1. What Is Coaching?

Professional Coaching is a partnership between a certified or qualified professional coach and an individual or team. The goal is to achieve a transformational growth or understanding, to set specific goals and achieve them. The coaching process is based on the mutual trust of the client/coach contract and defined by the achievement of the skills or objectives desired. Coaching is not just a regular conversation, there are proven and specific coaching techniques that a skilled coach will employ at all times with their client. It can also be quite fun, though!

A coach, should enter into a coaching agreement as a full and equal partner with their clients, as both parties making a full commitment to one another to pursue and explore all possibilities of growth. A good coach’s only agenda is the clients’ success…and the clients’ success is the coach’s success.

A well-trained coach will set out to be an excellent listener, contributor, and sometimes a "tough" question asker….all with the purpose of clarifying client needs, abilities and potential.

In coaching, the premise is that the client possesses all the answers already, and simply needs a guide to draw them out. Coaching is always as successful and miraculous as the clients wants it to be.

A coach will not give advice, but will help a client give themself the best advice possible. The only "right answer" is the one within the client's core being, and that answer must be discovered by the client to truly come to fruition.

In coaching, the process begins with where a client is now in their life, defines where they want to be, and then what they are willing to do to achieve higher performance or a higher quality of life . An effective coach will present options, ideas and inspire a client into realizing a new level of empowerment and control. A professional coach will not judge or make moral implications. Often new paths are uncovered along the way, sometimes unexpectedly but with amazing impact.

Coaching at the personal level helps clients become more balanced and fulfilled in their daily lives, often freeing up time they never thought they could have. (Check out the "Is my life balanced?" exercise on the next page).

Higher quality of life, love, productivity and an enhanced consciousness are the main objectives of coaching.

Coaching teaches the client to take care of themselves, so that they may better take care of others.

Coaching is the building of the bridge that will span the gap between where a client is, and where they desire to be.

Confidentiality is also held in deep regard, and is protected under the same rights as one would have with any professional relationship; as a therapist or physician.

2. What is the difference between coaching and therapy?

Therapy deals more with problems from one’s past…healing and understanding psychological issues and dealing with more complicated and deeply rooted blocking issues and beliefs, from childhood or other important relationships. Although coaching also involves elements of emotional health and well-being, it is more so based in the present, and deals more with easing more recent stresses and imbalances than exploring and mending childhood and family matters. It is important to be able to distinguish when a client needs therapy instead of, or in addition to coaching. A good coach can easily spot the difference and refer a client accordingly. Therapy is more for healing, coaching is for expanding and growing.

3. What are the benefits of coaching?

Committed coaching clients can expect to experience new and rewarding perspectives. A client learns enhanced decision-making skills, or other talents associate with a high level of thought and understanding of themselves and those around them. This, in turn, results in higher levels of confidence- at work and in all aspects of life. Typically, productivity and personal happiness grow, often in amazing leaps and bounds.

4. Is coaching right for me?

First, sum up what you would like to accomplish in a coaching partnership. Once this perspective has been drawn out, a detailed plan of strategy can be implemented, breaking down steps and dealing with any blocking issues one at a time. Often, a coaching partnership can take months or longer, essentially, as long as the client continues to seek growth. It is not a quick fix, so a coaching client must be able to commit to a long-term partnership in the transformational endeavor. Anything worthwhile always takes time, but coaching may be right for you if you are ready to make real and permanent changes in your current professional or personal life situations. To be a "coachee" requires hard work, so if you are seeking to have another person hand you all the answers, coaching may not be for you. Real growth can only come from within the client. A successful coaching experience will last a lifetime; it will enhance your life long after a coaching partnership may end.

5. Why would I need a coach?

There are many reasons that an individual or team might choose to work with a coach. Some of these may include the following:

* Important life choices need to be made

* Success has been achieved, but there are still problems within the realm of the success

* There is an imbalance in life between work and play, relationships and responsibilities

* There is a need to accelerate learning or other results

* There is a sense of undeveloped skills that need to be targeted an explored

* An important life goal is at stake, and in urgent need of evaluation

* There is a search for more clarity or spiritual calm or better life relationships

* Current procedures and methods are proving ineffective

* A simplified life is being sought

* "Cleaning up" life clutter and streamlining are needed

6. How does the coaching take place?

Most coaching these days takes place over the telephone. Studies show this method to be at least as effective as in-person coaching, and it offers the wonderful freedom of being able to "show up" for session from anywhere you have a phone. This eliminates the inconvenience of driving or physically getting to a coach, helps the environment by saving fuel and makes for more punctual coaching sessions. Kim prefers this method and it enables herself and her clients full flexibility.

