Over the course of my career as a coach I have helped people with a range of issues, including helping them to:
improve/change a relationship with a colleague
be a better leader/team builder/chair of meetings
resolve irksome issues that block their self-improvement
grow their practice with confidence
plan their next career move
deal with redundancy or retirement
How I work
In coaching, the person being coached sets the agenda. The coach helps the client build on their own resourcefulness and desire to change by asking pertinent questions and allowing them to find solutions and make their own decisions based on what will work for them.
Before any engagement begins I ensure that both the client and I have a clear understanding of what is needed, what the client expects and what I am able to deliver. I encourage regular feedback and open communication throughout the course of any project.
Each coaching session is usually between 90 minutes and two hours long, and the average coaching programme is 6 sessions spread over 4-6 months.
Coaching can be a relatively speedy process, but it is not a quick fix. The duration of the coaching contract can vary depending on what issues are being addressed. There are times, for example, when it may be appropriate for me to offer suggestions and to provide more general support over a longer period of time where the client needs it. This often happens, for example, in relation to career development issues where, after the initial sessions, the client and I may meet once every three months or so for a review. In such a case coaching becomes more akin to mentoring, or as one coaching guru puts it, acting as a “career friend.”
My approach to coaching
Coaching is predicated on the assumption that the person being coached wants to change and has the resourcefulness within them to affect that change. I help my clients to unlock that resourcefulness by working with them in a challenging but supportive and non-threatening way. I also believe that the process should be rigorous, with frequent opportunities for feedback, so as to manage expectations and measure the progress and effectiveness of the coaching. Above all, the coaching is done in complete confidence to provide the person being coached with a safe place to air ideas, concerns and thoughts.