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Your questions answered

Personal / Life coaching questions

Business coaching questions

 

1. What is Life Coaching?

 

Life Coaching or Personal Coaching is an increasingly popular practice designed to help people grow, improve, develop and find their own level of personal success and goal-achievement.  Through the coaching relationship between coach and client, this is a very effective and constructive way of supporting people in many different life situations: relationships, careers, life transitions and so on. As The Coaching Academy suggests, “Coaching draws out rather than puts in. It develops rather than imposes. It reflects rather directs…it is flexible and enabling, not prescriptive or instructional.”

 

By working from the present – looking at solutions rather than problems - and developing an understanding of what someone wants to achieve, realistic goals are set that are designed to help clients achieve their higher level ambitions and desires. Ultimately a coach guides and encourages them to go out there and do it for themselves.

Life coaches aim to help people be the very best they can be, as they deal with, learn and grow from the process of change.

What is life coaching?

2. Is Life Coaching like therapy or counselling?

 

Life Coaching does call for honest, sincere dialogue but it is NOT therapy, counselling or psychology. Often these practices rely on looking at the past to help formulate a particular solution to a specific problem or issue. Or a therapist will look to address a physical or mental condition. The coach will take a more holistic view and come to have a picture of how your past has shaped your present however, the focus is on what you are dealing with now and where you want to be in the future. A coach works with clients to help them find the answers.

 

3. Why should I use a Life Coach?

 

You know how it feels when something inside tells you it's time to move on? Yet often it seems much easier for you to remain in a groove or pattern in the short-term, where the urge or motivation for change isn't around long enough for you to actually do anything about it. Before you know it, months, sometimes years have gone by and nothing has changed. Many of us take what we think is the ‘easy option', and remain in this stuck place, though often complain about our situation. Now, imagine that you are deciding on change. You know it really is time to move on…but how?

 

This is where Coaching comes in. Once you've decided to move on, your coach is there to gently push, encourage and basically hold you accountable for that change. The coaching helps get you focused on what you want, why you want it and enables you to bridge the gap between where you are now, and where you want to be so you can see how you can get there. And since the coaching takes place in a judgement-free space, it helps provide you with the confidence, structure and motivation to accomplish your goals and ambitions.  Life Coaching is really about you investing in YOU.

 

4. How do I know Life Coaching is for me?

 

You don't really know until you try, though anyone can usually benefit from hiring a coach. Why not start by being really honest with yourself and answering some of these questions?

•  Do you have some clear goals or ambitions to work towards?
•  Is your home or life clutter-free and well organised?
•  Do you find you have enough time to do what you really want?
•  Do you have a plan on how you'll achieve your desires?
•  Are you as successful as you want to be in your career?
•  Are you happy in your relationships?
•  Do you have a good work/life balance?

If you answered ‘yes' then that's great, coaching might not be for you at this time. However, if you hesitated or answered 'no' to the questions then coaching could be of benefit to you. The insights you gain from your coaching relationship will help free you from the obstacles you feel are holding you back and you'll see that you have the answers to succeed.

“Coaching is an action-oriented partnership that, unlike psychotherapy which delves into patterns of the past, concentrates on where you are today and how you can reach your goals."

Time Magazine

5. How many sessions will I need?

 

There's no fixed answer to this question as it really depends on the person, and the type of goal or issue a client wants to deal with. For some clients, four to six sessions are enough to achieve a short-term goal. And for others, having weekly or fortnightly sessions over a period of several months works well for them. Some clients like to work on one aspect of their lives, then after a period of time, they come back to work on and progress with another goal. Part of the Boost You commitment to you is to inform you when and if you reach a point where coaching is of little benefit to you or your progress.  See what kind of programme might suit you here.

 

6. Does coaching over the phone work?

 

Telephone coaching is as effective as it is face-to-face; indeed many clients prefer to speak over the phone. What's more, it's very convenient and offers greater flexibility for people with a busy lifestyle. Here are just some of the advantages of this coaching using the telephone:

 

  • The coaching can be conducted wherever the coach and client happen to be in the world

  • It's relaxing and comfortable for the client to be in their own ‘space', be that their home or office

  • The client doesn't incur any travel time or travel costs

  • Telephone coaching sessions can be arranged with minimum prior notice

 

A coaching session is typically an hour. (Some business coaching sessions are structured for a longer session.)  NLP or hypnotheraphy however is better conducted face to face.  Your requirements can be discussed during the complimentary introductory call.

 

7. Are the sessions totally confidential?

 

Absolutely. Given that the nature of the coaching relationship involves the passing of personal and business information that may be highly confidential, the coach agrees that, unless express permission is granted, all coaching calls and conversations and written communications remain completely confidential between the Coach and Client, except where prohibited by law. Boost You coaching abides by the Ethical Principles laid down by International Coaching Federation. (See FAQ 8 for Ethics and Principles.)

8. Does Boost You coaching follow any principles or guidelines?

 

Yes, as a qualified coach and member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF), I follow the code of Ethics set out by ICF Code of Ethics and can be read in detail by clicking on this link.


 

Boost You coaching also adopts the following maxims, based upon these ethics:
Listening is more important than talking. After all we have two ears and one mouth so we can listen twice as much as we speak!


It's essential to remain curious and understand what motivates people


People are amazing - everyone is capable of accomplishing more


A person's past is no indication of their future


A person's belief about what is possible for themselves is their only limit


A coach must always provide full support


Coaches don't provide the answers - you do


Coaching does not include criticising people


All coaching is completely confidential


Coaches recognise when some people's needs cannot be met by coaching
 

9. What kind of coaching would suit my business?

 

That very much depends on the type of organisation and what you are trying to achieve.  Boost You offers a number of different coaching programmes, many of which can be specifically tailored to fit your requirements.  Take a look here or contact me today to find out more.

 

10. Is coaching right for every organisation?

 

In an ideal world, all organisations would operate a coaching culture – both internally and expressed externally for their clients or customers.  For some businesses, coaching is nascent but not adopted by top management; for other organisations, coaching has been used more tactically where the benefits are recognised but not fully adopted.  Some businesses have fully embraced coaching and use it more strategically with a coach approach to almost everything they do.  What we can be sure of is that when a coaching approach is adopted, results are maximised and benefits are felt.

What coaching would suit my business?

According to a Manchester Consulting Group study of Fortune 100 executives, the Economic Times reports "coaching resulted in a ROI of almost six times the program cost as well as a 77% improvement in relationships, 67% improvement in teamwork, 61% improvement in job satisfaction and 48% improvement in quality."


 

My experience for your benefit

In terms of experience, my pre-coaching background was in advertising/marketing, media, events and creative industries so I have a particular understanding of the challenges encountered with those environments.

 

If you would like to learn more about how coaching can support you and/or your business, contact me today to arrange a complimentary consultation.

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