What is Coaching?
Life and Management Coaching have been growing in popularity and media presence over the last few years. These days almost everyone has heard of a Life or Management Coach, but few people who haven't used one know much about what they are and what they do.
Objective Observer
Coaches strive to maintain their objectivity since that's usually one of the main reasons people hire a coach. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the challenges in your life or hesitant to commit to an action that will create change, you need someone who is outside of your immediate situation (unlike friends or family) who can see the issues with new eyes. A good Coach will share their observations with you, which can help to clarify your own view of the situation.
Active Questioner
Many times the obstacles we encounter in our lives are based in conceptions and mis-conceptions that we hold about ourselves, our skills, and our potential. An effective Coach will question your assumptions and seek to uncover how they are keeping you from living your life the way you want. Questions can also help you to fully articulate the specific aspects of your goals, which results in a more clear picture of how to move forward.
Skill Builder
Rather than creating a dependency where you need the Coach to help you make decisions, your Coach will work with you to develop practical skills that you can apply to your future decisions. Leveraging tools such as role playing allow you to practice and refine your skills so that you can put them to work in your daily life.
Resource Matcher
It's easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of resources available to teach you skills such as goal setting, project planning and time management. It can be hard to know which system or program might work with your personality and style. Your Coach can help you narrow your choices and understand some of the differentiating factors so you can make the best decision for what will help you become more effective.
Honest Communicator
The most common complaint we hear from executives is that no one around them will tell them when they are off the mark, communicating ineffectively or wasting time. Your Coach will act as a trusted advisor who has a clear picture of your situation and can tell you respectfully but firmly that your actions are out of line with your stated goals.
Some things a coach is NOT:
A coach is NOT a therapist or a psychologist. While a coach may have a background in Psychology or Counseling, the goal of coaching is to be an active partner in your planning process. A good coach will not just listen and help you process what’s going on in your life, they will actively help you explore and articulate your goals and then develop concrete plans to help you move towards them. I like to describe it as more ‘forward looking’ as we will be focused on the actions you will take to change your future rather than delving into your past. If in the course of our coaching sessions we uncover issues or concerns that seem to indicate the intervention of a professional therapist or counselor, I will be happy to help you find someone who is an expert in that area.
A coach is NOT a friend. At times in order to help you find new ways around an obstacle in your life, I will challenge you on your assumptions and your assertions. It is not a coach’s job to make you feel comfortable 100% of the time – it’s to motivate you to change so that you can achieve something you have been unable to achieve by doing what you have done before. Our relationship should be mutually respectful and you should never feel threatened or unsafe, but you should often find that you are asked to think about your life and your actions in a new way. It is this new way of thinking that will help you push through old boundaries and find your path to success.
Life and Management Coaching have been growing in popularity and media presence over the last few years. These days almost everyone has heard of a Life or Management Coach, but few people who haven't used one know much about what they are and what they do.
Objective Observer
Coaches strive to maintain their objectivity since that's usually one of the main reasons people hire a coach. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the challenges in your life or hesitant to commit to an action that will create change, you need someone who is outside of your immediate situation (unlike friends or family) who can see the issues with new eyes. A good Coach will share their observations with you, which can help to clarify your own view of the situation.
Active Questioner
Many times the obstacles we encounter in our lives are based in conceptions and mis-conceptions that we hold about ourselves, our skills, and our potential. An effective Coach will question your assumptions and seek to uncover how they are keeping you from living your life the way you want. Questions can also help you to fully articulate the specific aspects of your goals, which results in a more clear picture of how to move forward.
Skill Builder
Rather than creating a dependency where you need the Coach to help you make decisions, your Coach will work with you to develop practical skills that you can apply to your future decisions. Leveraging tools such as role playing allow you to practice and refine your skills so that you can put them to work in your daily life.
Resource Matcher
It's easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of resources available to teach you skills such as goal setting, project planning and time management. It can be hard to know which system or program might work with your personality and style. Your Coach can help you narrow your choices and understand some of the differentiating factors so you can make the best decision for what will help you become more effective.
Honest Communicator
The most common complaint we hear from executives is that no one around them will tell them when they are off the mark, communicating ineffectively or wasting time. Your Coach will act as a trusted advisor who has a clear picture of your situation and can tell you respectfully but firmly that your actions are out of line with your stated goals.
Some things a coach is NOT:
A coach is NOT a therapist or a psychologist. While a coach may have a background in Psychology or Counseling, the goal of coaching is to be an active partner in your planning process. A good coach will not just listen and help you process what’s going on in your life, they will actively help you explore and articulate your goals and then develop concrete plans to help you move towards them. I like to describe it as more ‘forward looking’ as we will be focused on the actions you will take to change your future rather than delving into your past. If in the course of our coaching sessions we uncover issues or concerns that seem to indicate the intervention of a professional therapist or counselor, I will be happy to help you find someone who is an expert in that area.
A coach is NOT a friend. At times in order to help you find new ways around an obstacle in your life, I will challenge you on your assumptions and your assertions. It is not a coach’s job to make you feel comfortable 100% of the time – it’s to motivate you to change so that you can achieve something you have been unable to achieve by doing what you have done before. Our relationship should be mutually respectful and you should never feel threatened or unsafe, but you should often find that you are asked to think about your life and your actions in a new way. It is this new way of thinking that will help you push through old boundaries and find your path to success.
Personal Focus Coaching
Personal Focus Coaching - Hudson - Massachusetts - 01749 - (978) 866-0908 info@personalfocuscoaching.com
Career - Management - Life
Practical Strategies for Success
Practical Strategies for Success