FAQs About Coaching

The International Coach Federation (ICF) defines coaching as:

“Partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximise their personal and professional potential….Coaches honour the client as the expert in his or her life and believe every client is creative, resourceful and whole”.

I see coaching as a collaborative process that creates the space to think more clearly, explore different perspectives and make better decisions.

Whilst I take a coaching approach, I also draw on my business and leadership experience where mentoring or a more direct perspective would genuinely help. My priority isn't to follow a coaching model - it's to do what's most useful for you.

The agenda is always client driven and can evolve over time. Some examples of topics that might arise include:

• Creating a confidential space to explore a difficult situation
  
  
• Building self-confidence and leading with confidence and impact
  
  
• Understanding leadership style and how to develop or flex it
  
  
• Career planning or transition, including starting in a new role

• Stakeholder management – how to influence and gain buy-in
  
  
• Getting more from your team

• Managing pressure without losing perspective

• Dealing with complex or challenging relationships
  
  
• Feeling stuck and working out what comes next
  

We start with a conversation.

We'll explore what's going on, what you're hoping to achieve and whether we're the right fit for each other.

Choosing the right coach matters. I'd encourage you to speak to one or two other coaches before deciding. This is an important relationship and you should choose someone you trust and feel comfortable working with.

I'll give you the kind of attention, curiosity and challenge that's increasingly rare in busy leadership roles. I’ll listen to you, with a genuine curiosity to understand who you are, what you think and how you generally experience the world. 

I'll reflect what I'm seeing, challenge your thinking where it's helpful and help you create greater clarity.

Creating a safe and comfortable environment for our coaching conversations is essential. 

I coach online using Zoom or Teams so can reach you wherever you are.  I'm based in South London and when I coach face-to-face it's usually in and around London. I'll travel for team assignments.

Coaching sessions usually last about 90-120 minutes depending on what we've agreed and what we're working on.

Every coaching relationship is designed around the individual, their objectives and their context.

Most organisations sponsor coaching as part of leadership development or executive support. I also work privately with individuals.

Following our initial conversation, I'll recommend an approach and provide a clear proposal and costs.

You’ll need to be open to the potential of coaching which means contributing to the conversations honestly and openly. 

It’s important that you feel comfortable with the style of the coaching and together we’ll agree how to approach such areas as challenge and boundaries. 

Where a sponsor is involved, we’ll ensure there is sufficient alignment on the key coaching objectives and the support required for success as well as how to update on progress; usually the client updating the sponsor between sessions. 

Part of the process is to ensure that we’re working in a way that works effectively and appropriately for you so we’ll check-in at each session to see what’s working and where we can make more progress, or do things differently.