{"id":10636,"date":"2023-06-10T10:41:30","date_gmt":"2023-06-10T09:41:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.engagecoach.com\/?p=10636"},"modified":"2023-10-14T14:45:23","modified_gmt":"2023-10-14T13:45:23","slug":"what-is-coaching-a-comprehensive-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.engagecoach.com\/what-is-coaching-a-comprehensive-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Coaching: A Comprehensive Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Introduction to Coaching<\/h2>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Definition of Coaching<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Simply put, coaching is an activity which enhances learning and development. A dictionary definition of coaching is &#8220;to tutor, train, give hints to, prime with facts&#8221; (Concise Oxford Dictionary 2003). <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other definitions include:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;Unlocking a person\u2019s potential to maximise their own performance&#8221; (Whitmore, 1996)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;A process that enables learning and development to occur and thus performance to improve&#8221; (Parsloe, 1999)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;A collaborative, solution-focused, results-oriented and systematic process in which the coach facilitates the enhancement of work performance, life experience, self-directed learning and personal growth&#8221; (Grant, 2001)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;Developing a person\u2019s skills and knowledge so that their job performance improves, hopefully leading to the achievement of organisational objectives&#8221; (CIPD, 2004)<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Evolution and Importance of Coaching<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coaching has been increasingly used to enable individuals to adjust to major changes in the rapidly evolving business environment; often used in organisational settings to enhance learning, development and performance of employees (Hudson, 1999; Zeus and Skiffington, 2003).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It has been argued that these activities take place through, the transferral of knowledge for skill development, and through the enhancement of psychological development for the process of empowerment (Popper, Micha, Lipshitz and Raanan, 1992).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Different Types of Coaching<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As coaching has grown in popularity, so have the different types of coaching that have emerged. Here are some examples of the more notable types of coaching:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b><i>Executive Coaching<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 focus on developing strategic leadership for executives<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b><i>Life Coaching<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 focus on personal and individual, relationships, finance<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b><i>Wellbeing Coaching<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 focus on wellness, work life balance<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b><i>Career Coaching<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 focus on career decisions, transition, progression<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b><i>Business Coaching<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 focus on business growth, systems, processes<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b><i>Team Coaching<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 focus on team dynamics, team goals, team cohesion<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Understanding the Coaching Process<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Key Elements of the Coaching Process<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are different approaches and techniques used in coaching however, a simple overview of the coaching process would include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Goal setting<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Developing an action plan<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Giving feedback<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adapting and change<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Monitoring progress<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Evaluating progress<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Achieving goals<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Role of a Coach<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The key role of the coach is to facilitate change for the coachee. By providing open and honest feedback the coach is able to increase self-awareness in the coachee (Kappenberg, 2008). Every coach will apply their skills differently, however, some of the core characteristics of an effective coach include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Incorporating interpersonal and communication skills<\/strong> (Sztucinski, 2001; Hudson, 1999). For successful coaching relationships it is important that the coach builds rapport and is able to communicate effectively.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li><i><strong>Building trust<\/strong> (Guthrie, 1999; Kilburg, 2000; Caproni, 2001; Kappenberg, 2008). Trust is an essential foundation to any successful coaching relationship. This creates the right environment for open, honest communication to take place. <\/i><\/li>\n<li><i><strong>Providing feedback<\/strong> (Crane, 2001; Grant, 2001). The coach needs to be able to provide, open, honest feedback that will facilitate increased self-awareness and change. <\/i><\/li>\n<li><i><strong>Providing a safe environment<\/strong> (Kilburg, 2000). The ability to create an environment where the coachee feels safe to open up and be honest, is very important. This may take time but is essential for progress.<\/i><\/li>\n<li><i><strong>Building relationships and rapport<\/strong> (O\u2019Neill, 2000; Bush, 2004; Hunt 2004). It is important to develop rapport to build a good relationships within coaching. <\/i><\/li>\n<li><i><strong>Showing empathy<\/strong> (Kilburg, 2000). Empathy is important within a successful coaching relationship as this helps build trust.<\/i><\/li>\n<li><i><strong>Clarifying expectations<\/strong> (Crane, 2001). A coach needs to be able to ask the right questions and clarify their understanding about things shared during the coaching sessions.<\/i><\/li>\n<li><i><strong>Being honest and objective<\/strong> (Edelstein and Armstrong, 1993). A coach needs to remain objective and be able to provide honest feedback, even when this may be challenging. This needs to be done with sensitivity and compassion.