What is professional coaching?

Professional or performance coaching is a series of discussion-based sessions focused on your professional growth and development. We start with reflection on your current situation and then look at your goals. Then we assess the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, and divide it into the steps needed to close the gap. It can relate to performance management or appraisal targets if you have these. Some clients have a firm quantitative goal in mind, such as increased sales or a pay rise; others have goals around their mindset or improving their relationships at work.

Some example goals from my existing clients are: to grow my business enough to hire someone so I can focus on my other passions; to prepare for the people management side of my next promotion; to find a role that aligns more with my talents and values; to manage my procrastination and make progress at work…

How is it different to life coaching?

It really isn’t that different… in fact, I would say that my coaching is life coaching! Common areas for development are things like emotional intelligence, managing difficult conversations, staying calm under pressure. When you refine these things, your whole life improves because you are better able to manage your own emotions and empathise with others; you are able to express yourself confidently but listen with compassion; you become more level-headed and resilient to the challenges life throws at you. These are life skills, not just work skills.

Work is a big part of our life and when things are going well at work, it makes everything seem so much easier. One of my clients started with me to find a more aligned role, and ended the year with a new house because her improved self-worth and self-confidence had influenced other areas of her life. Another client discovered that work wasn’t so much the issue, but the symptom of a problem at home, and so she turned her energy to her relationship instead. This is one of the things I love about coaching - the ripple effect. It will have a profound effect on your life.

What sort of results can I expect?

In true coaching fashion, I’m going to answer this with another question:

What sort of results do you want?!

I have helped clients to identify the career change they want, to work on their CVs and interview skills, to get new jobs, to hire accountants to move their business forward, to improve their relationships with their managers, to stand up for themselves, to be recognised and credited for their efforts at work…

Coaching is 80% on the client, with 20% of the input coming from the coach, usually in the form of questions. Ultimately, you decide what you want, and you’re responsible for getting yourself there. I’m here to support and reassure you, to give you a little advice if needed, and to hold you accountable.

How is a coaching session structured?

Two common coaching approaches are the STAR model, and the GROW model. It depends which one is more appropriate to the client and their context, and in reality, it usually ends up as STOW.

STAR stands for Situation, Target, Actions, Results.

We start with your current situation; you might have an update since our last session. Then we set a Target - this is a (sometimes small) step towards the bigger goal that we set at the beginning. Actions are just that - the actions you could / should / might take to reach your target. Results are the desired or expected outcome and the commitment to taking your first next step.

GROW stands for Goal, Reality, Options, Will.

We start here if you already have a goal or objective in mind. The reality is your current situation so we assess the gap between where you want to get to, and where you are now. We then consider the options to close the gap, considering the implications of each option. And we close with Will - what WILL you do next? You commit to the option you believe to be the most achievable or aligned with your goal.

While it’s all very well to have these structures, coaching is a people process and sometimes we discover side alleys and unpick things that we weren’t aware of at the beginning. That’s all part of it - and one of my favourite things about coaching! Often the goal that clients start with is just one small part of a big self-development picture and it’s all editable!