Coaching

Coaching is a modern and rapidly growing method for helping others to improve, develop, learn new skills, find personal success, achieve aims and manage life change and personal challenges. Coaching is effective for all situations, whether in personal life, career, sales or corporate and business life.

Coaching is different to training. Coaching draws out rather than puts in. It develops rather than imposes. It reflects rather than directs. Coaching is reactive, flexible and enabling, not prescriptive or instructional. Coaching is non-judgemental, not judgemental. Coaching helps people to develop and grow in a variety of areas, and it is this knowledge of the power of coaching that is leading to the development of separate coaching specialisms that are becoming new coaching disciplines in their own right such as personal coaching, life coaching, coaching for parenting, career coaching for advancement and job choices; leadership and management coaching; coaching for sales and business success; executive coaching for corporate performance and director development.

Whilst ‘coaching’ is a well-known activity in the world of sport, the principles of it are transferable to other situations. As with sport the person being coached has identified a need to develop and is hungry to excel, they may or may not have a belief in their own abilities and they acknowledge the benefits of having someone to help support their learning and development on a one to one basis.

In the public, private and voluntary sectors, approaches and methodologies of coaching are being extensively used to help people achieve their ambitions and objectives in delivering the provision of a wide range of services.

Coaching can be used to reflect on issues in the past in order to consider the learning and how change might be implemented as a result of the learning. Coaching can also be used proactively to plan ahead, to consider strategy development and to undertake planning.

Examples of some of the opportunities to apply coaching at work are:

• Personal Development ~ improving confidence, assertiveness and communication etc.
• Motivating Staff
• Problem Solving
• Delegating
• Relationship Issues
• Team Building, Team Working
• Managing Change
• Appraisals and Assessments
• Task Performance
• Planning and Reviewings
• Staff Development
• Setting Goals
• Dealing with conflict

The Coaching Process and Rationale: Thinking Environment™

There are many models used to achieve effective coaching. The coaching process used here is that of the ‘Thinking Environment’™ To find out more about what a ‘Thinking Environment’ is and before you have your first session it is helpful to read ‘Time To Think’ by Nancy Kline, 1999published by Ward Lock. Please also take a moment to visit the Time To Think website at www.timetothink.com

Thinking Environment™ coaching has been described by coaching experts as the most effective client-centred coaching method available. It puts the independent thinking of the client first in its aims.

This method allows clients truly to think for themselves; to go beyond dependence on the coach’s views, guidance or analysis; it uniquely makes it possible for the client to come up with ideas, directions, understanding and solutions for themselves, that can be staggeringly accurate and imaginative.

Some coaching sessions from people I have worked with:

Senior Manager, Major UK Bank

• Goal: To be more effective in managing conflict within his team and the organisation.
• Themes Explored: Conflict resolution, assertiveness, lack of personal clarity.
• Discovery: Dealing with it head on in a considered way moved the team on beyond recognition.

Director of Nursing, NHS Primary Care Trust

• Goal: To feel more comfortable in dealing with people more senior within the organisation.
• Themes Explored: Confidence, communication skills, self-esteem.
• Discovery: Work was actually easier and more rewarding, a growing sense of her self-esteem.

Senior Manager, International Hotel Group

• Goal: To be a more positive role model and leader.
• Themes Explored: Leadership skills and styles, anger management, confidence.
• Discovery: Enjoying being a leader more, less fear of what others think.

New Manager, Young People's Service

• Goal: To find out more about herself and become an inspirational leader.
• Themes Explored: Gender conditioning, confidence, relationships, trust.
• Discovery: Growth was great, leadership can be really exciting, promotion was rewarding.

Director, Large Industrial Company

• Goal: To be a better presenter at conferences and within the organisation
• Themes Explored: Presentation skills, confidence, impact of his growing up.
• Discovery: Really loving presentations, enjoying more connection to people and networking.

Contracting for Coaching

My role as the coach is to help you, the client do your thinking for yourself. My role as the coach is not to do the thinking of or for you as the client.

The issues and questions that you bring to the coaching session are best addressed and explored by you, not by my interpretation of you or your situation.

As the coach I will offer insights and perspectives only after you have had sufficient time to come up with your own thoughts and ideas thoroughly and only when you welcome them.

The session is successful if your ideas, directions, insights, questions and feelings are all better than mine had I offered you advice, directive questions or reaction.

If you are interested in finding out more, or if you would like to experience a free taster session, please get in touch.

rob@robbrown.eu.com

Thanks to Pat Carr