The Dragon Company | Coaching 101

Coaching 101

More About Professional Coaching

Professional coaching is a structured partnership between a trained coach and a client aimed at achieving specific personal or professional goals. Unlike traditional consulting or therapy, coaching focuses on helping individuals draw upon their own experiences, insights, and potential to foster growth and improvement. Coaches employ various methodologies and tools to facilitate this process, such as powerful questioning, active listening, and constructive feedback.

At its core, professional coaching is client-centered. This means the coach acts as a facilitator of change rather than an expert prescribing solutions. The coaching process often begins with an initial assessment to understand the client's aspirations, challenges, and current situation. From there, specific, measurable goals are set, and a roadmap is created to guide the client towards achieving these objectives. This collaborative approach ensures that the solutions and strategies developed are tailored to the client's unique context and needs.

During coaching sessions, which can occur regularly over a defined period, the coach and client work together to explore barriers, identify strengths, and develop actionable plans. The coach provides support and accountability, helping the client stay focused and motivated. Importantly, coaching is not about giving advice but rather empowering the client to find their own solutions through self-reflection and discovery. This fosters a sense of ownership and commitment to the change process.

The benefits of professional coaching are numerous. Clients often experience enhanced self-awareness, improved performance, and greater clarity in their personal and professional lives. By cultivating a proactive mindset and equipping clients with practical tools and strategies, coaching can lead to sustained personal growth and long-term success.

Ultimately, professional coaching is a transformative process that helps individuals unlock their potential and achieve their goals.

The Coaching Process Explained

The professional coaching process typically follows these key stages:

Initial Assessment

Discovery Session

We will meet to discuss the client's goals, expectations, and the scope of coaching. This session often involves getting to know each other and establishing rapport.

Goal Setting

The client identifies specific, measurable goals they wish to achieve through coaching. This can include personal development, career progression, or skill enhancement.

Establishing the Coaching Agreement

Contracting

Both parties agree on the terms of the coaching relationship, including confidentiality, session frequency, duration, and any other logistical details.

Setting Expectations

The coach will outline the coaching process, methodologies, and the client’s responsibilities.

Coaching Sessions

Regular Meetings

Sessions are scheduled regularly (e.g., weekly, bi-weekly) and can be conducted in person, over the phone, or via video conferencing.

Exploration and Action Planning

During each session, the coach helps the client explore their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Together, they identify obstacles, brainstorm solutions, and create actionable plans.

Skill Development

The coach may provide tools, resources, and exercises to help the client develop specific skills or competencies.

Implementation & Feedback

Action Steps

The client works on the action steps between sessions, applying new strategies and behaviors in their personal or professional life.

Review & Reflect

In subsequent sessions, the client and coach review progress, discuss what’s working, and adjust plans as needed.

Evaluation & Adjustment

Progress Tracking

The coach helps the client track their progress towards their goals, using metrics and feedback to measure success.

Revisiting Goals

Goals may be revisited and adjusted based on the client's evolving needs and circumstances.

Closure & Reflection

Final Assessment

As the coaching engagement nears its end, the coach and client review the overall progress, celebrating achievements and reflecting on the journey.

Future Planning

The client may develop a plan for maintaining progress and continued growth after the coaching relationship concludes.

Throughout the process, the coach provides support, encouragement, and accountability, helping the client to unlock their potential and achieve their desired outcomes.

Coaching Roles

Your Role

Please take time before each Coaching Session to create your own agenda. Take a moment before we meet to find specific topics, intentions or things you’d like to discuss. The most crucial part is for you to name what you'd like to take away from the session. This is called the "Client Agenda".

Please arrive to every session on time.

Come to your session centered and ready to engage.

Give me feedback in the moment about your coaching experience, what works, as well as what does not.

Extra Time

Between sessions, if you have questions, a brief update, or want to bounce some ideas around, please contact me by phone or email. Please keep these contacts succinct. If it seems like it will be better served as session material, I'll suggest that.

Your Experience

Make our coaching sessions a priority. Come to every call with a specific agenda and a clear understanding of what you'd like to take away from the session.

Do your own work between sessions. Use what you learn. Complete what you agree to do.

Be open-minded. Try new approaches. Experiment.

Be willing to change your beliefs and patterns if they do not serve you anymore.

My Role as a Coach

I will listen closely to you, respond to what I hear and ask questions. If I hear something in your voice or language that sparks an intuitive thought, I’m likely to ask you about it. Often, it is the small moments that bring about BIG shifts. If I'm not on target, just tell me. I'm not attached to being right.

At the end of the session, if you do not mention what actions you are ready to take, I will make a coach request. I ask clients to stretch themselves, deepen the work done in the sessions by writing, taking some action, resolving relationships or things that feel incomplete. You are free to negotiate, accept or decline.

