What is Coaching & FAQ

1. So, What is Coaching? >>
2. What does a Coach do? >>
3. How does Coaching work? >>
4. What can Coaching do for me? >>
5. What does Coaching NOT do? >>
6. How is Coaching different to Counselling? >>
7. What does a Coaching Session look like? >>
8. How long do we work together? >>
9. Who do we Coach? >>
10. Are you ready to be Coached? >>
11. 7 top tips to help you select a Coach >>

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1. So, what is Coaching?

Coaching originated with top-achieving corporate individuals and sports athletes. It has now become a wide-spread phenomenon amongst successful individuals in all walks of life.
Coaching is a unique skill set honed from great philosophers and positive thinkers over the centuries. These go as far back as Socrates, Lao Tzu and religious prophets. Coaching unites their wisdom with modern positive psychology.
Coaching combines a positive outlook, active listening, powerful questioning and an open mind while challenging and helping people to define and create their own happiness and success.
Coaching helps you to take responsibility for your life, let go of what others think and take action to create the self and life you want. It’s about you creating the happiness in life that you want and deserve.
Simply put, Coaching is where you work with someone to redesign yourself, your environment and your life. And then take action to implement it…
Life is getting busier by the day and the world around us constantly tells us what to do next, think next and buy next.
Coaching, which supports you to look within for your own answers, has never been more important or relevant than now.
We guarantee you’ll be inspired and leave with an action plan!

2. What does a Coach do?

Imagine someone who helps you define what you want, who listens and accepts you as you come up with your own action plan. Someone who is non-judgemental and supports you. You talk with them regularly – whether you’ve messed something up or had a great success – and review, learn and push on to where you want to be in life. A coach will:

Work with you to acknowledge honestly where you are, and define where you want to be.
Listen, ask questions and challenge you to raise your awareness and increase possibilities and choice.
Help you identify an action plan, and move forwards.
Hold you accountable for what you have said you will do.
Help you review and celebrate successes, and re-plot your course as you go.

3. How does Coaching work?

One of the key reasons coaching works is that you are regularly held accountable – for what YOU have said you will do. It’s all too easy to put other people, or perhaps more urgent but less important tasks ahead of your own personal growth.

Coaching works because it’s all about you. When you really connect with what you really want and why you really want (or don’t want) something, magical things happen.

One of the most exciting things about coaching is the buzz you get when you push out of your comfort zone, come up with a plan and put it into action! Taking action takes on a whole new meaning as you re-create your life the way you want it.

Action begets inspiration, not the other way around…

4. What can Coaching do for me?

There are a number of reasons why people hire a coach, but some of the reasons I have noticed are:

To get UNSTUCK from a problem or nagging issue.
To create MORE TIME and REDUCE STRESS: Simplify and re-prioritize your life. Learn how to find BALANCE and live your busy life in a way that fits you.
To find CALM and INNER PEACE: Learn to relax and befriend your inner critic.
To get CLARITY and FOCUS. What do you want and why? Step back and clarify your life, dreams and desires into goals.
To create MORE HAPPINESS: Take steps to create joy, balance and harmony in your life.
To IMPROVE RELATIONSHIPS: Raise your personal awareness and self-understanding so you can tune into yourself and others better.
To find FREEDOM! Freedom is created by taking responsibility for your life, coming up with your own options, solutions and taking ACTION.
To create MORE EASE: Take control of your life, view life more positively and handle setbacks more quickly and easily.
To find or become the AUTHENTIC you. Who are you? Learn to love and accept yourself.
To GAIN SELF-CONFIDENCE: Learn to trust your intuition and inner wisdom, improve your self-belief. Also, identify your strengths and where you may be holding yourself back so you can develop to your full potential.

Coaching is about focusing on POSSIBILITY not Probability – try new things, take risks, get out of your comfort zone and soar!

Ultimately, Coaching helps you see you are the expert on your life; it’s about YOU designing YOUR future.

5. What does Coaching NOT do?

Coaching does NOT provide the answers, YOU do.

People don’t realize they have all the answers they need. It’s easier to believe someone else – perhaps an expert – has the answers for us. In these time-pressed days there’s a natural desire to get the answers in a packaged solution rather than do the work it takes to find the answer.

But no-one else can tell you what you truly want – only you know that!

6. How is Coaching different to Counselling?

Both Counselling and Coaching use the core skills of listening, asking questions, raising awareness and moving a person forwards.

Counselling and therapy however tend to be about treating/curing a problem or number of issues in the present – by looking into the past. Counselling and therapy may also include psychiatry and diagnosis, neither of which are part of coaching.

Coaching is about moving from the present into the future – by setting goals and specifically taking action to move you there.

Coaching:

Is about your CREATIVITY
Is TASK focused – taking ACTION is essential!
Is largely FUTURE focused – moving people towards specific GOALS and objectives
Relies on the client for the answers – the CLIENT IS THE EXPERT, not the coach

Think of it like this: THERAPY heals the past, COACHING designs the future.