\u00a0<\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Benefits of Coaching<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are many benefits of coaching, from an individual and team standpoint some of the most salient ones that stand out include increased:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Self-awareness<\/span><\/em><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Confidence<\/span><\/em><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Openness<\/span><\/em><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Motivation<\/span><\/em><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Empowerment<\/span><\/em><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learning and growth<\/span><\/em><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Performance<\/span><\/em><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agility to cope with change<\/span><\/em><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Resilience and ability to cope with uncertainty<\/span><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Exploring Coaching Approaches<\/h2>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Transformational Coaching<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Transformational coaching focuses on helping individuals achieve personal and professional growth. The aim of transformational coaching is to assist individuals in identifying and breaking through limiting beliefs, developing new perspectives, and unlocking their full potential.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Characteristics of Transformational Coaching:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Empowerment: Transformational coaching emphasises empowering clients to take ownership of their lives and make conscious choices that align with their values, aspirations and goals<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Self-Discovery: Transformatiomal coaching involves helping clients explore their strengths, values, passions, and purpose; facilitating a deeper understanding of themselves and their desires.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Goal-Orientation: It focuses on setting meaningful and achievable goals, creating action plans, and supporting coachees in taking the necessary steps to achieve their objectives.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mindset Shift: This coaching approach helps individuals identify and challenge self-limiting beliefs and patterns of thinking, enabling them to adopt a growth mindset and develop new perspectives.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Holistic Approach: Transformational coaching considers all areas of the coachee\u2019s life; this includes personal, professional, relationships, health, and well-being, and recognising the interconnectedness of all of these.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Techniques and Strategies in Transformational Coaching:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Powerful Questioning: Coaches use thought-provoking questions to encourage coachees to reflect, gain insights, and explore new possibilities.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Active Listening: Coaches listen attentively to clients, seeking to understand their needs, concerns, and aspirations without judgment, and providing a safe and supportive space.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Visualisation and Imagery: Coaches employ techniques such as guided visualization to help clients create a vivid mental image of their desired outcomes and increase motivation.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Values and Strengths Assessment: Coaches assist coachees in identifying their core values and leveraging their strengths to align their actions with their authentic selves.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Accountability and Action Planning: Coaches help clients develop action plans, set milestones, and provide support and accountability to ensure progress towards their goals.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Performance\/Career Coaching<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Performance or career coaching is a form of coaching focuing on improving an individual&#8217;s performance and success in their career. It involves working with coachees to identify their strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The goal is to create strategies to enhance their skills, achieve their career goals, and thrive in their chosen field. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The scope of performance coaching includes areas such as career development, skill enhancement, goal setting, work-life balance, leadership development, and navigating professional challenges.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Goal Setting and Action Planning:\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the key aspects of performance\/career coaching is goal setting. Coaches assist individuals in clarifying their short-term and long-term career objectives, identifying specific milestones, and creating actionable plans to achieve them. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a similar way to transformational coaching, this process involves aligning goals with personal values, assessing current skills and competencies, and identifying any gaps that need to be addressed. Coaches then support individuals in breaking down larger goals into smaller, manageable tasks, setting timelines, and establishing accountability mechanisms to track progress and stay on track.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enhancing Performance through Coaching:\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n<p>Performance coaching aims to enhance the coachee&#8217;s performance by focusing on their strengths, building new skills, and developing strategies to overcome challenges.<\/p>\n<p>Coaches work with clients to identify areas for improvement and provide guidance, feedback, and support to aid individuals reach their goal level of performance. This may involve providing tools and resources, offering skill-building exercises, facilitating self-reflection, and enabling self-awareness.<\/p>\n<p>Coaches also help clients leverage their strengths and talents, identify opportunities for growth and development, and build confidence and resilience in their professional life.<\/p>\n<p>Through working with a performance\/career coach, individuals can gain clarity about their career direction. They can then develop strategies to overcome obstacles, enhance their skills and competencies, and ultimately achieve greater success and satisfaction in their professional lives. Performance coaching can benefit individuals at every stage of their careers, from entry-level professionals seeking guidance to experienced leaders aiming to further excel in their roles.<\/p>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leadership Coaching<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>Focus of Leadership Coaching:<\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leadership coaching is a specialised form of coaching that focuses on developing and enhancing leadership skills and abilities specifically. It addresses the unique challenges and responsibilities faced by individuals in leadership positions. The coaching process may cover areas such as self-awareness, emotional intelligence, effective communication, decision-making, strategic thinking, team building, and managing change. Leadership coaching aims to support leaders in maximising their potential, leading with authenticity and integrity, and driving positive organisational outcomes.