What is Coaching??
Life Coaching, Personal Coaching, Goal Coaching, whatever the chosen moniker, chances are you've heard of this profession by now. And seeing as you're here, chances are also pretty high that you have no idea what the heck it actually is! Our goal with this post is to introduce this blossoming industry and shed some light on what IS, and what definitely IS NOT Coaching.
Watch the following video from the ICF for a brief introduction...
Let's start by the book, the International Coaching Federation (ICF) defines Coaching as:
"partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. The process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity and leadership." They go on to add, "We all have goals we want to reach, challenges we’re striving to overcome and times when we feel stuck. Partnering with a coach can change your life, setting you on a path to greater personal and professional fulfillment.”
While this all sounds great, it doesn't do a lot to provide a potential Coachee (someone being coached) with a proper picture of what this process actually looks like, or how it really even works. So let's get into it!
First and foremost, like a lot of things in life (including Coaching) it's going to be best to keep an open mind, and try not to overthink things. Coaching is a process, meaning this stuff takes time and effort. It's in no way an instant fix to all of life's problems. But with a strong Coaching relationship, it can open up new doors and possibilities that you may never have even realized existed.
What IS a "strong" Coaching relationship?
When we mention a strong Coaching relationship, there are several key factors that we're referring to, including:
Overall efficacy and professionalism of the Coach
Chemistry between Coach and Coachee
Honest and open communicatiton between Coach and Coachee
Coachee's ability and willingness to remain dedicated to the Coaching Agreement
Coachee's ability and willingness to do the necessary work in between Coaching sessions
How does it work? / How do I start?
Working with a Coach is like having a personal thought partner to bounce all of your ideas off of. Our minds can get cluttered, with big dreams and sometimes even bigger blind spots, it can be hard at times to see what’s right under your nose. And that in a way is what guides the Coaching relationship, the idea that YOU know more about your own life than your Coach does. A Coach is not a mentor or consultant, (and definitely not a therapist!) but rather, a partner who knows how to listen, and ask the right questions at the right times to help you find your own answers.
Once you've found a potential Coach, the first step is to meet with them for what's commonly referred to as a "Chemistry Call." (This is usually free depending on the Coach or company offering their services -- you can book a free Chemistry Call with a NoMind Coach here.) The purpose of this session is for the Coach and Coachee to get to know each other, and find out if the relationship is going to be a 'good fit' for all parties. We're all unique individuals, and to get the absolute most out of Coaching, you should make sure to find someone who you feel comfortable having an honest and open conversation with. Take this as an opportunity to ask questions of your potential Coach. Get to know their history, values, beliefs, or anything else that you think may be a deciding factor prior to committing to start.
So you've found your Coach...Now what?
After you've had your 'Chemistry Call' and have decided to move forward with Coaching, you and your Coach will spend the first session or two on building what's known as the 'Coaching Agreement'. This is a living document that will outline the boundaries of the relationship. It should cover at a minimum, but is not limited to:
Specific goals you’ll be Coaching around throughout the course of the partnership
Timeframe (for the length of Coaching, as well as for your individual goals)
Possible factors in your life to discuss, whether internal or external, that you think may be standing in the way of accomplishing your goals
Privacy and sharing agreements (if a Coachee is being sponsored by a third party, such as a parent or employer)
During the course of setting this agreement, your Coach may guide you a bit more than usual, to make sure everything gets covered. However, once your regular Coaching sessions begin, you're in charge of the course of your conversations!
What does a "regular" Coaching session look like?
At the beginning of each subsequent session, your Coach will ask what you're bringing to the table. This could be anything at all, and it's important as a Coachee to remember that what you want to discuss with your Coach is entirely up to you. Of course, it's important to keep your Coaching agreement in mind to try and stay on track with your goals. But if you have some pressing issues of higher importance at the current moment, there's no reason why you can't bring them up in your Coaching session.
These sessions can range from 30 to 90 minutes on average, and can be as often as 2-3 times per week, once a week, or once a month. (Our recommended dose of Coaching will generally be for 45 minute sessions, at a minimum of 2-4 sessions per month.) But it all depends on where you are in regard to your goals, what you’re working on, and how much you feel you need to discuss. Just like the Coachee guides the relationship, you’re also in charge of the frequency and length of your sessions!
As we mentioned before, a Coach is not a mentor. You and your coach will discuss the ins and outs of your goals, figure out what’s standing in their way, talk about possible action plans, and of course — create homework! But if you don’t implement the necessary action steps towards these goals in between sessions, then there’s no progress to measure, and the ball stops rolling. This is why it's so important to do your research and make sure you and your Coach are a good fit before you commit to entering a Coaching partnership. Across most new endeavors, it takes about 3 months to start experiencing notable changes, and it’s sometimes easy to get frustrated at first, (impatience is a very real human characteristic!) So most importantly, remember...