WHAT IS COACHING?
Coaching is a broad umbrella term that can easily create confusion and misunderstanding. Often, there can be confusion between coaching and mentoring.
When we refer to coaching, we draw upon the definition of coaching by the world's largest professional body for coaching, the International Coaching Federation (ICF). It defines coaching as “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximise their personal and professional potential”, and they further suggest that “the process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity and leadership”.
Each of our coaches will seek to understand you as a unique, creative and talented human being. Together, you'll co-create a coaching relationship tailored to your specific needs and which will support you in becoming the best and most authentic version of yourself. For this reason, every coaching relationship will be unique and tailored to your needs and what will work best for you. We don't take a one-size-fits-all approach.
Our Principals of Coaching
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Our coaches are not gurus who have all the answers. Chances are they won't have the same expertise or knowledge as you. In fact, being different to you can often be an advantage as they won't assume to know what will work for you or offer advice. Instead, the coach will partner with you, while encouraging and supporting you to discover what will work best for you. After all, You are already are the world's foremost expert on you!
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Coaching is about increasing your agency to move forward through incisive action aligned to your values, goals and purpose. It's not about becoming dependent and need to run everything past your coach - it's actually the opposite - it's about supporting your independence so that you can flourish and thrive without a coach.
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Contracting, or creating and maintaining agreements is an essential aspect of working with a coach. This isn't a contract in the legal sense. Rather, it's about becoming really clear about the destination.Where is it that you want to be by the end of the coaching engagement? What is it that you need to explore in each individual coaching session to support your overall goal? How can you and the coach work together to get there and remove any obstacles? A coach will contract with you around these types of questions and many more.
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Our coaches will work with you as a human being. While situations and scenarios are explored in coaching, coaching isn't simply about what you might do in a given situation. A coach will support you in seeing new perspectives, while challenging assumptions and shining a light on limiting beliefs. In doing so, you'll start to gain a deeper understanding into yourself. This can be challenging and uncomfortable, but will always be done in a safe and supportive way. The end result is transformational - just like a butterfly after it struggles to emerge from its cocoon.
Sometimes it can be useful to highlight what coaching isn't.
Here are some examples:
What Coaching Is Not
Coaching is not therapy.
While coaching may feel therapeutic, it's not therapy. However, sometimes, a situation or event might surface old wounds that still impact you today. For some, simply being aware of this may be enough, and they can move forward. Others may require a different form of intervention, such as therapy or counselling. If your coach notices this, they will discuss it with you and support you in finding the appropriate support.
Coaching isn't something that is 'done' to you.
Coaching is an investment by the organisation in you, supporting you to reach your full potential. You need to be ready and willing to engage in the coaching process. If you're not, the coaching engagement is unlikely to be successful.
Coaching isn't about creating dependency.
Dependency is when you feel you can't do anything without checking in with your coach. Coaching is the complete opposite; coaching is about resourcing and empowering you to step into your strength and agency.
Coaching is not mentoring.
A mentor usually draws on their experience and offers advice on how to achieve your objective based on what worked for them. Whilst our coaches have extensive experience outside of coaching, they don't work in your industry, nor have they walked in your shoes, or experienced what you have experienced. To offer you advice would not only be arrogant and presumptuous but would rob you of your agency and power. As we've said before, you are the world's foremost expert on you!
Confidentiality in Coaching
Confidentiality in coaching is essential. A coach IS NOT reporting back to us OR your organisation on ANYTHING that is shared during your coaching sessions.
HOWEVER, there are some exceptions:
- If you indicate that you are going to harm yourself or your organisation, then the coach will have a duty of care, which may involve breaking confidentiality.
- If a lawful order compels the coach to reveal what was discussed. Unlike medical interventions, there is no absolute legal protection for conversations with a coach.
- If you have expressly given a coach permission to share certain information with the organisation. For example, you might ask the coach to raise certain aspects during a tripartite meeting.
- The number of sessions that have occurred or have been scheduled, which may include the dates & times.
- Any concerns or difficulties in scheduling sessions.
- Are there any concerns around last-minute cancellations or constant rescheduling of sessions.
- Any duty of care concerns.
Coaching Supervision
All of our coaches undertake independent coaching supervision. This is where they can discuss, in confidence, their work as a coach. This might include challenges or difficulties they are facing, seeking insight into psychodynamic or systemic forces that might be getting in the way, and exploring tools or frameworks that might be of use to them or their clients.Ultimately, Coaching Supervision is about their continued growth and development as a coach.
If a coach brings any aspect of their work with you to supervision, they will do so in a way that protects your confidentiality. They will not mention your name, the name of your organisation and in many instances may not even refer to your gender. Usually, a supervisor explores what is happening for the coach and supports them in being more resourced.
Coaching Ethics
All our coaches will have agreed to abide by either the ICF Code of Ethics or the Global Code of Ethics for Coaches, Mentors and Supervisors
Our Coaches
We engage with a network of coaches that bring a wide wealth of experiences, industry experiences and specialties that can support you and your employees. All of our coaches are credentialed with either the International Coaching Federation (ICF) or European Coaching and Mentoring Council (EMCC) and have undergone extensive coach training and are engaged in continuing professional development.
Explore Our Coaches