| 6. How is coaching delivered? What does the process look like? |
|
The Coaching Process—Coaching typically begins with a personal
interview (either face-to-face or by teleconference call) to assess the
individual’s current opportunities and challenges, define the scope of
the relationship, identify priorities for action, and establish
specific desired outcomes. Subsequent coaching sessions may be
conducted in person or over the telephone, with each session lasting a
previously established length of time. Between scheduled coaching
sessions, the individual may be asked to complete specific actions that
support the achievement of one’s personally prioritized goals. The
coach may provide additional resources in the form of relevant
articles, checklists, assessments, or models, to support the
individual’s thinking and actions. The duration of the coaching
relationship varies depending on the individual’s personal needs and
preferences. Assessments—A variety of assessments are available to support the coaching process, depending upon the needs and circumstances of the individual. Assessments provide objective information which can enhance the individual’s self-awareness as well as awareness of others and their circumstances, provide a benchmark for creating coaching goals and actionable strategies, and offer a method for evaluating progress. Concepts, models and principles—A variety of concepts, models and principles drawn from the behavioral sciences, management literature, spiritual traditions and/or the arts and humanities, may be incorporated into the coaching conversation in order to increase the individual’s self-awareness and awareness of others, foster shifts in perspective, promote fresh insights, provide new frameworks for looking at opportunities and challenges, and energize and inspire the individual’s forward actions. Appreciative approach—Coaching incorporates an appreciative approach. The appreciative approach is grounded in what’s right, what’s working, what’s wanted, and what’s needed to get there. Using an appreciative approach, the coach models constructive communication skills and methods the individual or team can utilize to enhance personal communication effectiveness. The appreciative approach incorporates discovery-based inquiry, proactive (as opposed to reactive) ways of managing personal opportunities and challenges, constructive framing of observations and feedback in order to elicit the most positive responses from others, and envisioning success as contrasted with focusing on problems. The appreciative approach is simple to understand and employ, but its effects in harnessing possibility thinking and goal-oriented action can be profound. |
