Professional Endings and Beginnings: Career Growth and Change
How does anticipating professional endings and beginnings impact career growth and behaviour change? What does coaching have to offer?
In the early stages of my postgraduate medical training, I experienced frequent job changes, roughly every four months. This constant transition is typical in the first two years after graduating medical school in the UK, where junior doctors rotate through various specialties to gain a breadth of experience. Like many who have undergone successive quick-fire career changes, I faced numerous challenges, from adapting to new environments to managing the emotional toll of leaving teams just as I was starting to form connections. Interestingly, regardless of whether the role was among my best or worst experiences, by the time the endpoint approached, I always felt ready to move on. This readiness was not just a result of fatigue or frustration; it was a natural consequence of the psychological process of anticipating an end date.
The Psychological Impact of Anticipating an End Date
Anticipating an end date can have a powerful psychological effect. It generates a sense of urgency and focus that can drive productivity and engagement. Knowing that a role or project has a set duration encourages you to maximise the time available, ensuring that you accomplish as much as possible before the conclusion and helping you prepare to move on. This
mindset can be especially powerful in driving behaviour change. When you know that your time is limited, you prioritise tasks more effectively, cut out distractions, and are more likely to take decisive actions.
The anticipation of an end date prepares you mentally for transition- the human aspect of change. This preparation is crucial in high-stress environments, such as medical training, where the constant flux can be overwhelming. By recognising that each role is temporary, you can mitigate some of the anxiety associated with leaving a familiar setting and moving into the unknown. This psychological readiness is not just beneficial for career transitions; it’s also a critical factor in personal development and behaviour modification.
How Setting Milestones Drives Behaviour Change
Evidence-based guidelines for achieving smoking cessation recommend committing to an end date at the start of the process. This approach is grounded in the transtheoretical model of behaviour change, which outlines the stages individuals go through when modifying behaviour. These stages include pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. Setting a milestone date helps individuals move from the planning phase to action, making the goal more concrete and achievable.
In a broader context, setting deadlines and milestones can be an effective strategy for any behaviour change. Whether you’re trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle, learn a new skill, or advance in your career, having a clear endpoint in mind can provide the motivation needed to stay on track. Each step taken in anticipation of that endpoint builds momentum, making it easier to continue progressing even when challenges arise.
The Role of Coaching in Creating Endings and Beginnings
In the realm of professional coaching, the concept of endings and beginnings is equally significant. When people undergo a coaching process, contracting serves multiple purposes, including defining an agenda, establishing a cadence, and setting a timeframe. A well-structured contract at the outset not only clarifies expectations but also aligns the framework of the coaching process with the client’s goals for change. Committing to a set number of sessions creates an endpoint to the process, a format that can align well with establishing the landscape for the principles of change.
This structured approach to coaching is particularly effective because it mirrors the natural cycle of behaviour change. Just as setting an end date can drive action in other areas of life, knowing that the coaching process is finite creates a sense of urgency and focus. Both the client and the coach are motivated to make the most of their time together, working towards achieving outcomes within the agreed timeframe. This focus can significantly enhance the effectiveness of the coaching process, ensuring that the client not only achieves their goals but also develops the skills and mindset needed for continued growth after the coaching relationship has ended.
Three Key Benefits of a Defined Coaching Timeframe
Creating a Sense of Urgency
When the timeline of coaching is finite, urgency comes into play. Both client and coach are motivated to achieve outcomes within the set timeframe. This sense of urgency is not about rushing the process but rather about maintaining momentum. It ensures that sessions are focused and purposeful, with each one building on the last. The finite nature of the coaching relationship also encourages clients to take action between sessions, knowing that their time with the coach is limited. This proactive approach can lead to significant progress in a relatively short period.Enhancing Commitment to Change
The defined window of the coaching process creates a landscape conducive to a change cycle. Clients can move forward through various stages, from pre-contemplation to action and maintenance, depending on their starting point and momentum. The knowledge that there is an endpoint to the coaching contract can be a powerful motivator, encouraging clients to push through challenges and leverage the support of the coaching process. Additionally, the structured nature of the process allows for regular reflection and adjustment, ensuring that the client remains on track and that their goals are continually aligned with their evolving needs and circumstances.Building Self-Efficacy for Long-Term Success
The ultimate goal of coaching is to empower clients in their ability to make decisions, develop skills, overcome challenges, and navigate change. A coach’s work is truly done when they are obsolete. A finite number of sessions provides a natural transition from coaching to self-reliance, with a focus on celebrating accomplishments and consolidating gains. As the coaching relationship draws to a close, clients are encouraged to reflect on their journey, recognising the progress they have made and the tools they have acquired. This reflection is crucial for building self-efficacy—the belief in one’s ability to succeed—which is a key determinant of long-term success. By the time the final session arrives, clients should not only be able to take stock of their outcomes but also feel confident in their ability to continue their development independently, equipped with the skills and mindset needed to navigate future challenges.
Lara’s take
I have often found that as the coaching process nears its end, clients experience breakthroughs. While the substance of coaching is undoubtedly powerful, the structure of the process itself plays a crucial role in helping clients achieve their goals. Committing to a coaching timeframe lays the groundwork for momentum, providing an end point on the horizon, a path forward and a sense of direction that can be invaluable where there is dilemma, change or uncertainty.
Coaching is often deployed as a resource to support people in thinking through or navigating change. Whether clients are facing professional change, personal change, or both, the coaching process provides a structured environment in which they can explore their options, clarify their goals, and develop the strategies needed to achieve them. When contracted effectively, coaching not only aids in navigating change but also sets the stage for sustained momentum towards an endpoint, ensuring that clients leave the process not just with a plan, but with the confidence and drive to see it through.
Really excellent and thought-provoking post, thanks Lara! It certainly makes you think about your own endings and beginnings and how setting deadlines might help with transition.