By definition of International Coach Federation (ZDA) coaching is an interactive process where coach, by using certain techniques, starts thinking process which can help individual or institution to maximize their own potential and achieve better results.
Coaching is an opportunity, a strategy and professional help which enables fast progress and choosing ways even then, when things are not as we would like them to be. Every coaching program is designed individually for every customer.
Result coaching brings is varies from one individual to another. It helps clients to develop more rapidly and produce more satisfying results. Clients become active oriented, they make more good decisions and start realizing their own potential. Coaching is an ideal way for an individual to develop job competencies and start a better life.
What kind of a process is coaching?
While coach knows the answer to the question, they still encourage a response from you, believing that that the process of answering the question will enhance your understanding of the situation and find the way to overcome it. Coaching helps you to see thing more objectively and be aware of your inner power. It’s a process which helps you to break off that unconstructive feeling of running in circles and we start sensing positive changes. Starting from the fact that an individual has all the knowledge which can use to overcome his or he troubles.
With coaching and your selected coach / mentor you will start a special process of personal growth that will forever change your current way of thinking and reach impressive results in all areas of your life. In general coaching lasts from 3 to 6 months, via phone or in person.
Over work hours you will overcome your current limitations (fears) and gain no. 1 of all successful people — the art of goal setting and moving toward them. You will have your own life plan which will help you find your way every time you will feel lost
Who are coaches?
Coaches are professionals who are extremely skilled listeners and observers. They have an ability to stimulate clients to explore themselves in a way that enables them to use inner strength to find solutions for their problems and follow them. That people are creative by nature and have a lot of potential is what coaches believe. They don’t establish a professional, healing or authoritative relationship of a healer but partner relationship. They support them and if needed remind them to all those potentials which can motivate them in certain situations.
Who is coaching for?
Coaching is intended for people who want to make a difference in their business life, career development, finances and interpersonal relations. Coaching program can benefit both employees in organizations and individuals. Organizations can go with business coaching program while individuals can choose personal coaching program.
Types of coaching:
- PERSONAL COACHING: focuses on personal matter and is performed by the principals of basic coaching structure. It is based on a contract between an individual and their coach. It delineates manner, duration, cooperation and confidentiality of information.
- BUSINESS COACHING: focuses on business leadership topics (business processes) and also on coaching skills for leaders. It’s defined by two coaching contracts – holding and individual contract. Holding contract defines cooperation between a company and coach. It delineates to whom coaching is intended, confidentiality of information, extent of coaching and payment. Individual contract relates to holding contract with company and defines the relationship between employee and coach.
What is the working practice in coaching program?
- Short personal conversation (30 min) between client and their coach and analysis of client’s needs,
- longer introductory meeting (90-120 min) and definition of fields which client would like to improve during coach program,
- coaching agreement and directions ,
- signing the contract between coach and client (or group),
- coaching program lasts 3 months to 6 months,
- intermediary integration of coach if needed,
- extensive feedback from coach after three months,
- discussion about further meetings.
What does the coaching process look like?
- Introductory meeting/first coaching is done in personal and it is 90—120 min
- Then follow telephone coaching sessions at pre-fixed time usually 30 minutes once a week every two weeks (can be adjusted)
- Recommended to last at least 3 months together
What does the relationship between a coach and a client mean?
Coach is individual’s ally, someone who truly listens, understands and can be trusted. Coach perceives potential and opportunities for client’s development but doesn’t give advices. With coaching techniques of asking questions, an individual reveals more effective strategy of thinking and decision-making. Relationship between an individual and coach is deep and intense. It allows insights and information about oneself and abandonment of inefficient forms of thinking, behavior, and conduct which reveal all client’s features and capabilities and enables better quality of life.
What coaching includes:
– completely individual approach, individually adjusted for each of the customers,
– objective performance and guidance through the pathway toward the goal,
– empathic listening and recognizing inner strength,
– empowerment (connection to strength points),
– learning how to use knowledge and skills you possess and need to achieve your goals,
– guidance and support throughout the coaching process,
– homework enables individuals to use their knowledge in real life,
– support through energetic and other alternative techniques during the coaching process.
What coaching doesn’t include:
–analysis, valuation, giving advices,
–direct guidance (determination of the subject, course, coaching…),
–giving final solutions,
– building dependency to coach (coach encourages independency and taking responsibility for yourself).
Introductory meeting differs from further meeting in the content of the first meeting which is determined by the coach. At the introductory meeting coach presents form and conditions of work. Either at home or during introductory meeting, client fills in the material that serves to further cooperation. Introductory meeting takes about an hour and a half to two hours.
Defining your most important values
Values help us to decide to what we will be dedicated (committed) to in our lives. If you waste your time and energy to something that violates or goes against your core values, you will begin to feel resentment, frustration or an undefined and uncomfortable feeling that something is not right.
If you do not honor your values while accepting decisions for certain activities or relationships, you’ll get a feeling that something is missing or that something is wrong in your life. Your values are the core of your decision. Without them you couldn’t be what you are now. Although they are not always easily identified it’s extremely important to be aware of your highest values.
Please dedicate some time for reflection and create a list of your own values. For guidance follow the cues, representing the utility to define the determination of personal values. They can consist of one single word or several words or phrases. Find and use words that suits you and are important to you. Your list will be a work in progress.
Defining personal values
1.) Describe or list what’s important in your life? What do you want from life? What do you care about in your life?
2.) Remember the intense experience you experienced in your life. When were your life rich, fulfilling and full of enthusiasm? Choose a period in your life (or several of them) when everything went smoothly. Maybe it was only a few minutes, hours or weeks. What was important for you related to that experience? In accordance to which one of your value (or values) were you living back then?
3.) Your smaller or bigger “crazy things”? What drives you crazy and frustrates you? Think of one or more things. Which of your values are violated? Which are not considered? Without what you can’t live and still be loyal to yourself?
4.) Your “invisible” values. Which one your values is so important to you that you don’t even think about adding it to this list?
The content of coaching
You have realized that in some areas you want to increase the level of contentment. Consider which areas you plan to focus on with your coach in the following three months and what you want to achieve. This may include changes such as: gaining new knowledge, rearranging time for work, family and yourself, abandoning the old-fashioned habit, reaching new goals, realizing new tasks, changing the work scope, improving performance, relationship…