The great solution to all human problems is individual inner transformation.
– Vernon Howard –
One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; Fear must be overcome again and again.
– Abraham Maslow –
Every success story is a tale of constant adaptation, revision and change.
– Richard Branson –
Whether you are a corporate executive, an entrepreneur, a parent, a partner, a teacher, a student, an artist or a scientist;
whether you are young, adult, middle aged or growing old;
whether you are in a space of dealing with challenges or aspiring to fulfill your potential;
Coaching might be what you need to make it possible in a way that brings awareness, right action, and accountability towards your desired outcome.
Common Queries
Once you establish contact with the coach, you may be asked to fill-in a brief enquiry form where you mention your name, contact details, your purpose for connecting. the next step is discovery session, which can be a call or meeting. The purpose of the discovery session is to introduce the client to the coaching modality, to the coach, and answer their queries around the process. This session is also for the coach to understand the client and the goal that the client would like to achieve. Once both the coach and client are done with their exploration, they can agree on the number of sessions, the time and dates of the sessions to be conducted, the mode (on-line/ face-to-face meeting) and the mode of payment for the sessions. While the client is not required to pay for the discovery session, the expectation is that the payment for coaching sessions is made in prior of starting the first session.
Depending on the goal and requirement of the client, there could be additional personality assessment required, which is at the cost and discretion of the client. The coach can also work with any prior assessments done by client provided the report is made available.
Coaching is a co-creative process where both client and coach work together towards a common objective. While the client assigns the purpose and direction of the coaching conversation, the coach provides the safe space and is present as a mirror and a sounding board to reflect back to client. While the client does most of talking and explorations, the coach listens, asks questions that empowers the client to think and explore further into his inner resources to become aware of the solution, identify the action that is required to be taken, and establish the accountability to action.
If the client allows, the coach may record the session for supervision and further learning. However, at no point during or after the coaching contract is over, will the coach share or disclose any personal information about the client to any third party.
It is questioned many times as to which modality is better. The simple answer is that these are not to be compared to interchange with each other but to be understood as complimenting. e.g. When the past experiences are impacting the present of the client, therapy is most effective in dealing with the traumas deep set in the subconscious. Similarly, counsellors are the experts in their field who can immensely help the clients in the distressed situations. Also, if the client is on the prescribed medications for certain psychological issues, they should not replace these with coaching and are advised to follow the psychiatrist’s advise and only stop medicine when their doctor confirms that doing so is ok for them.
While the coaches have undergone the professional qualification and are equipped with various cognitive, somatic and transformational techniques, the conscious role of client in their own journey is very important. Coaching exploration may also take the client to deep subconscious levels and trigger certain emotions or past experiences. Therefore, the coach will always check and observe if the client is consciously able to articulate and manage these triggers.
Transparency therefore is important in the relationship of the client and coach. And therefore, if the client requires therapy or counseling for certain triggers and issues, they should do so.
The three things a coach brings to the client are awareness, action, and accountability. And to do so, the coach is not required to be an expert in the clients’ industry, work area, or life. However, the coach is required to acquire, practice and master the competencies to understand human behavior from personal, relational and spiritual point of view.
Though it is believed that a masterful coach’s presence is powerful to transform the lives, what’s even more powerful in personal transformation is the intention, openness and commitment of the client. So, keep strong intentions on achieving what you choose to, stay open to exploration and to observe with curiosity what comes up in the process; and take the actions you commit to take. Stay observant in-between two coaching sessions and keep a note of what happened inside you. Did you follow-up on your action? If not, what stopped you? What works and what doesn’t work for you? Coaching is not about resolving an issue for now and turning to coach when a new one comes up. It is about you learning “how you function?” and becoming an active participant in your own transformation so you do not need the coach after a while.