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FAQs:
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Isn't coaching just counselling or therapy by another name?
If you'd like more information, phone 07941 015 866 for a personal reply.
Isn't coaching just counselling or therapy by another name?
Absolutely not! With coaching you don't have to be ill to get better.
There are a whole host of differences, some of which are noted below. Sara has trained as a counsellor and a therapist and if you wanted counselling or therapy she could provide those. But when you sign up for coaching, coaching is definitely what you get.
Therapy and counselling deal with healing pain, dysfunction and conflict within the individual. The focus tends to be on resolving difficulties that arose in the past which hamper the person's emotional functioning in the present and on improving psychological functioning.
In contrast, coaching concentrates on goal-setting, creation of practicable strategies, taking action to create the outcomes you want and personal and professional change management. So it's forward-moving and future-focused. The emphasis is on strategy, accountability and follow-through.
Is it like mentoring?
Mentoring relies on one person sharing their experience and advice with another. They will have direct experience of the industry you are working in.
In contrast, your coach may or may not have experience of your industry - in fact she doesn't need that - she won't be offering any advice. Instead she's an expert in coaching skills and is focused on you generating your own solutions.
So how does coaching work?
Coaching provides the space for you to stop, think strategically, appreciate some different perspectives and really focus on what's important to you.
Sara uses Shirlaws' frameworks (www.shirlawscoaching.com to give owner-managers and directors a different perspective on their business. As well as ensuring that you have the skills and abilities to achieve your goals we find out what motivates you and make sure that you really believe in what you're doing. You may hold beliefs about yourself that limit what you're achieving. Your coach can work with you so that you think something more helpful. You will also look at how different behaviours may contribute to how easily you achieve your goals. Very importantly, you will take action between sessions.
Is coaching in person better than phone coaching?
One is not better than the other. It depends on a number of factors. Your company may want a coach to work with a number of people in your organisation on the same day each month, say. So the coaching may be at your workplace.
Other people like to get out of the workplace to avoid any possible distractions and really change their focus. In that case Sara has her own office, close to Piccadilly Circus in London.
For other people phone coaching is most time-efficient. This can be done on a landline or Skype. That kind of flexibility is great, for example, your coaching can continue when you're abroad on business.
How will I benefit from coaching?
There are general benefits of coaching:
Other specific benefits depend on your agenda e.g. growing your business, succession planning for retirement, becoming more efficient and effective throughout the organisation, improving presentation skills, time management, improving work/life quality etc.
Nowhere else can executives and owner-managers get the kind of perspective and objectivity offered by coaching. It's amazing how much insight, energy and resolution you can achieve in the coaching environment.
It's not just about ticking off a to-do list; it's about feeling fulfilled, inspired and empowered by what you do and how you live.
Do I need to do any preparation?
First you commit to the coaching process. The company and your coach will both sign a coaching agreement. Simply, this sets out both parties' expectations for the sessions and you confirm your commitment to the coaching alliance.
To prepare for the coaching people often enjoy beginning to think more clearly about what they want to achieve.
How long are coaching sessions?
The length of coaching sessions depends on who's being coached: often Sara will spend a whole day at your premises coaching a number of different individuals or teams.
Executive coaching sessions can last 2 hours, 1 hour or 40 minutes, depending on what your organisation has agreed.
How often will we meet or talk?
We meet once or twice a month, depending on the speed with which your company wants to make changes.
What happens in a coaching session?
Often companies choose to start with a workshop. This can either be fore their top management team and Board or for the whole company, depending on the size of the organisation. This familiarises everyone with what business coaching is and isn't. It also gives you the chance to identify the business areas that are the priority for your company.
In subsequent sessions, you set the agenda.
In your coach you'll find someone who champions your opportunities and potential. In the sessions she'll use a variety of questioning and other techniques. These are designed to promote more awareness of self and others. The coach may also offer feedback about the impact that your company's, and your own, communication might have on you as well as on other people.
You can use the coach as a sounding board to test out different possibilities and gain objective feedback. At each session your coach will also encourage you take action, to move out of the comfort zones that get in the way of you achieving your goals.
Your coach is also available by phone or e-mail for support between sessions, for you to confirm achievements that you wanted to be held accountable for and to celebrate your successes.
My company is paying for the coaching, so what about confidentiality?
You, the sponsor (the person in your organisation whose budget is funding the coaching) and Sara will agree in advance what kind of feedback is required.
Sometimes the sponsor wants an update of what's been covered and the action steps agreed. But you and the coach will agree together what will be reported back. The detail of what's discussed in the coaching sessions is kept confidential.
How can I know it will work?
In the first session you'll set out what you want to achieve and the timescale. The coach will have this in mind throughout the coaching and will encourage you to take steps to achieve your outcome.
You'll benefit from the coaching when you're prepared to:
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