Coaching helps you get from where you are to where you want to be.
It is a process through which you set and work towards your goals. Coaching is a client-led approach that is forward looking. Together with you coach you will look at where you are now, what is stopping you achieving your goals and then work out together how you will move forward with a series of actions that you will determine and follow.
What coaching isn’t
A coach won’t solve your problems for you or give you advice. They will assist you in getting from where you are to where you want to be. They won’t make suggestions and will always adopt a non-judgemental point of view.
Coaching isn’t therapy, counselling, mentoring, or consulting. These types of sessions are usually led by the therapist/counsellor and are more directive than coaching. They are also backward-looking (therapy and counselling) or provide advice and actions for you to follow (mentoring and consulting).
How do I know if coaching is right for me?
- Do you feel that currently you aren’t reaching your potential and feeling fulfilled?
- Is there a gap of where you are now to where you want to be?
- Do you feel you don’t have the skills, resources, or confidence to get something done?
- Do you feel stuck and put off making decisions or fail to stick to those decisions you have made?
- Are you ready to entertain new and fresh ideas?
- Are you willing to be accountable for what you desire?
- If you answer yes to any of these questions, then coaching can definitely support you to be the best that you can be.
The Coach-Client relationship
A coach believes that you have the answers. They provide a supportive, confidential environment for you to explore your goals and work out how you will achieve them. They do this by asking questions for you to consider.
At the start of a coaching session, you will agree how much you like to be challenged and the goal you want to work towards. Sessions generally follow a 6-part process:
- Review actions from your previous session.
- Discuss your overall goal and the manageable stepping stones you could take to move towards achieving it.
- Explore the reality of the situation for you. This includes what have you already achieved, what strengths you have, and what is stopping you.
- Consider all ideas and options, challenging your current way of thinking in a way that you are comfortable with.
- Shape the way forward and what you are going to commit to doing – create an action plan.
- Conclusions and reflections from the session.
Finding the right coach
Coaching is a skill that can take various forms – career coach, nutrition, confidence, small business, education, life, and more. But they are all based on the same principles and approach. So, in theory, anyone with a coaching qualification can support you to reach any goal. However, you will find that coaches specialise in areas that interest them or areas that they have experience in. So, if you have a goal, you know you want to work towards, then your best approach is to find a coach who works in that area. If you aren’t sure, then you would look at a variety of coaches to find out which one resonates most with you.
Coaching isn’t regulated in the UK, so anyone can be a coach. There are some excellent coaches who have built their expertise through practice and informal learning. In general, a coach who has an affiliation with a coaching organisation, e.g. the International Coaching Federation (ICF), will have undergone a qualification that has been assessed for its quality and effectiveness. So, looking for a qualified coach who has a professional affiliation is recommended.
What next?
If coaching sounds like the right approach to you and is something you would like to explore, book an introductory session with a coach you would like to work with. During this session you will decide whether they are the right coach for you. You will also explore how you will work together and what you want to achieve. At the end of an introductory call, you will decide you would like to proceed to full coaching. At this point you will discuss frequency, number, and cost of session. Your coach will then send you a contract to sign and book you in for your first session.
