WHAT IS COACHING?

Introduction to COACHING

ICF defines coaching as “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential,” which is particularly important in today’s uncertain and complex environment. Coaches honor their clients as the expert in their lives and work, and coaches believe every client is creative, resourceful, and whole. This process helps clients dramatically improve their outlook on work and life, while also improving their leadership skills and unlocking their potential.
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Standing on this foundation, the coach’s responsibility is to:

Discover, clarify, and align with what the client wants to achieve.
Encourage client self-discovery. Elicit client-generated solutions and strategies.
Hold the client responsible and accountable.

Who is a Coach?

Imagine having the support of someone who champions your success as much as you do, someone who will ask great questions to encourage you to tap into your own well of resources, to find the solutions you didn’t know you had. someone who will challenge you to expand your horizons and see things from different perspectives and viewpoints.

A coach is this someone and a lot more. A coach is neutral, non-Judgmental, great listener and looks at you and himself as faultless and blameless.

Why Coaching works?

As we know, coaching increases our awareness of choices which empowers us in making better decisions. When we make better decisions, we tend to live a happier and peaceful life.
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Let us look at why coaching works? As you will agree that

Over time we develop / acquire limiting beliefs which must go so that we can continue to grow.
We tend to limit our thinking which restricts our actions and thus results.
We tend to play safe, develop comfort zones and not take risks or challenge ourselves.
We tend to base our decisions on superficial perspective due to lack of time/in order to look good/to fit certain groups and so on.
We lose track of our dreams, values, strengths, and aspirations in order to achieve material success.
Our thinking gets coloured by our experiences, expectations of others and our perception of what others think of us.

How does coaching add value to the world? Coaches can:

Help clients get unstuck from something holding them back in their lives.
Provide support and accountability to people seeking change as they take action steps toward the life they want.
Build awareness of clients’ agency, empower choices, and offer processes and systems that clients can use to effect change in themselves and their life.
Teach clients how to learn for themselves about how to create a life they want, achieve their goals, achieve peace of mind.

Distinguish between coaching and other forms of service professions
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Similar to Coaching, there are other forms of service professions viz., Therapy, consulting, mentoring, training, and athletic development. In one study, CEO’s of Fortune 500 companies were asked to explain what they valued in their coaches.

These were the answers: Coaches

Listen with empathy
Establish trust and preserves Integrity
Are deep generalists with a keen sense of observation and big picture thinkers
Have an eye for winners
Have power of conviction in that they understand their client’s values and a strong value system of their own: and
Have detached commitment

Some Key differences among these relationships

Focus

Focuses the client by asking for the agenda for each session. Acts as the container by holding the agenda during the session. Focuses the client to act mindfully by clarifying the agenda during the session.

Accepts the client’s focus as part of the scope of work. Does not accept a focus outside of his/her own expertise.

Allows the client to free associate. Follows and interprets the direction the client takes.

Miller Analogies Test

cOACHING AS A PROCESS

Coaching as process brings very effective results to Individual s as well as organisations.

One-to-One focus: The coach is focused solely on the individual’s goals, issues, and behaviours. Each session is tailored specifically to the client, not a general one-size-fits-all program.
Measurable goal setting Coaching helps clients articulate measurable goals which are more likely to get achieved. Once a target is defined, steps to get there are easier to formulate.
Confidentiality All conversations are confidential. This brings up an element of trust and help the client open up more deeply and innately.
Objectivity The right coach provides objective feedback. Coach is the one person who will “tell it like it is” without any fear.
Accountability People are significantly more likely to meet the commitments when they are themselves accountable for the decisions.
Action – immediate, real-time practice Reflection without action does not create results. During every session, clients commit to take actions that will further their goals. All actions are immediate and relevant. Clients work on exercises or modules that are tailored to their business, professional or personal goals.
A partner that helps you stretch The right coach will challenge you to do more than you can achieve your own self. Clients report they accomplish more than they could.
Structured pre-defined sessions Clients examine what dives their behaviour through pr-scheduled sessions over a period of 4-6 months. Coaches help clients to order and systematize to create the time, space and energy.
Ownership Because all goals are set by the client, they are personally motivated to meet their goals.

When coaching will not work?

Coaching will not work if the coach does not have the right coaching knowledge, skills, habits, and the right attitude towards the coachee and/or him-or herself. It will also not work if the person being coached resists it and has no intention of changing and moving forwards. It does not work when it’s forced.

Coaching is not about imparting skills. If someone is seeking coaching to acquire some skills and knowledge, then coaching is not meant for him/her. It may, however, work for such people if they have any kind of negative attitude towards acquiring those new skills and knowledge. Eg. I think I am not good enough to learn this or I am not to do this, but I have been told to. In case of organizations, if the culture of the organization is not suitable, it may not work too.