Coaching

The practice of coaching entails a co-created relationship between the coach and client.  Clients bring agendas – challenges they wish to address – to each session.  Coaches, via listening and asking powerful questions, bring curiosity to the agenda clients wish to explore.  This helps clients find their own answers that best fit their specific needs and styles.

Coaching is specific and targeted to goals that the client wishes to achieve.  These are frequently focused on professional topics like:

• Leadership development
• Conflict resolution
• Communication strategies
• Team management
• Organizational culture clashes
• And many others.

Coaching relationships begin with the client and coach getting to know one another.  Coach and client meet to determine if the coach is the right fit for the client’s needs.  In this session, clients bring their overall challenges and goals for the coaching relationship.  The coach listens, and offers their perspective if they think they can help.  If both agree to continue the relationship, they decide on a duration (usually a few months to start), a meeting schedule, and a fee structure.

Coaching is NOT therapy.  Therapy frequently focuses on the past.  Coaching is future-focused on what strategies can be employed to overcome challenges in the most positive way.

Coaching is NOT consulting.  Consultants do a lot of the “work” in that relationship, and tell the client what they should do to solve their problems.  In coaching, the client does the “work” to find the solutions, with the coach acting as a facilitator of that discovery process.

Coaching is NOT advising or mentoring.  In most cases, advising and / or mentoring involves a senior within the organization giving the “fast-tracked up and comer” the inside advice on getting ahead and moving up in the organization.  Coaches are external individuals, objective confidants who help clients find their own solutions to their challenges.

First, consider an individual who has earned their certification from an accredited program, such as International Coach Federation (ICF).

Second, find someone who has professional experience working with others in the area you feel you need development.

Finally, schedule a consultation to see if you and the coach are a fit in style and methodology.

To use my knowledge of leadership outside the classroom, and support my clients in their development,
helping them to grow professionally and personally.

• Integrity – do the right thing, the right way, the first time, for the right reason
• Care – show respect for everyone’s feelings, opinions, and individual differences
• Engaging – act in ways that are dynamic, charismatic, and inspiring
• Communication – provide feedback that is positive, constructive, objective, and practical
• Excellence – champion high standards, and challenge others to do the same

Depending on what the client needs and wants, my role can also morph into that of consultant, advisor, or mentor to help the individual along their path towards their own leadership development.  (This is offered as a subscribed service, versus a seminar or single session.)