It is time for some tough love. We want the best for each of you. We want you to succeed with your dissertation. And we want you to succeed without wasting time or money and with as little frustration as possible. Given our years of experience in dissertation coaching, we know that there is a recipe for success. These 5 ingredients are given as helpful tips to get the most out of your dissertation coaching experience. Those who sign up for dissertation coaching already understand the need for a coach and the value of the relationship. However, signing the contract is not the last step in achieving the dream of becoming a doctor. This tough love article is meant to help you benefit the most out of your relationship with your dissertation coach. As coaches, we see many clients each week. Some reach out for help with writing. Some need help with statistics. Others need guidance on how to get started or how to get back on track looking for clarity and specific feedback. Our clients who usually move through the coaching program quickly are motivated, they take initiative, and they communicate well. Some clients need 4 weeks to finish analyzing their data while others might need 12 weeks to write the proposal. The coaching relationship works and can work quickly when these 5 steps are followed. The goal with our boot camp is for our clients to become “Dr. You” as quickly as possible. We would like to share these valuable tips with all doctoral students to help them navigate their journey faster, with less expense, frustration, and stress.  

Dissertation Coaching Ingredient #2: 

Be Specific

When communicating verbally or in writing, please be specific. If we receive an email with an attachment and no directive is given, we do not know what to do. The time involved with email exchanges to find out what is needed can easily be avoided when clients are specific about what they need. Please explain what you need in the top of the email or in the conversation. Let the coach know what you need them to do and if you have a specific timeframe or deadline in mind. It is okay to be assertive, and it is okay to not know what you need, so ask us to assist accordingly for feedback. The same is true with your professors. If you send them a document, let them know what you want them to do with the document and your expectation for a response.  

Dissertation Coaching Ingredient #3: 

Put in the Time

Have you heard the saying, “The hardest part about going to the gym is… going to the gym?” It is the same with writing a dissertation. The hardest part is showing up to do the work. The biggest obstacle in to earning a doctoral degree, based on our many years of coaching, is time. It takes time to do the research and write the chapters. Each and every single student is busy. There is no doubt about it. Our clients have lives outside of school. Some have jobs. Some have families. Some have other obligations that make it difficult to get things done. Carving out at least 30 minutes per day is recommended. Look at your schedule and see where you can realistically carve out time to do the work. Then write it down in your calendar each day so it happens. It is important to protect that timeslot and make sure you are using your time wisely.  

Dissertation Coaching Ingredient #4:

Show Up for Appointments

If you had an appointment with your neurosurgeon or cardiologist, would you miss the appointment? Sure, things happen that can require a reschedule, but we are all responsible adults. A dissertation coaching relationship is valuable. The coach is trying to help you succeed. Please respect their time and show up for the appointments or reschedule in advance if needed. To make the most of your own time, be in a place where you can concentrate without distractions. Your commitment to being truly present for each appointment is really a show of self-respect and evidence of your motivation to finish your dissertation.  

Dissertation Coaching Ingredient #5:

Complete your Tasks

This may sound harsh, but the coach will not do the work for you (this is clearly described in our dissertation coaching guidelines). Your dissertation coach is available to guide and provide specific feedback in alignment with your university requirements in addition to chair/committee feedback. Each dissertation coaching session should include a discussion about what was accomplished, what has worked well since the last session, what has not worked well since the last session, and action items to take place between now and the next session. When you leave the session, you should know what to do and the expectations to keep you moving forward. If those things are not completed prior to the next session, time and money has been wasted. The bulk of progress made should happen between the sessions, not during the session. Yes, there will be times we need to share screens and demonstrate how to do a task. However, that demonstration should be short and provide enough information for the student to move forward in the days ahead  — keeping in mind you always have access to unlimited emails, document reviews, and coaching calls. One of the key ingredients to success in dissertation coaching is accountability. Each time the coach and student meet, something should be accomplished. Sometimes it is a small accomplishment. Sometimes it is a big accomplishment. Nevertheless, it is a step in the right direction and is building positive momentum and motivation to finish your dissertation journey.  

Conclusion

In summary, this article shares a dissertation coach’s (sometimes needed) tough love approach. It is a quick reminder of what it takes to get it done. There is only one reason for our existence as Dissertation Success: WE WANT YOU TO SUCCEED! Clients do not pay us to stay stuck in their dissertation writing and never finish. They pay us for results. We are encouraging you to be coachable, be specific, put in the time, show up for the appointments, and complete the tasks. To get the most out of your coaching relationship and investment, follow these 5 steps, and you will soon finish your dissertation journey to becoming “Dr. You” and joining over five hundred of our clients that have earned their doctorate.