One of my Favourite Coaching Questions

Spoiler Alert: A story of getting shamed for working part time

After I had V, I returned to work 3 days a week in quite a senior position.

I had the usual worries around getting my “business brain” back after mat leave, and getting all my work done in that time, but after a month or so, I felt in a pretty good groove.

That was until I got flagged down in the common area by my boss and a peer and asked a question about a client I had worked with.

I gave my opinion and they both seemed pleased with my comments. Yay!

“Let’s get Georgie to work on this”, my boss said.

“But Georgie’s never here!” retorted my peer.

My immediate reaction, I said to him: “That is discrimination. I am here for the hours I’m paid.”

“I was just joking”, he said.

But I never forgot it.

That night, I was tossing and turning about his comment and my reaction, thinking things like,

“Everyone has noticed I’m never at work.”

“I can’t do this job in part-time hours.”

“Everyone is judging me”

I asked myself one of my favourite coaching questions:

“Is it true?”

“Everyone has noticed I’m never at work.” = I’m there 3 days so I am at work.

“I can’t do this job in part-time hours.” = I am doing this job in part-time hours and was more than capable of adding what they wanted me to do

“Everyone is judging me” = possibly correct, but more importantly, I was judging me

I decided to let it go right there and then. Yes, it’s true and no it’s not true.

What are you beating yourself up about?

Can you ask yourself the simple question, “Is it true?”