciting future! It can make a significant contribution to
developing people and organizations.
As a passionate person who is living joyfully and enjoy a spirit
of an adventurer we asked her about the places she visited in Oman. At this
point she leaned back at her chair as if she is in a mood to illustrate
something and said, “I love the new tagline for tourism, beauty has an
address”. I have travelled extensively in this beautiful awe-inspiring country,
exploring coastlines, mountains and desert. I have not been to Masirah Island
as of yet.
The
conversation was so natural and transparent. Time took us by surprise. I looked
at my watch and stood to thank her for the opportunity and bid her goodbye. She
acknowledged my gesture and left me with a departing note saying I want you to
remember to “Lead where your heart takes you!”
