What Is Coaching.
Coaching is an ongoing conversation supporting skill building that empowers a person or group to fully live out their unique purpose – in their life and profession. The goal of coaching is for you to discover new things about yourself, and take action to reshape your life around that learning.
The coaching relationship is expected to produce insights, greater personal awareness, changed behaviors, actions, and ultimately results that satisfy you. Much is expected of you: to evaluate, reason, imagine, decide, and implement.
Your coach will guide you through a discovery and implementation process. Skills utilized: Cognitive and behavioral skills training for performance enhancement, goal setting, imagery and performance planning, concentration and attention control strategies, development of self-confidence, development of self-esteem and worth, program competence, cognitive behavioral self regulation techniques, emotion regulation, leadership skills, stress awareness and planning.
Coaching is about you – your goals, your learning, and your growth. Together you and your coach will listen to the driving voice of performance equipping you for success.
Coaching is about learning – rather than teaching. You are the expert on your life. Your coach uses coaching techniques such as active listening, open questions, encouragement, challenging a bit, and always remaining supportive. All to assist you in discovering insights and taking next steps.
Coaching is about action – your action. Each session you will determine 1-3 actions steps you will take before the next session. You may be surprised how quickly you progress toward your goals.
Coaching is about all of you – not just performance. We all know that changing old habits and thought patterns are difficult. Your coach recognizes these patterns and will support you as you change and grow.
Coaching Isn’t…
It’s not therapy. Although many of the communication techniques are the same, like active listening, reflecting, use of questions, limited advice giving, etc., therapy focuses on the past to bring healing and unblock a person to move ahead. Coaching is future and action-oriented.
It’s not mentoring. Mentors are experts in a particular field who seek to pass on their expertise to a person. Mentors provide knowledge, advice, guidance, correction, and encouragement to people who are newer and junior—by experience if not by position or age. They may use some coaching techniques, but mentors usually play the roles of advisor and teacher to guide and impart knowledge and wisdom.
It’s not training. In training, the trainer sets the agenda. Change comes from outside the participant, via the trainer. In coaching, you set the agenda. Coaches use adult learning principles of self-discovery to motivate change from within you.
Why Does Performance Coaching Work…
Coaching works because it brings out your best. Coaches believe you can create your own best answers and are trained to support you in that process.
The reasons people want coaching are endless, and as unique as the person. Here are a few examples that motivate people to use a coach.
To make significant changes
To better deal with uncertainty
To make better decisions
To set better goals
To reach goals faster
To grow spiritually
To become financially more stable
To get ahead personally
To have a collaborative partner
To improve their relationships
To make a bigger impact on the world
To be a better leader
To simplify their lives
To reduce stress
To keep up with the speed of life
To address transitions in location and employment