Your most frequently asked questions about coaching answered…
-
Coaching, in simple terms, refers to a process where a trained professional called a coach helps and guides another person, called the client or coachee, in achieving their goals, improving their skills, or making positive changes in their personal or professional life.
“Partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximise their personal and professional potential.” (ICF definition)
“A collaborative, solution focused, result-orientated and systematic process in which the coach facilitates the enhancement of work performance, life experience, self-directed learning and person growth of the coachee” (Dr Anthony Grant, 1999)
“Unlocking a person’s potential to maximize their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them” (Sir John Whitmore, 2003)
-
Coaching is gaining popularity in business because it is one of the most cost effective ways of making people, and organisations more effective. It demonstrates the commitment of the business to their people and avoids costly recruitment and retraining.
It is growing popular generally because people now expect to be able to do more, and to fulfil their dreams and goals, mental, emotional, financial and spiritual. A coach helps people to do that. A coach is someone committed to your advancement and well-being.
-
You should absolutely be working with and networking with those around you! However, partnering with a professional external executive coach is different in a number of ways…..
Professional coaching is about supporting your growth in many different ways- on your agenda
A professional coach has a deep understanding of the latest evidence based behaviour change approaches and can use these skills in the service of helping you achieve your heartfelt goals.
In todays noisy always on world, having a safe supportive space to be your true self and work on what’s truly important to you is rare
To learn more see our blog on the top roles of an executive coach… the-diverse-roles-of-an-executive-coach the-diverse-roles-of-an-executive-coach
-
Executive coaching is a business expense paid for by the company
-
Coaching and mentoring are two distinct approaches that involve a supportive relationship between two individuals, but they differ in their focus and methodology.
Focus: Coaching primarily focuses on facilitating personal or professional development, goal achievement, and skill improvement. The coach helps the client gain self-awareness, overcome obstacles, and develop strategies for growth. Mentoring, on the other hand, is more about sharing knowledge, experience, and guidance in a specific field or domain. The mentor acts as a trusted advisor and role model, offering insights and advice based on their own expertise and experience.
Structure: Coaching typically follows a structured and systematic process. The coach employs various techniques, such as questioning, active listening, and goal setting, to facilitate the client's growth and progress. Coaching sessions often have a specific agenda and action-oriented approach. Mentoring, on the contrary, tends to be more informal and relationship-based. The mentor provides guidance, shares wisdom, and offers support on an as-needed basis, without a strict framework or predefined session structure.
Expertise: Coaches are trained professionals who specialise in the coaching process. They have expertise in effective communication, goal setting, and facilitating personal growth. Coaches may not necessarily possess extensive experience in the client's specific field. Mentors, on the other hand, are typically seasoned professionals or experts in a particular domain. They have hands-on experience and knowledge in the field they are mentoring in, and they provide guidance based on their own insights and expertise.
Duration: Coaching relationships are often time-bound and focused on achieving specific goals. They can last for a defined period, such as a few months or a year, depending on the client's needs. Mentoring relationships, on the other hand, can be more long-term and enduring. Mentors may provide ongoing guidance and support over an extended period, sometimes even spanning years.
In summary, coaching is a structured process that focuses on personal or professional development, while mentoring involves a more informal relationship where a knowledgeable individual shares their expertise and advice. Coaching is goal-oriented and employs specific techniques, while mentoring is based on the mentor's experience and offers ongoing support. A simple way to think about this is that coaching is from the inside out and mentoring is from the outside-in. That is coaching is focused on the ‘inner-game’.
-
Whilst there is no magic formula there are several factors that increase your ability to get the most from coaching. These include approaching coaching with an open mind, a growth mindset, and the humility to admit that even as a very capable leader there is always room to grow personally and professionally. Sometimes to get to the next level in our development you may need to unlearn and learn anew (after all what got you here won’t necessarily get you there)..
-
Team Coaching is a process of supporting and developing a team to enhance its performance, collaboration, and effectiveness. It involves working with a group of individuals who collectively form a team, such as a project team, departmental team, or executive team, to help them achieve their goals and improve their overall functioning.
Team coaching typically involves a professional coach who works with the team as a whole rather than focusing on individual members. The coach facilitates the team's learning, growth, and self-discovery by guiding them through a structured process. The primary objective of team coaching is to improve the team's collective performance and achieve better results.
Team coaching can address a wide range of areas, including:
Clarifying team goals and objectives: The coach helps the team define clear and meaningful goals, ensuring that everyone understands and is aligned with them.
Enhancing communication and collaboration: Team coaching fosters open and effective communication within the team, encouraging active listening, constructive feedback, and collaboration.
Strengthening team dynamics: The coach helps team members understand their roles, strengths, and weaknesses, and supports them in building trust, resolving conflicts, and creating a positive team culture.
Developing leadership skills: Team coaching can help team leaders enhance their leadership capabilities, such as decision-making, delegation, and motivating team members.
Improving problem-solving and decision-making: The coach assists the team in developing effective problem-solving techniques and decision-making processes, enabling them to address challenges more efficiently.
