What is Coaching?

Coaching is a relationship generally between two people, the coach and the client.  It is essentially an interactive process where the coach guides and facilitates the client’s progress towards defined goals.  Coaching is about helping the client create clarity around what they want out of one or a number of areas of their life. It works on the basis that everyone has the potential to achieve whatever they want out of life. Coaching is therefore about taking the vision of their idea, dream or ideal life and turning it into a reality through the use of coaching techniques and tools. The focus is always on results that can be seen, experienced, measured and quantified.

Coaching is not Therapy, Counseling or Mentoring

It is important to make it very clear that Coaching is not Therapy, Counseling, nor Mentoring.  Mentoring is more about the imparting of information and knowledge from one person to another.  It is often used within organizations to enable them to train new recruits.  Whereas a Mentor will be required to have a strong knowledge or understanding in the field a Coach will often benefit from having little or no prior experience.  Counseling on the other hand is about removing blocks from the past and which are currently preventing them from making significant progress.  It is often focused on problems whereas coaching is more commonly concerned with future performance.

Duration of Call

The initial Coaching Session is normally 90 minutes as it generally includes additional time for the intake process.  However ongoing sessions are usually 60 minutes in duration.  The Client will typically call the Coach at the agreed time on the agreed phone number.  Please note that we will generally provide you with a local phone number for the coaching sessions.   We will also be happy to use Skype if requested.

Coaching Over the Phone

It is estimated that over 90% of coaching takes place over the phone.  Through engaging with a coach over the phone it enables you to choose the most suitable coach rather than the nearest one.  This allows you to select the best coach based on their specific background and or experience which can help towards ensuring a successful coaching relationship and achieving your desired results.

However, it can be useful to meet up once with your coach at the start of the coaching relationship if at all possible to help strengthen the rapport.

Here are some reasons as to why Telephone coaching can be more effective than face to face: 

• It can be more effective as it reduces distractions by any actions, appearances of each other or activities taking place in the surrounding where you might meet. Also some people are more comfortable opening up to someone over the phone than face to face.
• It is also a great equalizer which is an important requirement in a healthy coaching relationship. It reduces the risk of either party becoming the superior person in the coaching relationship which can happen either intentionally or accidentally. It also helps ensure the focus is on you the coachee as it should be.
• It allows for more productive use of time. It enables both parties to launch into the session quicker than a face to face meeting and eliminates lost time in travelling to meet face to face. 
• It is also more cost effective as you will not have to pay additional expenses for your coach or yourself to meet face to face.
• It allows you to choose the location so you can ensure it is in private, quiet and relaxing.
• It allows for increased privacy and confidentiality as you are able to choose a location that will reduce the risk of anyone overhearing your conversation or even knowing who you are talking with. 

The above reasons highlight the areas where coaching by telephone can be more successful than face to face. However there may be cases where face to face sessions are more successful. For example when coaching groups then face to face is often more successful as it enables the coach to be in a better position to engage all participants within the group.

Finally you may have a personal preference to meet face to face so it is important to discuss this openly with any prospective coach at the initial discussion stage.

Code of Conduct

We abide by the Coaching Academy Code of Ethics. A copy of the Code will be provided along with the initial Coaching Programme documents. Should you wish to receive a copy at any time please feel free to contact us.