How does the coaching process work?
Coaching is very much focused on what is right for you and what your needs are. My approach is client-centred. What we do in the session will be based on your needs and how you work best. In the first session we look at what you want to work on. Typical questions I will ask you are:
What is not working for you in your life right now?
What would you like different in your life?
Why did you decide you wanted coaching?
Based on the discussion we work on agreeing on objectives for coaching. These are outcomes you want to walk away from coaching having achieved. They are what you want. I cannot tell you what is right for your life, although I can help you become clearer on this using various methods and tools if you are not sure. What I can do is help you get to where you want to get to - whatever the objective is you want to achieve. Coaching is quite results focused in that although we can work on anything you want to work on in a session, it is focused on achieving the objectives you want. We don't just talk, we have to realise the objective you came for coaching to achieve.
My Approach
My Approach is client-centred, humanistic and integrative. The humanistic approach is based on the philosophy of Humanism which holds that we all desire to grow and realise our full potential. We are naturally endowed with the creativity and resources to do so. This means that although I do provide you with tools, and ideas, and different ways to consider things, the process is also about bringing out your natural skills and talents and resourcefulness. Integrative means I pull from different frameworks, methodologies, tools, techniques used in working with people. Based on who you are, where you are in your life right now, your preferred ways of processing information and learning, your coaching sessions will be customised to exactly suit you.
What to Bring
You only need to bring yourself and whatever has been agreed for payment. I supply you with notes and handouts and stationery for anything you want to write down. Some people prefer to bring their own book to write in and that is fine. Whatever you prefer. I do provide you with copies of the methods, tools, and techniques we use, so you can use them for the rest of your life.
Your Safe and Courageous Space
The coaching session is your time and your space for you to be whomever you want to be. You come along as you are in whatever frame of mind you are in. You do not need to be anything or do anything. It is come as you are. It is my job to deal with whatever happens. Who you are and whatever is going on in your life is just fine. You are just fine. Things are the way they are and we deal with them as they are without judgement, criticism or condemnation. You cannot do wrong in the session. Just be as you want to be. I have signed Code of Ethics with a number of Psychology and Coaching bodies. Your session is confidential and no one is allowed to know what is said. Your file may never be shown to anyone. It is your space to say and express whatever you need to. It is also your courageous space because it allows you to practice new thoughts and actions without judgement, criticism and condemnation. The one thing I do ask though, is that to show respect to others as well as yourself you adhere to time boundaries. If you cannot - and I realise this sometimes cannot be avoided because traffic jams do happen, then please let me know as soon as possbible
How long will I need personal coaching?
This depends entirely on what your objectives are for coaching. Some people just want one session to help them clarify their direction in life, or get a different perspective for making an important life decision. Some people come to decide on a new career direction and that can take between 2 and 4 sessions. You can have as many or as few sessions as you want. After even just one session you will know a lot more about yourself and you will have learned some new ways of thinking and maybe even some new skills.
If you are planning on longer term coaching, most people can achieve a great deal of change in their lives with between 6 - 10 sessions. These can be once every two weeks or once a month. The frequency depends on how busy people are, how urgent the concern is, and what they can afford. Some people come for coaching when they need a session - that is on a very ad hoc basis. The optimal is once every two weeks, especially in the beginning, to keep the momentum.
I do not require that you sign up for a fixed number of sessions. You can decide at any point that you no longer wish to continue with coaching and then we don't book any more sessions. You can also decide at any point that you would like another session. What I do ask is that if you have booked and confirmed a session then you give me at least 24 hours notice if you are going to cancel unless it is an emergency.
What factors make life or business coaching more or less successful?
The key success factor is that you want to make change in your life and you are being coached because you want to be coached. If you are attending coaching because someone else has made you attend and this is not what you want, it will be frustrating for all. You do not need to be highly skilled, verbally articulate or a highly successful person to be coached. The coaching programme is unique for each person who is coached and so completely adapted to your needs. Whether you feel you are a highly successful person, an average person or that your life is a complete and utter mess does not matter. You are okay just as you are. We work from where you are to get you to where you want to be. If you are not sure where you want to go - coaching will help you find that out.
What do clients want when they request life or business coaching?
There are various issues they want to deal with. As suggested by the name, life coaching means coaching around any aspect of life. Clients I have coached have wanted the following: More personal development, improved relationships, improved emotional intelligence, more life balance, getting rid of anxiety, overcoming depression, learning to manage stress, improving their self-esteem, becoming more confident and assertive, promotions into leadership positions, health goals, career goals, change in career, fewer financial worries, to make more money, to get out of debt; to be better at selling and marketing, to find their life purpose, and more success in life in general. Often a client requests coaching because of a crisis that has happened - for example divorce, retrenchment, sheer boredom at work, health crises, financial problems. Often I will also work with other professionals or refer clients to other professional to ensure all clients get exactly what is right and best for them - these could be other medical professionals, financial experts, lawyers, business advisors etc.
From a business coaching side I deal mostly with SMME's - in fact I specialise in start-ups and growing SMME's. From this perspective people typically want coaching around starting a business or growing the business. Clients want help with knowing what type of business to start, as well as starting it and getting it up and running and making money.
What can I expect from my first coaching session?
Anyone is free at any time to contact me to discuss any queries or concerns around the coaching process. The first session is about understanding your expectations for coaching as well as understanding what it is that you are unhappy with in your life. We define your expectations for coaching and we define the outcomes you want to achieve - that is the changes you want to make in your life. This sets the stage for the rest of the coaching sessions. At no time however are you stuck to the goals you set - you are free to change them as you need to.
