International Coach Federation (ICF) defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential, which is particularly important in today's uncertain and complex environment. Coaches honor the client as the expert in his or her life and work and believe every client is creative, resourceful and whole. This process helps clients dramatically improve their outlook on work and life, while improving their leadership skills and unlocking their potential.
In my view, coaching applies to every human being not just to executives leading large organizations and responsible for major corporations. That's why when I talk about coaching; I use the phrase "Performance Coaching".
Tim Gallwey succinctly and brilliantly summarized the philosophy of Performance Coaching using the below formula.
You may be an executive in a large MNC or a dentist running your own clinic or a self-employed running a small enterprise or a budding entrepreneur setting up your own business system or a successful business owner or a busy homemaker or an erudite college professor and so on! Regardless of what you do “ you need to discover full potential, perform at peak and lead a purposeful, joyous and fulfilling life. That's the essence of Performance Coaching.
A coach's job is to not to increase the potential of a client, a coach's focus is on removing the interference from the client.
Limiting beliefs, conditioned responses, perceptions, inner conflicts, fear of unknown, baseless assumptions, shadow of past failures, self-doubt, fear of success, fear of failure and the list goes on… all of these are interferences that hinder an individual’s performance in life, business or employment endeavors.
Abraham Maslow said, In any given moment we have two options: to step forward into growth or to step back into safety “ our unconscious interferences gravitate us to "perceived safety" and thereby not allowing us to take action and move towards our dreams. When we are in a cage of safety, we don't perform at peak and sell ourselves short “ which results in an unfulfilled, unproductive and unsatisfied life.
When a bird in the cage is released, the bird's "freedom from prison" is inconsequential “ what's important is the "freedom to fly". The bird's purpose and nature is to fly, not to seek comfort in a tiny cage with unlimited food and water supplied by the owner. The primary responsibility of a coach is to help clients discover their purpose and seek ˜freedom to do what they want to do. Also coaching empowers people to find joy in what they do, while they find what they want to do!
The following eleven core coaching competencies were developed to support greater understanding about the skills and approaches used within today's coaching profession as defined by the International Coach Federation. By adhering to competencies coaches can preserve the sanctity of coaching process.
The following visual indicates the session plan of a typical coaching engagement for 10 sessions. Each session is about 60 to 90 minutes duration. The actual number of sessions varies based on the client needs and requirements. A minimum gap of 3-weeks is recommended between subsequent coaching sessions.
Professional coaching brings many measurable benefits: fresh perspectives on personal challenges, enhanced decision-making skills, greater interpersonal effectiveness, and increased self-belief. Those who undertake coaching have also experienced appreciable improvement in productivity, satisfaction with life and work, and the attainment of relevant goals.
Source : ICF Global Coaching Client Study was commissioned by the ICF but conducted independently by PricewaterhouseCoopers.
More information on measurable benefits of coaching can be found in the ICF Research Portal, including case studies and industry reports.
What is the minimum age for a client to get coached?
There is no minimum age defined by ICF. I prefer to work with clients who are above 18 years of age.
Is 10 hours mandatory for engaging with a coach?
Not necessarily. I recommend a minimum for 2-3 sessions for experiencing measurable results for any behavioral changes. To reap the complete benefits, you need to go through at least 6 sessions.
I have 25 years experience in a particular industry, how can a coach help me (if at all he can help me)?
Absolutely!!! Coaching will help you. You have the experience and you are the expert in your chosen field. A coach has the expertise in coaching process. He doesn't need to be an expert to coach (unlike consulting and training). The belief in coaching is "the client has all the answers". You just need a professional coach with core competencies of coaching process.
I am a successful and wealthy entrepreneur, where can I find a coach who is more successful than me?
Here is the good news; you don't need to find a coach with more achievements or wealth compared to you. Remember “ in coaching process the spotlight is always on the client, never on the coach. Focus on finding a coach with core competencies of coaching process.
Can I get an introductory (trial) coaching session (30 minutes) to understand the process and experience the awareness of coaching questions?
Sure. I understand where you are coming from. Please send a request through the link here.
Can I talk to people who have gone through coaching process to know more?
Sure. Some clients are willing to share the details of their journey and openly talk about their testimonials. Please send a request through the link here.
Can coaching help everyone and help them achieve results in their lives?
The power of coaching is in the decisive action by clients. If the client is not ready to own the responsibility to engage in new behaviors or actions “ coaching may not help much. According to the coaching pioneer Marshall Goldsmith, 7 out of 10 people are willing to take responsibility and hold themselves accountable to their coaches. The remaining 30% are called are not ready, that doesn't make them evil. When they want to change, they will seek a coach again!
Who is Uncoachable?
According to Marshall Goldsmith, we cannot coach people who blame the entire world for their current situation and not ready to accept personal responsibility for any area of their lives. They live with a "victim mentality" and they believe that the entire world is against them.
How can I measure the success of the coaching process?
Measurement may be defined in two distinct ways: external indicators of performance and internal indicators of success.
Examples of external measures include achievement of coaching goals established at the outset of the coaching relationship, increased income/revenue, obtaining a promotion and performance 360 degree feedback.
Examples of internal measures include self-reflection assessments that can be administered initially and at regular intervals in the coaching process. These assessments focus on changes in the individual's self-awareness and awareness of others, shifts in thinking that create more effective actions, and shifts in one's emotional state that inspire confidence.
As stated in the above verse from Ishavasya Upanishad, I firmly believe that human beings originate from the source of fullness. We all have the full potential to accomplish outstanding achievements.
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