7.How much will it cost?

Most life coaches today charge a fee of $400-$600 per month. It is suggested that a coach and client meet 4 times a month, and a three month commitment is the standard recommended minimum coaching contract. Sessions may range from half-hour to one hour in length. After that, many clients continue on, month by month. All payment must be made to the coach in advance.

This may seem quite expensive to some, but there are several proven reasons behind this payment range, and most clients, after a couple of months of sessions, state they would have easily payed much more in retrospect as their life situations often improve so quickly and dramatically. It is also important for the client to "buy in" to the process, and this helps develop a deeper sense of commitment and a deeper investment in the coaching partnership...and it helps produce faster and stronger coaching results. Kim always offers a complimentary initial session.

Sometimes bartering of a client's professional goods or services may be an alternative to cash payments, depending on the coach.

8. Why is coaching seemingly so "hot" all of a sudden?

Coaching has become very popular recently for many reasons. The social and business worlds continue to evolve and change, and coaching is the perfect tool to manage these changes. Other reasons include changes due to downsizing and business mergers.

Additionally, many managers were trained to work with people under "old" rules that become more and more outdated every day…..there is a need to make sure management keeps up with changing and growing human perspectives in the office to ensure high morale and high performance with low turnover.

There is also pressure to perform higher than ever in many job markets.

Also, life coaching is almost becoming a necessity as parents and families take on multiple jobs and roles…..running into daily time and emotional balancing issues. As our society becomes more technology-based, a greater need is also created for human connection.

Word of mouth is growing, as more and more people discover the excellent benefits of coaching. People have also become increasingly more open to the idea of coaching, so the industry continues to grow in order to fill these needs. Many people do not need therapy or consulting, but just need a reliable person with whom they can connect and grow on multiple levels. Everywhere you look, coaching is catching on. It is in the boardrooms and the "soccer moms" lives, it has recently even become a part of cruise ship vacations!

Soon, a common exchange at meetings and cocktail parties will be "So who is your coach?"

9. What is the coaching process like?

Introduction - Coaching typically begins with an in-depth interview. This can be done in person or over the telephone. Often this initial session is for no charge. At this time, a list is made of objectives, goals and any impedances or challenges.

There is a pre-determined rate and length of time spent with a client, weekly or monthly and all these details are drawn up in an initial contract. There may be two or four 45-minute or one hour sessions a month, for example, possibly in person or over the phone. There may be additional reading, resources and even homework or set goals for the client to accomplish between sessions.

Assessments- Assessments may be used for some clients to learn more about a clients self-awareness and what areas need strengthening to better reach the desired goal.

The Coaching in Action - From here, the coach can begin to gather the appropriate tools, literature, experiences and materials to present to the client. The task begins of helping the client become more aware, personally, professionally and spiritually to all possibilities for growth. A perspective-shift is encouraged, fostering insight and new ways of approaching old issues. Opportunities are sought out, and inspiration is instilled whenever possible. Negative beliefs are tackled and the coach aids the client discover his true potential and deeper purpose.

Through open and active and honest communication, the partnership continues with feedback as a constant "2-way street" between coach and client. As mentioned, this process is usually set out to be a minimum of 3 months, but can occasionally last much longer, or as needed.

The skilled coach employs important learned coaching skills as well as compassion, empathy and understanding. The goal is to convey a high moral standard and enhanced level of integrity and "human" considerations. There should be a proper balance between encouragement and patience; between "nudging" and "allowing". These methods, along with the active enthusiasm of the client, produce permanent and remarkable growth of consciousness and a previously untapped sense of opportunity and potential.

The process seems quite simple in theory, but when successfully applied, the results can be profound.

10. What should someone look for when choosing a coach?

The most important thing to look for in a coach is someone with whom you feel very comfortable and can easily trust. Without this, the experience will not be optimally successful. Other things to look for are the coaches training certifications and credentials. (Look for a coach for accreditation for the ICF - The International Coaching Federation, if possible).

Ask how long and how many clients the coach has worked for, and what their current client load may be. Ask about specialties and what type of client they usually work with. There are many niches in the coaching industry, and it may be possible to find a coach extremely specific to your industry or situation in some cases.

Ask about their coaching philosophy and maybe ask them to tell you about a coaching client experience they particularly value. Do whatever you need to make sure the coaching partnership feels right. Find out what you may have in common, use your intuition and common sense. If you feel any deep misgivings, interview another coach.

Written by Kim Adams 2007