Coaching Guidelines: Coaching Leaders Through Change
There has never been a better time to access coaching that can support you through the
challenging transitions that are currently taking place across sectors.
Benefits of coaching include:
•
Time to reflect with a experienced coach, external to your organisation
•
Opportunity to discuss confidential plans and concepts without concern about the
discussion adversely affecting the organisation
•
You create a clear action plan, with timescales that suit you, and know you will be
held to account at your next coaching session
Feedback from coaching has included:
•
Learned to challenge my negative self-perceptions
•
More confident and assertive in all aspects of my job
•
Calm and confident at work
•
I now have a strong sense of direction
Coaching can be set up to suit your organisation’s requirements. This includes intensive
weekly support, ongoing monthly support or tailored to your needs. Sessions are usually
either 1 or 2 hours.
Creating Space For You (CIC) is a social enterprise, dedicated to the development of staff and
volunteers in the Third Sector. We develop learning opportunities for all sectors to work
together and learn from the diversity of their experience. Coaching involves dedicated one
to one time with a professional coach in a confidential setting, to explore your challenges
and opportunities, and to assist you in your development.
We are committed to supporting each client's inner and outer progression; inspiring leaders
to become the best they can be. Our goal is to help people identify both their strengths and
barriers to performance. We have put together this summary of our approach to help
coaches and clients to work together as effectively as possible.
We understand that the relationship between the coach and the client is the key to the
success of the process, and intend this information to complement that process. While we
are aiming for a consistent approach that can be evaluated, we appreciate that coaches and
clients will work in different ways to get the most out of their sessions together. We supply
pre-coaching questions (attached) to all clients to begin to get you thinking about your goals
and priorities. It is for you and your coach to determine how best to use this tool.
Creating Space For You recognises the GROW model as the basis of coaching:
Topic: what is the topic or issue the client wishes to bring for discussion?
Goal: what does the client ultimately want to achieve?
Reality: what has the client done so far? What resources does the client currently
have? What is the context in which the client is operating? Who else is involved?
Opportunities: what are the different possible courses of action that the client could
take?
Will do: what will the client commit to doing before the next coaching session?
We appreciate the complex nature of inner and outer barriers and resources, and subscribe
to the Co-Active coaching model, as described by Whitworth et al (2007): ‘The term “coactive” refers to the fundamental nature of a coaching relationship in which the coach and
the client are active collaborators.’ (p3) In order to create this alliance, your coach
recognises the following cornerstones that form the foundation of this model of coaching
(p3):
•
The client is naturally creative, resourceful and whole
•
The agenda comes from the client
•
The coach operates in the moment
•
Co-active coaching addresses the client’s whole life (although our primary goal is to
enhance the effectiveness of the participant at work)
Our coaches also have specific expertise in relationship therapy and strategic intervention.
Once we have a better understanding of your requirements we can match the right coach to
you.
The nature of the client/coach relation is confidential. This means that personal information
about clients will not be discussed without permission, unless not doing so could harm the
client or others.
March 2013
Pre-coaching questions
Name:
Job Title:
Date:
Business:
Please set aside some time to thoroughly consider these questions and return them to your
coach via email, at least 48 hours prior to our initial session.
Work
Where would you like to see your business in 5 years’ time?
What would you like to accomplish with your work?
What words describe how you feel about your work to date?
What aspects of your work motivate you or give you energy?
Tell me three to five aspects of your work that you are most proud of:
What has been your biggest disappointment?
What are your key work goals?
What are the key issues about you and your performance that you want to work on and
address in achieving your goals?
What challenge are you facing that you would like to work on in the coaching?
What change do you need to make to become a leader who puts their head above the
parapet and makes change happen?
What is the compliment or acknowledgement that you hear most often about yourself?
What are your learning goals?
Personal
What do you contribute that is unique?
What special knowledge do you have?
What do you believe in?
What behaviours or beliefs do you hold that help you to achieve success?
What behaviours stand in the way of achieving success?
What do you do when you are really up against an barrier or obstacle?
What activities have meaning and spirit for you?
Take a moment to read through what you have written so far...
What two steps could you take immediately that would make the greatest difference in your
current situation?
1.
2.
What are the main areas you would like these coaching sessions to focus on?