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Essential Leadership Skills:\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leadership coaching helps individuals cultivate essential leadership skills that are crucial for success in their roles. These skills include effective communication, active listening, empathy, problem-solving, decision-making, strategic thinking, delegation, conflict resolution, and inspiring and motivating others. Coaches work with leaders to identify their strengths and areas for development, provide feedback and guidance, and help them acquire and refine these skills. Leadership coaching also emphasises the importance of self-awareness, self-reflection, and continuous learning as key components of effective leadership.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Goal of Leadership Coaching:\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n<p>The goal of leadership coaching is to help leaders to reach their full potential, whether that be in a business setting, team sport, or general life. This is accomplished through enhancing their leadership effectiveness, and helping them to achieve their own professional goals.<\/p>\n<p>Coaches begin by working closely with leaders to identify their vision, values, and leadership style, which then helps them to align their actions and behaviours to best suit their leadership style.<\/p>\n<p>Leadership coaching also focuses on developing leaders&#8217; abilities to inspire and motivate their teams. It enables them to foster a positive work culture, build strong relationships, and navigate complex challenges. The aim is to ultimately empower leaders to create an environment of positive change, drive organisational success, and leave a lasting impact on their teams.<\/p>\n<p>Leadership coaching is a valuable resource for both new and veteran leaders. It provides them with the support, guidance, and tools to enhance their leadership skills, navigate company dynamics, and lead from the front.<\/p>\n<p>Through the coaching process, leaders can gain more self-awareness and refine their leadership approach. It helps them to continually grow as leaders and adapt to the evolving demands of their roles.<\/p>\n<h3><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Life Coaching<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n<h4><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overview and Applications of Life Coaching:<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n<p>Life coaching is a form of personal development coaching that focuses on helping individuals make positive changes in various areas of their lives.<\/p>\n<p>It is a collaborative process between the coach and the coachee, where the coach supports and empowers the client in setting and achieving personal goals, overcoming challenges, and creating a more fulfilling and balanced life.<\/p>\n<p>Life coaching can be applied to many aspects of life; including the coachee&#8217;s career, relationships, health, well-being and personal growth. It provides individuals with the tools, strategies, and self-accountability to navigate life transitions, unlock their potential, and live a more purposeful and meaningful life.<\/p>\n<h4><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Self-Discovery and Personal Growth:<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Life coaching encourages self-discovery and personal growth by helping individuals explore their values, strengths, passions, and aspirations. Coaches facilitate a process of self-reflection and introspection, enabling clients to gain clarity about their goals, priorities, and what truly matters to them. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Through powerful questioning and exploration, life coaching supports individuals in identifying and breaking through limiting beliefs, gaining new perspectives, and developing a growth mindset. It fosters self-awareness and empowers individuals to make conscious choices, take responsibility for their actions, and live in alignment with their authentic selves.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Improving Relationships and Well-being:<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Life coaching also focuses on improving relationships and overall well-being. Coaches help individuals enhance their communication skills, set boundaries, and navigate conflicts effectively, thereby improving their personal and professional relationships. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, life coaching addresses holistic well-being, including physical, mental, and emotional aspects. Coaches may provide guidance on stress management, self-care practices, goal-setting for health and wellness, and developing positive habits and routines. By addressing these areas, life coaching supports individuals in creating a balanced and fulfilling life, enhancing their overall happiness and satisfaction.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Life coaching provides a valuable resource for individuals seeking personal growth, clarity, and support in navigating life&#8217;s challenges and transitions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By partnering with a life coach, individuals can achieve better self-awareness, set meaningful goals, develop strategies to overcome any obstacles, and make overall more positive changes in their lives. Whether it is career advancement, relationship improvement, or overall well-being, life coaching enables individuals to take proactive steps towards creating the life they desire and deserve.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Becoming a Coach<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Skills and Qualities of an Effective Coach<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some of the core skills and qualities of an effective coach include:<\/span><i><\/i><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Active listening\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ability to challenge<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being supportive<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Showing compassion and empathy<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being honest and objective<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being non-judgemental<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ability to hold people accountable<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Establishing credibility<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Training and Certification Programs<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p>There are many training and certification programs to becoming a coach. At Engage, we have our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagecoach.com\/coaching-training-foundation-level\/\">accredited coaching course<\/a> for those wanting to train and become a certified coach. This course is aimed at complete beginners, and those with little to no coaching training.<\/p>\n<p>We also have our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagecoach.com\/coaching-training-advanced-level\/\">advanced coaching training course<\/a> which is aimed at those who are already coaches, who may want to develop their coaching skills and advance further in their coaching career.