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Coaching is distinct from counselling, consulting and mentoring although many of my clients find it therapeutic. Coaching is above all a learning process where your self awareness grows, along with clarity, confidence and proactivity.
My clients, like you I expect, are people who want something in their life to be different and they enjoy some support and encouragement to generate ideas and follow them through. And it's common for clients not to know quite what it is they need to be different in their lives and that's one reason people come to me.
Coaching sessions are an opportunity for you to talk freely without needing to edit yourself because I’m impartial, open-minded and without agenda. You’ll be talking about 80% of the time and my 20% is asking questions that clarify, provoke and challenge you to open your mind, be creative, see things in new ways and to make and act upon decisions. When you feel ‘stuck’ I will ask if you’d like some suggestions which you can accept or reject. You don’t need to please me. And that’s what’s so powerful about coaching conversations.
As one coaching client put it on the Radio 4 programme, You & Yours in January 2005:
"Even though you're talking to a coach you're actually speaking to yourself and you're answering you're own questions. You're being very open and honest with yourself. You have no ties with this person (the coach) and so you can just speak freely and honestly."
20 verbs to sum up my explanation of the coaching experience:
