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What's Involved? The work starts with a briefing. I need to understand what it is you want to achieve, what the group or team needs to achieve or what the problems are. Sometimes, the client understands exactly what the problem is or what he or she or the team needs to achieve. Sometimes, things are less specific and I hear about the manifestation of the problem or the issue, without necessarily being told by the client what it is that is causing it. An example of this latter situation is where the client might explain that they lack motivation and feel down at work. They may want to address the situation because they see it as a barrier to their development and growth but they may not know what is responsible or how to change things. In cases like this I need to spend some time analysing the dynamics of the situation. This can especially be the case when I am working with teams; they may be an issue around the way the team is working but this may not be accompanied by an explanation of what it is that is causing the problem. After briefing and possibly some analysis we can agree the objectives, that is, I agree what it is that the client or clients want to achieve as a result of the coaching intervention. Why Might I Need a Coach? We all have life skills, things at which we naturally excel or which we have trained ourselves to be good at. Life skills may be well matched to our life circumstances but even if this is the case, no one is good at everything. Moreover, if we are to develop or grow (either personally or professionally) it is almost certain that we will need to acquire new skills or enhance existing skills and capabilities. Clearly, many of these needs will be addressed by formal training, perhaps as part of our work life but many life skills cannot be acquired this way. Moreover, many organisations are recognising that employees often benefit from an individual approach that is specifically tailored for their needs and preferences. Alternatively, many of my clients explain that they are assumed or expected to have certain skills. Acknowledging that they don't can be problematic, effectively closing off the sources of support at work. A coach can therefore be thought of as a personal trainer for your mind and your personality. Instead of the development of your muscles we are concerned with the development of your Self and your personal capabilities, strengths and assets. How Does It Work? Having assessed the situation, perhaps having done some analysis (and in corporate or organisational circumstances perhaps some research) we will set objectives. Whilst coaching requires commitment and can be challenging, you should remember that my aim here is to build on existing skills and capabilities and never to criticise. Growth and development works best when it is based on an understanding of individual learning styles and preferences. My aim is for a confidential and non-judgemental environment. I aim for success but recognise also that there will always be setbacks and difficulties and I will support you through these and help you develop responses to them that are designed to overcome them. I will also help you celebrate your successes, encouraging you to reinforce your learning and your success using appropriate rewards and self praise. The strategy for achieving the objectives will comprise a series of steps that are designed to be manageable and readily achievable. I will utilise techniques drawn from cognitive psychology and neurolinguistic programming (NLP) that are designed to boost your resources and help you overcome barriers to success. With them, you will learn more about how you work and what motivates you. You will learn for yourself what works best for you and how to get the most out of any situation in life. For example, if you always have a block when it comes to getting started on that task? You can learn to understand what that block is, how to see it differently, how to remove it and achieve results better than any you have in the past. How Often Will You Work with Me? As often as is necessary to achieve your objectives. I use face-to-face meetings that last for 45 minutes to one hour. This is especially important at the beginning of our work when we are developing our relationship -- "the coaching alliance". Face-to-face meetings are used in combination with telephone sessions, again, usually scheduled in advance plus occasional support phone sessions to help you deal with unexpected circumstances or report on developments between scheduled sessions. The situation is usually different when working with organisations. Here, more of the coaching is conducted at work. Depending on circumstances this can be individual or group sessions, or a combination of the two. In some cases it is important that I "shadow" one or more individuals, observe interactions or conduct research in order to obtain a full understanding of the situation. In between meetings there will in most cases be tasks that you have agreed to undertake as part of your programme. This extends the coaching, reinforcing learning and helping to gradually transfer responsibility to the client. Remember, my aim is to help you achieve your objectives and also for you to be able to apply your learning and your new skills to new situations, effectively enabling you to be your own life coach in the future!
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Page modified 15 September 2006 |
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