Coaches Need Coaching Too!

Career Coach Kathy Shabotynskyj and Life & Business Coach Nafije Prishtina 

By chance, a Life Coach from Melbourne was introduced to a Career Coach from Palm City, two east coast 
Florida communities separated by 75 miles.  Excitement surrounded our initial face to face meeting with a 
serious intention to build a Mastermind Group of like-minded professionals. Female, entrepreneurs who engage
in helping people created our common bond.

Fast forward to now, two months hence, and the Mastermind Group did not successfully get off the ground.  
As the group’s two last standing, we decided to co-coach one another – a mini-mastermind group. It is working
out extraordinarily well.  We have a budding friendship and a commitment to help one another. We’re each
coaching a coach and being coached by a coach. The one solid objective of our engagement is to help support 
the direction and growth of our fellow coach.

What did you do to get started?  
Nafije:  We clicked immediately, as soon as I found out that she was also an HR professional and a career coach.
We  share a few passions including helping others. We had momentum built up from our unsuccessful 
Mastermind group launch.  With that momentum, it just hit me to ask Kathy to connect with me. She agreed, 
and we are now dedicating one hour per week to connect and discuss goals, obstacles and successes.  
Co-coaching has already helped me experience several breakthroughs.
Kathy:  By establishing a schedule and a basic guideline for our calls, we quickly started to see results. 
The accountability factor built-in to a routine schedule of coaching calls helps me tremendously. 
My being coached is a new and exciting experience.  With Nafije’s support and assistance my objectives are
coming into better focus and I’m accomplishing more each and every day.

What is a typical call?
Kathy:  Today we started the coaching call with warm greetings and a few personal stories.  Our dedicated time 
is short, and we guide one another to share our results for the past week and our plans for the next week.  
We discuss long and short-term goals. I’m convinced that our shared reflections and insights to one anther's 
activities are catapulting us to breakthroughs and progress.

Nafije: One of my contributions to our co-coaching is a mindful approach to time management.  During our call
we work to add clarity to our business goals. By sharing my thoughts with a non-judgmental coach, I’ve been 
able to identify my writers block and Kathy is helping me overcome this block and as a solution we are 
co-blogging.  Speaking out loud our intentions and challenges is a powerful tool to increase effectiveness.

Has Co-coaching generated results?
Nafije: This Blog is one result of our Co-Coaching Collaboration.  The focus on my goals has led me to recommit 
to continue writing and sharing my favorite topics.  Kathy is very good role model for me, she is an published 
author and is very confident with writing and editing. I have also committed to going back to university studies 
to earn a master’s degree in Cognitive Sciences.
Kathy:  I heard Nafije loud and clear when I was finding excuses for not publishing new material or pursuing 
personal writing projects when she said, go for it  “it doesn’t have to be CNN ready.” That made so much sense 
which stimulated my volunteering to take the first stab at this co-coaching blog. The other recommendations for me 
is to decide where and when I will do my writing.

Any advice for others who may want some Coaching?
Nafije: Start the conversation and see where it takes you.  Make a commitment of time and energy. Use the time
to identify your goals and write them down;  celebrate your big and small successes along the way. There’s many 
business women who are afraid to share their goals with others because they worry about giving away their 
secret formula. I admit I was hesitant of this “open-no contract co-coaching  relationship” but now, I know better 
that the benefits outweigh any risks for me. A Coaching model is the most natural way to realize success. It is just 
magical to be working together, each with so much to give. It is possible too that our shared womanhood is an 
ingredient to our successful coaching dynamic.  It is in our feminine nature to give and to nurture. As mother Teresa 
said “What I can do, you cannot. What you can do, I cannot. But together we can do something beautiful for
 God.”

Kathy:  If you like to help others and are committed to working towards your goals, coaching is invaluable.  In my 
short time being coached, I’ve had AHA moments and validation of my objectives and path to reach these objectives.
The time commitment and accountability virtually assure forward momentum.

Our mini-mastermind group is a newfound tool that delivers results.  The bonus of our budding friendship is just 
another result of helping one another.  And that is always a good thing. For sure, 100%, Coaches need Coaches too. 
Imagine what a good coach could do for you, your career, your life.  


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