Managing change and transitions: Team coaching supports teams during periods of change, such as mergers, reorganizations, or leadership transitions, helping them adapt and thrive in new circumstances.
Building resilience and managing stress: The coach helps teams develop resilience and cope with stress by promoting well-being, work-life balance, and strategies for managing pressure.
Team coaching sessions may involve a combination of individual and group activities, including assessments, workshops, facilitated discussions, and action planning. The coach creates a safe and supportive environment for team members to reflect on their performance, explore new perspectives, and experiment with different approaches.
Overall, team coaching aims to maximize the collective potential of a team, improve its effectiveness, and enable it to achieve its objectives more efficiently. It recognizes that the performance of a team is not only influenced by individual skills and competencies but also by the dynamics and interactions within the group as a whole.
Our coaches are trained in Team Coaching.
-
Executive coaching and leadership coaching are two distinct forms of coaching that focus on different aspects of professional development. While there can be some overlap between the two, they primarily target different individuals and objectives. Here's a breakdown of their key differences:
Focus:
Executive Coaching: Executive coaching primarily centers around enhancing the performance and effectiveness of executives and senior-level leaders within organizations. It aims to support individuals in fulfilling their executive roles, improving their decision-making, communication skills, strategic thinking, and overall leadership capabilities.
Leadership Coaching: Leadership coaching, on the other hand, focuses on developing leadership skills and competencies across various levels within an organization. It can target emerging leaders, mid-level managers, or anyone aspiring to enhance their leadership abilities. Leadership coaching often encompasses a broader range of leadership qualities, such as self-awareness, emotional intelligence, team building, and inspiring others.
Target Audience:
Executive Coaching: The primary recipients of executive coaching are high-level executives, senior managers, and top-tier leaders within an organization. These individuals typically hold significant decision-making responsibilities, lead large teams, and have a direct impact on organizational outcomes.
Leadership Coaching: Leadership coaching can cater to individuals at different stages of their leadership journey, including emerging leaders, mid-level managers, and even frontline supervisors. It focuses on nurturing leadership potential and improving leadership skills across various organizational levels.
Scope:
Executive Coaching: Executive coaching often has a more specific and focused scope. It typically addresses challenges and opportunities specific to an executive's role, such as executive presence, strategic planning, managing complex organizational dynamics, leading change, and handling senior-level responsibilities.
Leadership Coaching: Leadership coaching has a broader scope and may encompass a wide range of leadership competencies applicable to different organizational contexts. It can address areas such as self-awareness, emotional intelligence, effective communication, team building, conflict resolution, and creating a positive organizational culture.
Organizational Impact:
Executive Coaching: The impact of executive coaching is often more concentrated on the executive's performance and the success of their specific role within the organization. It can lead to improved decision-making, better leadership skills, enhanced strategic thinking, and ultimately contribute to the organization's overall performance and success.
Leadership Coaching: Leadership coaching focuses on developing leadership capabilities across various levels of an organization. Its impact is more widespread as it aims to cultivate a pipeline of effective leaders, foster a positive leadership culture, and create a ripple effect by influencing the performance and growth of teams and individuals throughout the organization.
While executive coaching and leadership coaching have distinct focuses, it's worth noting that there can be overlap between the two. Some executive coaching engagements may incorporate elements of leadership development, and leadership coaching can also address specific challenges faced by executives. The specific objectives and needs of the individual being coached, as well as the context of the organization, will determine the precise scope and emphasis of the coaching engagement.
-
One to one coaching can be a single session to multiple sessions and between a few months to a year in duration. It depends on what you would like to achieve. We offer a number of options for your consideration. It all begins a with a free chemistry call.
Studies have suggested that the typical duration of a coaching engagement is 6 months (a six month unlimited personal 1:1 coaching option is one of our offerings)
Team Coaching is often a six month ongoing arrangement as it may entail coaching the team/group and individuals 1:1 online or in-person. This can be accelerated through team availability (realistically juggling multiple diaries is often challenging and is the main determinant of duration)
-
My formal coach credentials includes training, coaching hours, coaching supervision, coaching mentoring and client feedback
Firstly, my training includes the Henley Business School Professional Certificate in Coaching (2019 ICF approved course) and the MSc in Coaching and Behavioral Change (completed 2023). Trainers are globally recognised experts in coaching and behavioural change including, Dr Jonathan Passmore, Dr Ilona Boniwell, Professor Peter Hawkins, Dr Tim Anstiss, Nancy Kline, John Whittington, and Professor Philippe Rosinski. Global experts in the field of coaching psychology.
I have more than 1,100 hours of coaching experience including six years as an internal coach in 3M, a global Fortune 100 corporation
In addition I use reflective practice to learn “on the go” after sessions.
Furthermore I have a mentor coach who is MCC ICF and attend regular coach supervision
I am an EMCC Global accredited Senior Practitioner, and accredited as a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) by the International Coaching Federation (ICF)
-
As a member of both the International Coach Federation (ICF) and EMCC and having attended ICF approved coach training full ethics can be found…
ICF
https://www.coachingfederation.org.uk/credentialing/icf-code-of-ethics
EMCC Global
https://www.globalcodeofethics.org
Two important aspects are confidentiality and boundaries….