<\/p>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ethical Considerations for Coaches<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The coach sits in a highly privileged position, where the client trusts them with confidential information and personal insights. Therefore, the need to work with ethical and professional standards in mind is critical. The standards and ethics upheld by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bps.org.uk\/\">British Psychological Society<\/a> would be a good foundation upon which to base any professional coaching practice.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This would promote objectivity, good contracting around confidentiality and knowing professional boundaries and limits of capability. A successful coach will always work with the clients best interests in mind.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Finding the Right Coach<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Identifying Personal or Professional Coaching Needs<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When looking for a coach, there are many factors the client needs to consider. First and foremost, there needs to be a good fit and chemistry. The coachee needs to feel that they can trust the coach and that they will be able to work well together.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The coach does not need to be an expert in the industry sector or share the same background, but they do need to be able to establish credibility. It can be helpful to find a coach who has some expertise and experience in the specific field, e.g. with Executive Coaching that the coach has worked with executives and understands some of the challenges an executive faces.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Researching Potential Coaches<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It can be difficult to know where to start when researching a potential coach. Some criteria that may be useful would include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Personal and professional recommendations &#8211; can others recommend anyone?<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qualifications, background and experience &#8211; do they have credentials and credibility?<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Personality and chemistry &#8211; do you get on, good style of working together?<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Expertise &#8211; whilst having specific topic expertise is by no means essential for effective coaching, it can be useful in certain circumstances.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Questions to Ask When Choosing a Coach<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some questions that might be useful to ask when choosing a coach include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Could I work with this person?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are they credible?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How does the coaching work?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is their approach to coaching?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Who have they worked with and what is their background?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do they have qualifications?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do they have testimonials or recommendations?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How long is each session?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How much do they charge?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do I need to do any homework?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are my responsibilities?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>The Coaching Relationship<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Building Trust and Rapport with a Coach<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Building trust and rapport within the coaching relationships is one of the most essential components of coaching, because without trust the progress will be slow and may not even get off the ground.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Setting Clear Goals and Expectations<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Setting expectations and clarifying goals are essential elements of coaching. This ensures that everyone is clear about what they are working towards.\u00a0 This clarity makes it easier to track progress and avoid assumptions.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maintaining Accountability and Progress<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another essential element of successful coaching is the role of accountability and tracking progress. When we are held accountable to our goals and actions this leads to goal attainment and progress by creating a clear structure and process.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Coaching Techniques and Tools<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Active Listening and Powerful Questioning<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A very important skill of a coach is their ability to actively listen and asks powerful questions. A powerful question will avoid yes \/ no answers and will engage the coachee to consider more fully their responses.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The coach is not providing the answers, but responding actively to what the coachee is saying and asking relevant questions that support the coachee to reflect more deeply and find the answers within themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Assessment and Feedback Tools<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagecoach.com\/what-is-engage\/\">coaching assessment and feedback tools<\/a> such as Engage are valuable for several reasons:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provide objectivity<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Offer an evidence-based approach<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Capture valuable benchmark data<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remove guesswork<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enable honest, open conversations<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Create structure and consistency<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Empower the coachee to take more ownership<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Visualisation<\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and Goal<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Visualisation is a useful technique employed in coaching which involves the coachee using their imagination to explore ideas and goals. With goal visualisation specifically, the coachee is encouraged to picture different scenarios that relate to their goal. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The coach invites the client to project themselves into the future and imagine achieving their goals, how will they feel, what will they have achieved, what will be different when they are successful. This technique simulates future success. Visualisation is particularly helpful in exploring creativity and unblocking thinking.