Here are some of the questions people ask about coaching.
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Coaching is a thoughtful and creative process that uses powerful questions to facilitate new ways of thinking. It uncovers limiting beliefs and recognises the strengths and resources already within you. A coach serves as your partner with you in the lead as the expert of your own life. A coach is not there to offer advice, but to help you recognize the creativity, resourcefulness, and wholeness you embody.
Coaching involves deep inner reflection and a desire to make a change in your personal or professional life. Coaching isn’t only about problem-solving. It is about transformation, navigating obstacles, and unlocking your potential.
By fostering self-awareness, building confidence, and providing accountability, coaching can help you take actionable steps toward achieving your goals.
Given their diversity of backgrounds, it isn’t surprising that many coaches have a specialty. Some of the broad categories are:
Broken down in further detail, examples include:
People come to coaching for many different reasons. Some people are navigating a significant change in their professional or personal life. Others feel stuck in their current role and seek something new. Coaches can help clients realize a dream, take the next big step in their career, become better managers, live a more balanced life, or overcome a barrier.
When a challenge seems impossible to address alone, or requires support and accountability, a coach can help. Other reasons include:
Finding the right coach is critical to success so it is critical to find someone you are comfortable speaking with openly. Most coaches offer a complementary “chemistry call” where you can ask questions about their background, coaching philosophy, pricing, length of engagement, assessments, or anything else that will help you feel the investment is worth it.
Once you have decided on a coach, you may be asked to sign a coaching agreement. This document outlines the responsibilities of each party, the number of sessions or length of the coaching engagement, and fee. Some coaches also provide a “prep form” where you can share information about yourself and set goals.
A typical coaching session takes place every other week for 45 minutes to 1 hour for a minimum of six sessions. It can be held in person or virtually as agreed upon in advance. Depending on the coach, you may be provided support between sessions or activities to complete.
Coaches come from a variety of disciplines and areas of study. Some transition from careers in human resources, business consulting, education, organizational development, psychology, social work, sports, and beyond. The fact is, coaching is a growing discipline attracting people from many different educational or vocational backgrounds.
Coaching is future focused. It is about growth with the planning and accountability to help you achieve your goals. Coaching may have attributes in common with therapy, consulting, and mentoring. Yet each of these modalities are unique and address different needs.
A mentor offers guidance based on their accumulated knowledge and experience. The mentor shares wisdom, acts as a career advisor, encourages and supports the mentee in taking the next steps in their development. The mentoring relationship is long-term, and generally represents a power differential.
Consultants are the technical experts in their field and offer specific, actionable advice. They are brought in to diagnose problems, prescribe solutions, and sometimes fix an issue. Consultants may work independently to fill a gap or provide an outside perspective.
Therapy involves healing pain, dysfunction, and conflict within an individual or in relationships. The focus is often on resolving difficulties from the past that interfere with emotional functioning in the present, improving psychological functioning, and coping in emotionally healthy ways. It is conducted by a professional licensed and trained to diagnose psychological conditions.
To get the most out of coaching requires a commitment to the process. Be honest with yourself and your coach. Challenge your existing attitudes, beliefs, and assumptions and be willing to change them. Show yourself compassion and trust yourself. You get out what you put in.
No formal training is required to become a coach, although there are numerous coaching education programs available. Depending on the location, certification or licenses may not be required so anyone can call themself a coach. However, obtaining a professional coaching credential demonstrates high professional standards, commitment to a strong code of ethics, and high knowledge and skill level. It also reinforces the integrity of the coaching profession nationally and internationally.
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