- Why is coaching effective?
- How long does it take before I see results from coaching?
- Where does coaching happen?
- What to look for in a coach?
- Will coaching work for me?
- Can anybody be coached?
- What’s the difference between consulting and coaching?
Coaching offers an open forum partnership. There’s no judging which means you aren’t spending time defending yourself. Instead, your coach will motivate you to explore and unlock your capabilities so you can tap into your unlimited potential to achieve your dreams and goals.
Using thoughtful questions, a coach will help you look at your situation from a different perspective. You come up with the answers. You own them. And that’s what makes coaching effective. Although your coach provides ongoing support and empowerment, you are actively involved in coming up with a plan that propels you from where you are to where you want to be.
How long does it take before I see results from coaching?
Everyone is different. Each client comes to a coaching relationship with unique challenges and goals. Most coaches agree that the degree and timeliness of progress is directly related to the time it takes the client to act on changes and adjustments that are developed in the coaching sessions. It’s a good idea to discuss this in the early going.
After a couple of coaching sessions, you and your coach will have a better understanding of each other and be in a stronger position to make this assessment.
Most coaching takes place over the telephone. Some takes place via email. Some of my clients prefer ‘face to face’ coaching and come to my office for their coaching sessions.
Before you start your search, determine exactly what it is that you want coaching on. Then, look for a coach who has knowledge and experience in that area and, most importantly, clients who have benefited from their coaching relationship with that coach.
Go to the coach’s web site. Is she or he an effective communicator? Does it look they can help you with your needs? Call the coach. Ask them questions. One of the most important criteria is rapport. You will be working closely with your coach and it’s important that you feel you can be open and honest. Without a sense of trust, you won’t be able to develop the confidence you’ll need to get the results you want.
This will often become evident during your initial discussion with an experienced coach. During that time, you will get a feel for how the coaching process works. Your coach is your partner, working with you to achieve the success you desire.
The fundamental reason coaching is effective is because you want it to be. The foundation for a successful coaching experience is a unique blend of the intention and determination of the person seeking coaching assistance and the skill of the coach. If that combination is present, there's an overwhelming likelihood that you'll achieve what you set out to do.
Entrepreneurs, business owners, professionals and individuals in transition are some of the people who typically engage and benefit from having a coach. These people understand the value of having someone work directly with them, encouraging and challenging them to achieve their greatest potential.
Anyone who has reached
a point where they feel a strong desire to change their personal or business
circumstances is likely to benefit from a coaching relationship. Coaching
has evolved into the mainstream quickly because it can help produce fairly
immediate results.
What’s the difference between consulting and coaching?
Coaching is like having a personal trainer for your life. Consulting generally results in giving the client the answers. Coaching is more action-oriented and focuses primarily on the present and the future.
Coaches enable you to determine your own answers through the work done in the coaching partnership. Coaches encourage you to set goals that you truly desire, they ask you edgy questions, empower you to do more than you have done on your own, help you stay focused and provide you with the tools, structure and support you need to accomplish more.