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Overcoming Challenges in Coaching<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dealing with Resistance and Skepticism<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At some point the coach will face resistance in some form or other. This can present itself as skepticism, whereby the coachee is cynical about the process and its effectiveness or they may have more generalised doubt. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A helpful way to deal with resistance is to bring curiosity to the discussion. Get curious about what is driving the doubt and explore the validity of any misperceptions or thoughts that arise. It is important to challenge thinking but this needs to be done with sensitivity and support. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It can feel uncomfortable dealing with resistance for many coaches but this should not be avoided. It is important to get to the underlying cause of the resistance and explore ways to counter this.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Handling Client Expectations and Setbacks<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A very important element of coaching is to manage expectations and deal with setbacks. An expectation is the desire for something to happen which may or may not be validated. This is something that needs to be communicated openly and explored so that underlying assumptions are discussed and boundaries are set. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When expectations are not discussed or managed, this can lead to dissatisfaction and disappointment. Transparency and clarity about what is and isn&#8217;t\u2019 possible is important.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In terms of dealing with setbacks, it is important to ensure that the client doesn\u2019t distort their thinking and see things worse than they are. Setbacks can cause frustration and disappointment which are emotions that need to be acknowledged. However, it is important to support the coachee to come to terms with the new situation and know when to draw the line and move forward. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The coach plays an important role in helping the client to find a new path forward and build resilience so they bounce back quicker when things don\u2019t go to plan.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Measuring Coaching Success<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Evaluating Coaching Outcomes and Impact<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Measuring the impact of coaching continues to be a much debated topic within the coaching community and is not without its challenges. This is due to many factors, including the confidential nature of the activity and also because without tangible metrics in place the outcomes and impact are harder to capture.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagecoach.com\/\">Engage<\/a> is unique in its ability to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagecoach.com\/what-is-engage\/\">measure coaching impact<\/a> using scientific validated methods. This is achieved by capturing benchmark data about the coachee in relation to confidence, openness and motivation, which are known to be important factors that drive coaching outcomes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As coaching becomes even more popular the demand for more evidence based approaches which bring rigour to the coaching process rises. It is important to establish clear outcomes at the beginning and have validated methods to measure these in order to demonstrate impact.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Collecting and Analysing Feedback<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A common method of measuring coaching impact has historically involved collecting feedback. This provides qualitative data which is helpful. An even more rigour approach would include collecting quantitative data as well and combining these two methods.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Long-term Benefits of Coaching<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In order to establish any long term benefits of coaching, establishing clear metrics and outcomes is important. This ensures that data can be compared over time to assess what is and isn\u2019t having an impact and to justify ongoing investments. Increasingly organisations that employ coaches are demanding more qualified information about coaching impact.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>In conclusion, coaching is becoming a more used and necessary practice in many areas of life; including but not limited to careers and professional development, increasing leadership skills, and generally navigating through life. This article has presented the\u00a0 different approaches to coaching; how to become a coach; how to find the right coach and how to navigate the coaching relationship. It has also presented a coaching techniques and a useful <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagecoach.com\/\">tool for coaches<\/a> as well as how to overcome challenges in coaching and how one can measure the success of coaching.<\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re interested in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagecoach.com\/coaching-training-foundation-level\/\">becoming a coach<\/a> then be sure to check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagecoach.com\/coaching-training-foundation-level\/\">accredited coaching course<\/a>. If you&#8217;re looking to incorporate coaching in your business or organisation, then also take a look at our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagecoach.com\/line-manager-as-coach\/\">coaching training for managers<\/a>. This course was developed to help leaders and managers in organisations take a coaching approach to management and get the most out of employees. You may also want to develop leadership internally. If this is the case, then have a browse of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagecoach.com\/leadership-coaching\/\">leadership coaching programme<\/a>, a programme whereby business leaders have individual and group coaching sessions with a coach in order for them to gain a better understanding of their mindset, their barriers to change, whilst developing an actionable plan to become better leaders and drive better performance as a business overall.<\/p>\n<p>If you are interested in developing your mindset before engaging in coaching training, then be sure to explore our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagecoach.com\/mindset-training-course\/\">mindset training course<\/a>; an automated course designed to teach you about mindset and train you to develop your own mindset.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is the difference between coaching and therapy?<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Therapy differs from coaching in that it tends to deal with clinical issues and different forms of trauma or difficulties a person may be experiencing.