Are you thinking about starting coaching? Sometimes though, taking the first step to engaging a coach can appear quite daunting. You are inviting someone into your thinking processes to provide a forward-focused thinking space to provide a better future outcome for you and the ‘system’ around you.
How we start to work together sets the scene. Therefore, we need to structure the starting coaching process.
We believe that the relationship between your future coach and you as a “coachee” is fundamental in creating this thinking space where things happen. Your first conversation with your potential coach will be an informal chat where you will get to know a bit about each other. This is often termed a “Chemistry Session”, as you are testing how the two of you can work.
To help engage with and start the journey for executive coaching, we have crafted an onboarding process. This process is critical in establishing an understanding of the contract between us.
Starting Coaching – What is covered in the onboarding process?
The coach and a potential client will have a conversation about what it is that has brought them together. We often get asked about what preparation is required. Our advice here is simple – just come along having thought a bit about why you want to work with a coach. Other areas of conversation in this initial meeting could include :-
- Why the coaching has been commissioned. This is an exploration of understanding what will make the outcomes the best value that they can be for the client. The Return on Investment question does get asked sometimes – and it may be something that is on your mind. Typically, for every £ invested in executive coaching, you would see a £4-£8 return.
- What confidentialities mean in terms of the contracting parties
- What the coaching looks like in terms of delivery, financial agreement and payment terms
- The nitty-gritty of how the coaching will work such as frequency, meeting durations, and meeting locations;
- Who else is involved in a coaching assignment as a stakeholder? Quite a lot of our coaching does not involve a third party organisational stakeholder apart from perhaps a finance or organisational development HR person.
- How the relationship between you and your coach can work;
- Your history of coaching and the experience of your coach;
- The objectives that you want to achieve as an outcome of your coaching;
- Any questions that either you or your coach may have regarding the creation of this future-thinking space.
This session is likely to be conducted over a virtual platform such as Zoom, or Teams – depending on your preference.
From here, we move into a process to maximise the time that we will spend together.
The Wheresmylunch Coaching Process
- Initial Conversation and Assessment : A 30-minute complimentary session to identify your specific coaching needs
- Outcomes : Agree on the main objectives of the coaching intervention. This is an important element as this defines the plans, models and perhaps psychometric tools that could enhance the coaching experience.It is likely that the sessions will be conducted over platforms such as Zoom or Teams and we will agree this as part of the initial discussions.
- Implement : Your coaching sessions will take place in a safe and comfortable environment over a period of dates/times that are convenient for you.
- Reflection : This step is for both the coach and the client. It is important to build a reflective space into your diary so that you have time to unpick, evaluate and implement the conversations that we have.
- Enhance – Take your business, career and relationships to the next level
If you are ready to have a chat about how starting coaching can help in your growth, please get in touch.