7. What does a Coaching Session look like?

Coaching sessions are held over the phone, often with a consultation or the first session held in person. This helps you to focus with the minimum of distractions.
In the early sessions we work together to establish where you are and define what you want to get out of the Coaching. After some exploration you set goals – which are essential so you know what direction you are heading.
As part of the session we brainstorm options and possibilities for your action plan. This is an essential part of coaching – as you identify (or perhaps admit to yourself!) possible ways forward.
At each session you create and commit to your action plan for the upcoming period.
We talk on a regular (usually weekly) basis to evaluate and discuss your progress.
We celebrate your successes and delve deeper into the areas where you are not moving forwards. Which actions did you complete? Which did you not? What got in the way? This review lets us know if you are moving forwards and pinpoints issues if you are not.
During each session I listen, ask questions, challenge and support you, offering feedback and observations as necessary. I operate as a neutral observer to help you grow.
Sometimes we might focus in on a particular area during a session.
Sometimes you will receive some ‘homefun’, perhaps an exercise or a quiz to complete.

Coaching keeps you focused and holds you accountable as you take steps towards who you want to be and the life you want to have. Most importantly, coaching is your sacred ‘you-time’ to look forward to each week!

8. How long do we work together?

We work together for as long as it is beneficial to you – and you are enjoying the sessions.

It is recommended that you start with a 3-6 month time period – to allow you to get going and achieve something meaningful during our time together.

Some people have had a relationship with their coach for 1-2 years and more, while some people achieve great value from just 3 months – especially if they are highly motivated and want to work through a specific issue.

My request is that people simply stay with me as long as they love the coaching experience and feel like they are getting great value!

9. Who do we Coach?

Our clients are smart, strong, successful and passionate women. They are ready to make a change and:

Want MORE FROM LIFE but may not be sure what that is yet or where to start.
Often have TOO MUCH ‘going on’ in their lives.
Recognize the value of RELATIONSHIPS and want to improve – at work or play.
Are SUCCESSFUL but not necessarily truly happy.
Are ‘DO-ERS’. They value integrity, respect, results and hard-work but often crave more freedom, peace, simplicity or ease. And are not quite sure how to bring the two areas together!
Are often IN or considering a TRANSITION in their lives.
Value INDIVIDUALITY and are kind, warm, friendly and giving.
Are often at a point where they want to GIVE SOMETHING BACK to the world/community at large.
OPEN and willing to look for the POSITIVE.
Have often ALREADY READ some self-help/development books or attended courses in the past.

Does this sound like you, or perhaps who you want to be?

10. Am I Ready to be Coached?

Only you know the answer to this question. If you have HAD ENOUGH of the way things are and are READY to make a change then you could benefit from coaching.

I have noticed 3 main reasons that people come to me for coaching:

Something HAS to change. Life has got to the point where you feel fed-up, miserable or frustrated and are ready to try something new.
You’re PASSIONATE about your ideas or a change you want to make but are struggling to make it reality. Perhaps you want it to happen faster or can’t see the way forward.
You’re SEARCHING for the real person inside. Perhaps a change, planned or unplanned, has caused you to reflect and reconsider your life. You’re now ready to connect with you – and move to the next level.

Are you READY to explore yourself – the wonderful, unique and exciting you?

COACHING WORKS for anyone committed to change and ready to put in the effort. Are you willing to be honest with yourself? Open to a better future and ready to believe in yourself? Willing to adopt a more positive outlook on life? Are you truly committed to change and prepared to work at it? Are you ready to be accountable for your life, decisions and actions?

Because nothing changes if nothing changes. You alone can be responsible for your results in life and your success depends on your commitment and willingness to change.

Are you ready to commit to yourself and try something different?

11. 7 Top Tips to help you select a Coach

To make it easier for you here are 7 top tips to help you select a Coach:

What do you want to get out of working with a Coach? Be ready to articulate what you’re looking for – even if it seems vague like, “I want to get more from life”. A good coach will help you explore and clarify your goals, and this will help you select someone appropriate to your needs.
Do your research, shop around, ask your friends and trusted advisors who they might recommend.
Does the Coach inspire and challenge you? Do you get a good feel from the Coach’s literature/website/emails and phone manner?
Make sure your Coach has Coach-specific training – don’t be afraid to ask!
Ideally interview at least 3 Coaches before deciding on one.
Do you like and feel comfortable with your Coach? Trust your instincts – can you see yourself sharing details about your personal life with this person?
How much are you willing to pay? Full-time life coaches typically charge from $100 through to over $500 an hour depending on experience, clientele and reputation. You should be able to hire a solid coach for around $100-175 an hour. If a coach charges much more, make sure you know what the extra is that you’re paying for.

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