Confidentiality is key in coaching and all aspects are confidential, the only exceptions are your safety (in the unlikely event that I am concerned about your personal safety) and legality.
Boundaries relates to where a coach is not the right person to support you, for example in the case of a mental health issue. Coaches are not counsellors or therapists. In the case of our team and associates the majority have attended Mental Health First Aid England (MHFA) training. This provides further skills in noticing potential challenges coachees may be experiencing and how to support and professionally sign-post onward support.
-
The International Coach Federation (ICF), and the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC), and the Association for Coaching (AC) are three prominent coaching organizations that set standards, provide accreditation, and offer resources for professional coaches as well as providing a level of comfort to potential purchasers of coaching services..
Coaching is an unregulated industry that is rapidly growing. These organisations play a lead role in the professionalization of the coaching industry that in the early 2000’s was at times considered the wild west! Credentialled coaches for the ICF and EMCC must pass rigorous requirements on an ongoing basis and have high ethical standards members must subscribe to (and can be held to account for breaches)
International Coach Federation (ICF)
The ICF is a globally recognized organization dedicated to advancing the coaching profession. It provides certification for coaches, accreditation for coaching programs, and sets professional standards. It is the largest global coaching organisation and is considered the “Gold Standard” in Coaching.
European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC)
The EMCC began as a European organization but is now very much global that focuses on developing, promoting, and setting the expectation of best practice in mentoring, coaching, and supervision.
These organizations play a crucial role in maintaining high standards within the coaching profession, providing valuable resources and support to coaches worldwide and a level of comfort to coaching clients.
-
The Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credential from the International Coaching Federation (ICF) is highly credible and respected within the coaching industry. Here are several reasons why the PCC credential is considered so highly:
1. Credibility and Recognition
The ICF is one of the most recognized and respected organizations in the coaching industry. Holding a PCC credential signifies that a coach has met rigorous standards of knowledge, skill, and ethical practice. This recognition can enhance a coach's reputation and credibility, making them more attractive to potential clients and employers.
2. Demonstrated Competence
To earn the PCC credential, coaches must complete a significant number of coaching hours (exceeding 500 hours of coaching experience with at least 25 clients) and undergo extensive coach-specific training (125 hours). They must also pass a performance evaluation and the ICF Coach Knowledge Assessment (a very difficult 3 hour exam on 81 different coaching scenarios including assessing approaches and ethical consideration). This rigorous process demonstrates a high level of competence and professionalism, which can be appealing to clients seeking reliable and effective coaching services.
(In my case at the time of writing I’ve coached more than 1,100 hours and around 2,000 hours of coach and psychology training. I also had to pass the 3 hour ICF coach exam, Edwin)
scenarios.
3. Client Trust and Confidence
Clients and organizations often look for certified coaches because certification reassures them of the coach’s qualifications and commitment to ethical practice. The PCC credential can help build trust and confidence with clients.
4. Professional Development and Networking
ICF provides ongoing professional development opportunities, resources, and a global network of coaching professionals. As a PCC, you have access to these benefits, which can help you stay updated with industry trends, enhance your skills, and connect with other professionals for potential collaboration and referrals.
5. Ethical Standards
ICF credentialed coaches are required to adhere to the ICF Code of Ethics, which is highly regarded in the coaching profession. This commitment to ethical practice can be a significant selling point for potential clients and organizations. The ICF provides a method for clients to register ethical complaints which are then investigated etc.
6. Market Demand
As the coaching industry continues to grow, the demand for certified coaches is increasing. Many organizations, especially large corporations and institutions, require their coaches to hold ICF credentials. This trend can enhance the desire by clients for ICF PCC credentialled coaches.
7. Global Reach
The ICF is an international organization with a presence in many countries. The PCC credential is recognized and respected globally, providing opportunities to work with clients from diverse backgrounds and geographic locations.
Summary
The Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credential from the International Coaching Federation (ICF) is highly desired by clients in purchasing coach services due to its credibility, the rigorous standards required to obtain it, the trust and confidence it inspires in clients, and the numerous professional benefits it provides. As the demand for qualified coaches grows, the PCC credential becomes even more desirable in a profession that, as its unregulated in many countries, can seem to be the ‘wild west’.
We are both ICF PCC credentialled and EMCC Senior Practitioner credentialled coaches.
-
We apply the latest evidence based techniques seamlessly utilising up to a dozen different approaches with individuals and teams.
With deep experience as an internal coach within 3M, a complex matrixed Fortune 100 company
More than 1,100 hours coaching in 1:1 and Team Coaching
Leadership development experience,
Three decades of business experience in a complex global organisation,
Professional Certified Coach (PCC) through the ICF,
EMCC accredited coach/mentor at Senior Practitioner level,
a Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching, as well as
An MSc in Coaching and Behavioural Change from the renowned Henley Business school.
Coached Fortune 100 Vice President level (C-suite), CEO, Directors, Mid level managers, high-potentials and graduate intake.
Coached internationally across more than 40 nationalities.
-
Book a short call on Calendly