FAQ Performance and Professional Development Coaching
A comprehensive list of frequently asked questions about Excellerate's Coaching programmes, what coaching is and how it works
| A Quick Introduction to the Principles of Learning and Performance |
- Our outer performance is a direct reflection of our inner performance
- Our performance potential is already present, within us, it is inherent in our nature
- Performing to our potential is about transcending self-imposed obstacles that limit our potential
- Emotional detachment creates a space and choice between action and reaction, stimulus and response
- Accelerated learning takes place in conscious awareness, in the present
- Performance focus is not thinking about performance but about observing performance as it is
- Learning is optimised when the outer and inner conditions are supportive, yet challenging
- The here and now is the moment-of-impact – it is the only time and place to learn and perform
- Achieving self mastery is a continuous journey of excellence
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What are some typical reasons someone might work with a coach?
There are many reasons a leader, individual or group of individuals might choose to work with a coach. For example:
- There is a gap in knowledge, skills, confidence, or resources
- There is a need to identify and develop potential and leverage core strengths
- There is a need to accelerate results – at a personal, professional or organisational level
- An individual or team has a reached a plateau and needs to move to the next level
- There is a particular project, goal or opportunity that is complex, challenging and/or time sensitive
- An individual or team has a developed a style which is undermining the achievement of relevant goals
- There is a need to become more productive, efficient, organised and self-managing.
- A desire to streamline, simplify and achieve a better balance between personal and professional life
How do I know if coaching is right for me?
Coaching is a highly effective process that enables you to develop new skills, improve your results and achieve your goals however, coaching is not for everyone. You will gain much more from the coaching process though when you are:
- Clear about your expectations and what it is you want to accomplish through coaching.
- Interested in coaching because you want to improve, not because someone else (your boss, spouse, colleague) wants you to change.
- Willing and able to devote the necessary time and effort to work with a coach over a period of several weeks or months.
- Capable of participating in rigorous honest self-appraisal.
- Capable of trusting another person enough to talk candidly about your weaknesses and mistakes.
- Comfortable working collaboratively with someone else to explore alternatives and consider different perspectives.
What are the benefits of coaching?
Coaching focuses on supporting you to achieve maximum effectiveness. When you invest the time and effort required you develop competencies, and your confidence and capacity to successfully address more complex organisational and personal challenges. You create more momentum and so you achieve more substantial results.
What will it be like to work with a Coach?
Each coaching relationship is unique and depends upon the issues, and your willingness to work with these issues in new and sometimes challenging ways. A coaching relationship is a collaborative partnership where your coach draws from a broad knowledge base and repertoire of tools to help you to meet your tactical, professional and personal development goals. Using data gathered from the assessment phase your coach engages you in conversations that help you to:
- Explore your current work situation to find practical “learning lab” opportunities
- Develop capabilities and new ways of thinking and acting that transfer to other situations and roles
- Learn skills, build competencies, change behaviors, and achieve results
- Develop skills and the habits of self-reflection that ensure that learning will continue after coaching ends
Your coach exercises careful judgment in choosing the most appropriate methods from their range of expertise. They will have knowledge, experience, and expertise in a variety of areas and disciplines: business management; interpersonal communication; behavioural sciences, organisational behaviour, systems and development; adult learning; individual, team, and organizational assessment; career development; leadership and team development.
I'm already doing well. Why do I need a coach?
You may not need a coach and coaching may not be the best strategy for you for a number of reasons. However, every top performer in the world - from elite professional athletes to the President of the United States - has mentors, coaches and advisors. In studies of successful individuals, certain characteristics are always present: They are goal oriented, they are always very persistent, and finally, they always have a person or group of persons that they meet with regularly to brainstorm and learn.
Simply ask yourself: On a scale of 1-10, "how consistently am I performing right now?" If your honest answer is less than 9-10 then a coach can help you.
What is the usual timeframe for a coaching partnership?
Coaching timeframes vary with the Excellerated Development Programme and are influenced by the leaders or individual's needs, situation and preferences. Other factors that may impact are the types of goals, the ways individuals or teams prefer to work, the frequency of coaching and financial resources.
Can I work with a coach just for a short-term, special project?
Absolutely. If you are clear about what you want to achieve with a specific time sensitive goal or project. Check out Excellerate's Laser Coaching options for more information. Some clients continue to work with a coach following their laser sessions because they identify new goals and projects as a result of their successes.
