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frequently asked questions

• what is coaching?
• who is a coach?
• what is the philosophy of coaching?
• what are the benefits of coaching?
• who hires a coach?
• what is the difference between coaching and therapy?
• how does coaching work?
• what is expected of me in the coaching relationship?
• do I set my own goals in the coaching?
• who hires a coach?
• does a coach have to have specific experience in what I want to do or be to effectively coach me?
• what should I look for in a coach?
• i’m doing great in my life, why would I need a coach?
• can I hire a coach just for a short-term, special project?

what is coaching?

• Coaching is an interactive process that helps individuals and organizations develop more rapidly and produce more satisfying results in the areas of life and business.
• Coaching is a series of focused conversations that create clarity and move the client into action.
• Coaching concentrates on where clients are today, where they want to be tomorrow and what they are willing to do to get.
• Coaching helps clients uncovers new perspectives that open up possibilities never thought imaginable.
• Coaching is about “being with” where the client is and deepening their learning.

• is trained to listen and observe, ask powerful questions and challenge.
• customizes his/her approach to the client's needs, and elicits solutions and strategies from the client.
• sees the client’s greatness and holds him/her as magnificent, creative and resourceful, no matter what.
• helps the client discover their gifts and talents, values, desires and purpose.
• holds the client accountable for the life they say they want.
• provides insight and calls the client to be their best.
• states the hard truth, as difficult as it may be to hear, all in service of the client’s life’s desires and commitments.

• The client is naturally creative, resourceful and whole and is the expert in his/her personal and/or professional life.
• Coach helps discover, clarify and align with what the client wants to achieve.
• Coach provides support to enhance the skills, resources, and creativity that the client already has.
• Coach provides feedback and an objective perspective.
• Client is responsible for taking the steps to produce the results he or she desires.

• Clients set better goals, take more action, make better decisions, and more fully use their natural strengths.
• Clients deepen their learning, improve their performance, and enhance their quality of life.
• Accelerates the client's progress by providing greater focus and awareness of choice.
• Reduces stress and creates more energy.

who hires a coach?

typically people who hire a coach are…

• starting a new business, project or undertaking
• making a career transition, life transition
• reevaluating their life choices
• feeling ready for a personal or professional breakthrough

• Coaching and Therapy both cause people to see significant improvements in the quality of satisfaction in life, but therapy often focuses on what's wrong or missing while Coaching focuses on what's right with people.
• Therapy often looks into the past while Coaching is about being with what is now in the present and looking at and creating the future

I provide two options for coaching: 1-on-1 individual coaching and Peer Group Coaching in a group setting. 1-on-1 Coaching is a set of conversations between Coach and Client. Coaching is typically 2 hours a month and the structure is designed between the Client and Coach during the first session, the discover session. This session often lasts from 1.5-3 hours long. This will be the longest session in the coaching relationship. The discovery session serves to set the foundation for the coaching. The Coach takes the client through several exercises to identify desired focus areas to work on, life balance areas, discover the clients vision for the future and identify the client’s core values. All of these tools are extremely valuable throughout the coaching and are customized based on the client’s needs.

The structure of the coaching thereafter is approximately 2 hours per month. This can look like 4 30-minute sessions over the phone once a week, 3 40-minute phone calls 3 times a week or 2 1-hour sessions in person. The frequency and mode of communication is designed and agreed upon at the discovery session.

Peer Group coaching is where 3-5 clients who are dealing with similar topics come together 2-3 times per month for approximately 1 hour to get coached as a group and individually with the support of the group. This can be an extremely supportive and desirable environment and an alternative to 1-on-1 coaching.

The Client is expected to be open to growth and development, committed to change and to striving for what they truly want – to be “coachable”. The Client is responsible for communicating to the Coach when the relationship is not working or when the Coach’s style does not suit the client. The Client is responsible for making requests of the Coach when necessary. The Coach is responsible for providing a safe space for the Client to communicate whatever is there.

Absolutely! Coaching is about YOUR agenda. The Coach will work with the Client to discover and identify the goals and actions that will ultimately meet their vision and purpose in life.

A Coach should have expertise in facilitating the coaching process. A Coach should have formal training in Coaching skills and techniques. It is not necessary that the Coach have experienced what the Client wants in life or where the client has been in life. The value of the Coach is in the process, not the knowledge of a particular experience or field. With that said, some Clients feel more comfortable with a Coach who has experienced what they have to better relate. This is natural, however not necessary for the Coaching to work successfully.

The most important thing in the coaching relationship is connection and chemistry. Without connection and chemistry, the relationship will not work. Look for experience in Coaching, Professional Coaching training and development, personality, coaching style and chemistry between the two of you and alignment of values. Lastly, identify the benefits of working with this coach and what you see possible if you took this coach on.

Successful people hire coaches. The question to look at is are you doing what you most enjoy? Are you tolerating anything in your life that is not serving you? Are you on the path to financial independence? Do you have what you most want? Coaching is about people wanting more out of their lives.

Absolutely. Some clients hire a coach to help them accomplish specific goals or projects. Often times, the client continues working with the coach as they begin to see even more in their life they can accomplish and be.

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