What is it? Through powerful questions and reflection, a coach works with an individual client to help you clarify your ideas, develop your goals, and set your action plans, then holds you accountable to achieve success! Coaching is a client-led activity, in that you set the agenda, and I follow your lead, discussing the projects that are upper-most in your mind. My job is to ask you searching questions that make you think, question, make choices and take action. By my reflecting your words and ideas back to you, you are able to see those thoughts in a different light, perhaps gaining new perspectives. I like to play Devil's Advocate, leading you to look deeply at alternatives you may not have given serious consideration to before. Nonetheless, I do not advocate anything. I do not advise. Those choices are yours. What is it Not?
Coaching is not consulting.
- A consultant is hired to perform a certain task.
- A coach questions and supports you as you decide what needs to be done and you implement the plan.
Coaching is not therapy.
- A therapist helps you look at the present and ask why.
- A coach helps you look to the future and ask how.
Coaching Supports Training Personal development, whether it is to further business goals or personal goals, takes time, thought and dedication. Ideas flow and good intentions abound, but when the realities of life take over, implementation is often forgotten. Training and coaching work hand-in-hand to help you develop ideas, then move those ideas to action. Studies show that in many cases, training alone is about 22% effective. When coaching is tied to the training sessions, the effectiveness rises to about 88%! That's called Return on Investment! As a corporate trainer, we noticed that, although our participants had great intentions, when they got back to the workplace, the old environment often did not support the new ideas. Sometimes the participants just fell back into their same old rut. We decided to follow them back to their offices. We asked, "What did you get out of training? What do you want to implement? What barriers are keeping you from doing that? What do you need to do to remove those barriers?" That was the beginning of coaching! The first coaching session is usually a free trial session so the client and coach can decide if theirs is a good coaching relationship.
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