Preparing for Coaching

Preparing for our coaching session can greatly enhance its effectiveness. Here are some ways you can prepare:

Refect On Goals

Identify Objectives

Think about what you want to achieve through coaching. Be specific about your goals, whether they are career-related, personal development, or skill enhancement.

Evaluate Progress

What achievements or challenges have you encountered?

Prepare Questions and Topics

Key Issues

List any key issues or topics you want to discuss. This might include obstacles you're facing, decisions you need to make, or feedback on your progress.

Questions

Prepare any questions you have for your coach. These could be about specific advice, resources, or strategies.

Notes & Thoughts

Write down any thoughts, ideas, or insights you've had since your last session.

Mindset & Attitude

Open Mind

Approach each session with an open mind and a willingness to explore new perspectives.

Positive Attitude

Maintain a positive attitude, ready to engage in constructive conversation and self-reflection.

Minimize Distractions

Choose a quiet, comfortable place where you can focus without interruptions.

Relaxation

Engage in a few minutes of relaxation or mindfulness exercises before the session to clear your mind and reduce stress.

By following these steps, you'll be better prepared to make the most out of your coaching session, ensuring that it's productive and aligned with your personal and professional growth objectives.

Coaching Procedures & General Terms

Session Procedures

Please call me or join in on an online call (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, etc.) for our scheduled sessions.

If you call in and get my voice mail, please call back within a minute or two as I might be finishing up a call with another client. If you are joining an online meeting, please wait until I can join.

Communicatiion

If you need to communicate with me between sessions, you can reach me by email, phone, text, and through online messaging platforms we mutually agree to use in advance (Slack, WhatsApp, iMessage, etc.). Contact Info can be found here.

Schedule changes

We will choose a regular time for our sessions. This will be your time slot. If something must change temporarily or permanently, I will be happy to work that out with you.

Please give our call high priority and arrange your schedule to honor our agreed upon time. If you must reschedule our call, I ask you to give me 48-hour notice. In any case, let me know as soon as you are able. I will not reschedule no call/no shows. If know that you will be more than 10 (ten) minutes late for a Session, please call or text me.

If you have vacation or business trips that will conflict with our sessions, please notify me of these as soon as you have an itinerary and we will discuss when to reschedule. I will do the same with you when I plan trips.

Missed Sessions

If you miss your Session time slot without notice, there will be no rescheduling nor refunds.

If you contact me within or 24-hours after of our scheduled session due to an emergency or extenuating circumstances that prevented you from attending a Session, I will be happy to consider on a case-by-case basis the potential of finding an alternative time to reschedule your Session.

Payment Terms

Coaching Sessions are paid as a retainer fee at the beginning of each month based upon the number of Sessions per month we agree to in advance. Payment must be received in advance for me to hold your scheduled time(s).

I accept Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Square, Venmo, and will consider other forms of online payments. If you must pay by check, please send checks for several months in advance. If we discontinue coaching before they are used, I will return the checks.

I will automatically charge your credit card at beginning of each month that we agree to work together. You will receive a receipt by email at the time of the charge. Print and keep these for your records. My fees may be tax deductible as a business expense. Please check with your CPA. If you pay by check, you will not receive a receipt.

FAQ

Question 1: How does coaching differ from consulting or therapy?

Answer: Coaching focuses on helping clients discover their own solutions and develop their skills, while consulting involves providing expert advice and solutions to specific problems. Therapy addresses deep psychological issues and past experiences, whereas coaching is future-oriented and goal-focused.

Question 2: What are the benefits of working with a professional coach?

Answer: Benefits include increased clarity, improved performance, enhanced self-awareness, better goal-setting, and effective strategies for overcoming obstacles and achieving personal and professional goals.

Question 3: Who can benefit from professional coaching?

Answer: Anyone looking to improve their personal or professional life can benefit, including executives, managers, entrepreneurs, professionals in transition, and individuals seeking personal growth.

Question 4: How long does a coaching engagement typically last?

Answer: The duration varies based on individual needs and goals, but engagements often range from a few months to a year, with regular sessions (e.g., weekly or bi-weekly).

Question 5: How do I choose the right coach for me?

Answer: Look for a coach with relevant experience, credentials, and a coaching style that aligns with your preferences. It's also important to have an initial conversation to ensure a good rapport and mutual understanding.

Question 6: Is coaching confidential?

Answer: Yes, professional coaches adhere to strict confidentiality guidelines, ensuring that all discussions and shared information remain private.

Question 7: Can coaching be done remotely?

Answer: Yes, coaching can be effectively conducted via phone or video conferencing, making it accessible regardless of location.

Question 8: How do I measure the success of coaching?

Answer: Success can be measured by progress towards goals, improvements in performance, increased self-awareness, and the achievement of desired outcomes set at the beginning of the coaching engagement.

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keith@thedragonco.com

(720) 936-3918