Coaching & FAQ

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1. So, what is Coaching?

Coaching originated amongst top-achieving corporate individuals and sports athletes. It has now become a wide-spread phenomenon amongst successful individuals in all walks of life.

Coaching is a unique skill set that has been honed from various philosophers and positive thinkers over the centuries. These go as far back as Socrates, Lao Tzu and religious prophets. Coaching unites their wisdom with modern positive psychology.

This has created a new profession that combines the best skills of a positive outlook, listening, questioning and challenging, enabling people to find their own happiness and success.

Coaching helps you to take responsibility for your life, let go of what others think and take action to create the self and life you want. It's about you creating the happiness in life that you want and deserve.

Simply put, Coaching is where you work with someone to redesign yourself, your environment and your life. And then take action to implement it...

Life is getting busier by the day and the world around us constantly tells us what to do next, think next and buy next.

Coaching - which encourages you to look within for the answers - has never been more important or relevant than now.

2. What does a Coach do?

Imagine someone who helps you define what you want, who listens and accepts you as you come up with your own action plan. Someone who is non-judgemental and supports you. You talk with them regularly - whether you've messed something up or had a great success - and review, learn and push on to where you want to be in life.

• A Coach works with you to acknowledge honestly where you are, and define where you want to be.
• A Coach listens, asks questions and challenges you to raise your awareness, possibilities and choice.
• A Coach then holds you accountable for what you have said you will do.

3. How does Coaching work?

One of the key reasons coaching works is that you are regularly held accountable - for what YOU have said you will do. It is all too easy to put other people, or perhaps more urgent but less important tasks ahead of your own personal growth.

Coaching also works because it is all about you. When you connect with what you really want and why you really want (or don't want) something, magical things happen.

One of the most exciting things about coaching is the buzz you get when you come up with a plan and start to put it into action! Taking action takes on a whole new meaning as you re-create your life the way you want it.

Remember - action begets inspiration, not the other way around...

4. What can Coaching do for me?

There are a number of reasons why people hire a coach, but some of the reasons I have noticed are:

1. To get UNSTUCK from a problem or nagging issue.
2. To create MORE TIME and REDUCE STRESS: Simplify and re-prioritize your life. Learn how to find BALANCE and live your busy life in a way that fits you.
3. To find CALM and INNER PEACE: Learn to relax and befriend your inner critic.
4. To get CLARITY and FOCUS. What do you want and why? Step back and clarify your life, dreams and desires into goals.
5. To create MORE HAPPINESS: Take steps to create joy, balance and harmony in your life.
6. To IMPROVE RELATIONSHIPS: Raise your personal awareness and self-understanding so you can tune into yourself and others better.
7. To find FREEDOM. Free yourself by taking responsibility for your life, coming up with your own options, solutions and taking ACTION.
8. To create MORE EASE: Take control of your life, view life more positively and handle setbacks more quickly and easily.
9. To find or become the AUTHENTIC you. Identify your strengths and where you may be holding yourself back so you can develop to your full potential.
10. To GAIN SELF-CONFIDENCE: Learn to trust your intuition and inner wisdom, improve your self-belief.

Coaching is about focusing on POSSIBILITY not Probability - try new things, take risks, get out of your comfort zone and soar!

Ultimately, Coaching is about helping you see you are the expert on your life; it's about YOU designing YOUR future.

5. What does Coaching NOT do?

Well, sometimes people don't realize they have the answers. It's easier to believe someone else - perhaps an expert - has the answers for them. In these time-pressed days there is a natural desire to get the answers in a packaged solution rather than do the work it takes to find the answer.

Coaching does NOT provide the answers, YOU do.

No-one else can tell you what you truly want - only you know that!

6. How is Coaching different to Counselling?

Both Counselling and Coaching use the core skills of listening, asking questions, raising awareness and moving a person forwards.

Counselling and therapy however tend to be about treating/curing a problem or number of issues in the present - by looking into the past. Counselling and therapy may also include psychiatry and diagnosis, neither of which are part of coaching.

Coaching is about moving from the present into the future - by setting goals and specifically taking action to move you there.

• Is about your CREATIVITY
• Is TASK focused - all about taking ACTION
• Is FUTURE focused - moving people towards specific GOALS and objectives
• Relies on the client for the answers - the CLIENT IS THE EXPERT, not the coach

Think of it life this: THERAPY heals the past, COACHING designs the future.

7. What does a Coaching Session look like?

• Coaching sessions are held over the phone, often with a consultation or the first session held in person. This helps you to focus with the minimum of distractions.
• In the early sessions we work together to establish where you are and define what you want to get out of the Coaching. After some exploration you set goals - which are essential so you know what direction you are heading.
• As part of the session we brainstorm options and possibilities for your action plan. This is an essential part of coaching - as you identify (or perhaps admit to yourself!) possible ways forward.
• At each session you create and commit to your action plan for the upcoming period.
• We talk on a regular (usually weekly) basis to evaluate and discuss your progress.
• We celebrate your successes and delve deeper into the areas where you are not moving forwards. Which actions did you complete? Which did you not? What got in the way? This review lets us know if you are moving forwards and pinpoints issues if you are not.
• During each session I listen and support you, ask questions and challenge you, offering feedback and observations as necessary. I operate as a neutral observer to help you grow.
• Sometimes we might focus in on a particular area during a session. Sometimes you will receive some 'homefun', perhaps an exercise or a quiz to complete.
• Coaching keeps you focused and holds you accountable as you take steps towards who you want to be and the life you want to have.

8. How long do we work together?

We work together for as long as it is beneficial to you - and you are enjoying the sessions.

It is recommended that you start with a 3-6 month time period - to allow you to get going and achieve something meaningful during our time together.

Some people have had a relationship with their coach for 1-2 years and more, while some people achieve great value from just 3 months - especially if they are highly motivated and want to work through a specific issue.

My request is that people simply stay with me as long as they love the coaching experience and feel like they are getting great value!