How do you ensure a compatible coaching partnership?
Prior to the establishment of any coaching partnership there is a personal interview. There's a 15 minute complimentary telephone session if you're considering one of the Laser Coaching options. If you're enrolling in the Excellerated Development Programme then we complete a more indepth interview process. This enables you and the coach to determine if there’s a good “fit” i.e. style, synergy, chemistry.
The interview provides you with the opportunity to discuss your expectations and goals, the coaches’ experience, philosophy, approach and preferred way of working. The most important thing is that you feel your coach is someone with whom you can easily relate, to create a trusting and strong partnership.
How do you maintain a productive coaching relationship?
The coaching agreement (developed with you) will include how we address any concerns and what to do when things aren’t working. Reviews at the end of each session with more indepth reviews at agreed milestones also evaluate the coaching process and partnership. In the event that the coaching is not working for you, we work with you to close the coaching partnership and identify other options.
In order to ensure the reviews are effective and to maximize your coaching experience you will need to:
Be forthright about what is and isn’t working in coaching sessions.
Engage wholeheartedly in the agreed-upon coaching assignments.
Take required actions for learning, and reflect on those actions.
Maintain an open attitude toward experimenting with new perspectives and behaviors.
Focus on your own growth within the context of your current and future organizational role.
Transfer learning gained through coaching to your day-to-day work.
Exchange feedback with your coach about the helpfulness of the coaching.
Seek feedback from others in the organization about the results of your coaching.
How long does it take to see results?
While coaching is not a “fast fix” research has shown that you can experience meaningful results within the first month of coaching and substantial increases in confidence, energy, and performance within six months. After this period the pace is slower and the trajectory lower often because you are deepening your learning and this may not be as readily apparent to others.
What are the costs?
Coaching is a professional service similar to services you would receive from a business advisor, accountant or lawyer. Fees vary depending on the type and duration of the coaching programme. As an indication, individual 1-1 coaching agreements can range from $NZ175 for a laser session, to $NZ750 - $1500 per month for a longer term customised programme. Group coaching sessions are less expensive than private one-on-one sessions. All coaching fees are payable in advance.
What is the difference between coaching, consulting, mentoring, training and therapy?
People often confuse coaching with mentoring, consulting or therapy, and although coaching draws from these disciplines it is a distinct discipline.
Coaching Coaching concentrates on where individuals are and what they are willing to do to get where they want to be. Results are a matter of the individual’s or team’s intentions, choices and actions, supported by the coach's efforts and application of coaching skills, approaches and methods
Consulting. While consultants and the consulting process vary widely, in general consultants are engaged as source of expertise. Their services are most often associated with gap analysis and problem diagnoses resulting in the design and implementation of a solution. In contrast, coaching assumes that individuals or teams are capable of generating their own solutions, with the coach providing supportive, discovery-based approaches, tools and frameworks.
Mentoring. Mentoring is most commonly associated with sharing one’s own experience in a specific area of industry or career development. Coaches are not typically mentors to those they coach.
Training. Training involves an instructional learning model where an expert i.e. person with extensive knowledge about a subject, attempts to develop specific predetermined skills and knowledge in another. This differs from coaching where the expertise is in the process and involves the individual or team in determining objectives.
Therapy. Therapy deals with healing dysfunction and conflict within an individual or a relationship. The focus is often on resolving difficulties which limit an individual's emotional functioning, improving overall psychological functioning, and dealing with present life and work circumstances in more emotionally healthy ways.
Who makes the coaching call?
Making the telephone call to your coach, at the time agreed for your sessions, is your responsibility — the cost of the call will depend upon your location and the telephone service you use.
What about cancellations or re-scheduling coaching sessions?
In the case of a client failing to phone, or meet the coach at the agreed time, the client may be charged for the session, unless cancellation or request for a reschedule has been notified to the coach in writing, or by e-mail, 24 hours in advance.
In the case of a client phoning, or meeting the coach later than the agreed time, the client will only be due the amount of coaching time still outstanding within the agreed session time, but will be charged for the full session.
Do you have any further questions or want to know how to get started?
After reading the FAQs and reviewing the Coaching Options if you have any further questions or would like to get started on a coaching programme then please contact Excellerate directly using the enquiry form below. Make sure you include your name and email, and Excellerate will contact you as soon as possible to set up a confidential, obligation free appointment to discuss your needs.