\u00a0 Therapy is more focused on the past and exploring and understanding why current behaviour presents. Coaching typically is focused on the future, and finding solutions and which move people forward towards their goals.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How long does coaching typically last?<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coaching contracts can vary enormously, however, a typically coaching process may involve 6 monthly sessions of\u00a0 one to two hour sessions.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can anyone become a coach?<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are no specific barriers to anyone becoming a coach, with the right training, qualifications and mindset.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is coaching only for individuals or can it be applied to teams as well?<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coaching can be used with individuals and teams.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How much does coaching usually cost?<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coaching fees with vary enormously depending on the level of experience, expertise and qualifications of the coach, the level of difficulty required within the engagement, and the industry sector.\u00a0 Fees may start from as little as \u00a3120 per session for life coaching up to \u00a35000+ per session for business and executive coaching.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are some signs that indicate the need for coaching?<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some of the key signs that suggest coaching would be useful, include when people are stuck in their thinking, when they repeat unhelpful patterns of behaviour, they lack direction, or when they want to achieve some kind of change in their work and life and need support to achieve this.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>ABOUT THE AUTHOR<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/dr-jodi-o-dell-mindset-profiling-tool-change-readiness-3b45931\/?originalSubdomain=uk\"><b>Dr Jodi O\u2019Dell<\/b><\/a><\/h3>\n<p>Jodi is the founder and driving force behind Engage. She is an occupational psychologist and executive coach with a PhD in Coaching Psychology, who for over 20 years has dedicated her career to helping people thrive and be the best version of themselves.<\/p>\n<p>As a leading expert in coaching, she has worked globally with blue chip clients. She combines this wealth of experience and passion for human development with the scientific rigour of evidence-based research which underpins the Engage toolset.<\/p>\n<h2>References<\/h2>\n<p>Concise Oxford Dictionary. (2003). In J. A. Simpson &amp; E. S. C. Weiner (Eds.), The concise Oxford dictionary of proverbs. Oxford University Press.<\/p>\n<p>Whitmore, J. (1996). Coaching for performance: Growing people, performance, and purpose. Nicholas Brealey Publishing.<\/p>\n<p>Parsloe, E. (1999). The manager as coach and mentor. Kogan Page.<\/p>\n<p>Grant, A. M. (2001). Towards a psychology of coaching: The impact of coaching on participants&#8217; metacognition, learning, and self-reflection. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Sydney.<\/p>\n<p>CIPD. (2004). Coaching: Learning to learn at work. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.<\/p>\n<p>Hudson, F. M. (1999). The handbook of coaching: A comprehensive resource guide for managers, executives, consultants, and human resource professionals. Jossey-Bass.<\/p>\n<p>Zeus, P., &amp; Skiffington, S. (2003). The coaching at work toolkit: A complete guide to techniques and practices. McGraw-Hill Professional.<\/p>\n<p>Popper, M., Micha, E., Lipshitz, R., &amp; Raanan, Y. (1992). The coaching manager: Developing top talent in business. Routledge.<\/p>\n<p>Sztucinski, K. A. (2001). Coaching executives: Developing a superstar mentality. Journal of Management Development, 20(4), 317-326.<\/p>\n<p>Guthrie, J. P. (1999). Assessing the impact of prior coaching on executive learning. Journal of Management Development, 18(6), 470-480.<\/p>\n<p>Kilburg, R. R. (2000). Executive coaching: Developing managerial wisdom in a world of chaos. American Psychological Association.<\/p>\n<p>Caproni, P. J. (2001). Coaching for the future. Academy of Management Executive, 15(4), 140-142.<\/p>\n<p>Kappenberg, D. (2008). Integrating executive coaching in leadership development programs. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 60(4), 424-437.<\/p>\n<p>Crane, T. G. (2001). Coaching competencies and corporate leadership. Leadership &amp; Organization Development Journal, 22(7), 312-319.<\/p>\n<p>O&#8217;Neill, M. B. (2000). Executive coaching as a transfer of training tool: Effects on productivity in a public agency (Doctoral dissertation, Georgia State University).<\/p>\n<p>Bush, N. (2004). Executive coaching: A conceptual framework from an integrative review of practice and research. Human Resource Development Review, 3(4), 385-414.<\/p>\n<p>Hunt, J. M. (2004). Using person-centered coaching competencies to support organizational change. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 40(1), 104-121.<\/p>\n<p>Edelstein, B. A., &amp; Armstrong, B. (1993). Staff coaching: A tool for developing personal and professional competence. Journal of Nursing Staff Development, 9(2), 73-79.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Introduction to Coaching Definition of Coaching Simply put, coaching is an activity which enhances learning and development. A dictionary definition of coaching is &#8220;to tutor, train, give hints to, prime with facts&#8221; (Concise Oxford Dictionary 2003). Other definitions include: &#8220;Unlocking a person\u2019s potential to maximise their own performance&#8221; (Whitmore, 1996) &#8220;A process that enables learning [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":85,"featured_media":10619,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.engagecoach.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10636"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.engagecoach.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.engagecoach.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.engagecoach.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/85"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.engagecoach.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10636"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.engagecoach.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10636\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10900,"href":"https:\/\/www.engagecoach.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10636\/revisions\/10900"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.engagecoach.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10619"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.engagecoach.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10636"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.engagecoach.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10636"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.engagecoach.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10636"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}