Frequently Asked Questions About COACHING

            (by Debra Russell of Artist's EDGE)


What will working with a coach do for me?
Is there something that you want in your life but you just can't seem to make yourself do what needs to be done? Do you find you never have the time for what is really important? Are you working your hardest and doing what you see to do, but still not quite getting where you want to be? Or are you very successful in one area of your life and you want to shift your focus to become successful in another area to create more balance? Are you successful in your life, but want to raise the bar and get to the next level?
Working with a coach can assist you to take the actions that will create momentum - momentum that can carry you farther and faster than you ever dreamed of. A coach can help you determine which actions are the right actions to take and support you in taking them. A coach can help you prioritize and create balance in your life. A coach is your partner for having your dreams come true.
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What is a Certified Life Coach?
A Certified Life Coach is a coach who has been trained and judged effective by her peers through a rigorous process. A Life Coach works with clients in all areas of their lives (as opposed to a career coach who will coach strictly on career, or a relationship coach who focuses exclusively on relationship issues.)
A coach plays many roles in her work with clients. A coach is a mentor – someone who believes in you and helps you create a big vision with exciting and inspiring goals. A manager – someone who assists you to form a manageable plan of action with accountability to move you toward your goals. A personal trainer – someone who trains you to create a structure, keeps you on the path to your goal and has you stretch a little bit more each week to build your strength and expand your reach. And a sports coach – someone who gives you feedback and insight that expands your thinking and improves your game.
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What kinds of things can I work on with my coach?
We can work on goals in any area of your life.
Some of those areas could be Career and Work, Creativity, Finances, Quality of Life and Life Skills (including time management and organization), Relationships, Health and Well-Being, and Personal Growth.
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How is a coach different from a therapist?
While a coach may deal with some of the same issues as a therapist – relationships, confidence, etc. – the approach to these issues is completely different.
A therapist approaches an issue by exploring the sources of the problems and how they affect your life. A coach focuses on an issue by exploring solutions: " How can you achieve the goals you have set in that area?"
When an obstacle surfaces in your pursuit of a goal a therapist might ask, “When was the first time you had this experience?” A coach might ask, “What are some ways you can get past this obstacle?” or “What is a different way that you can think about this experience? How can we use that to help you move forward?”
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How is a coach different from a consultant?
A consultant is hired to look at a situation and offer specific solutions or programs for you. Then, generally, you are on your own to implement the solution.
A coach is your partner.
Together we explore and discover the ways to get you to your goals. Together we decide the actions for this week and together we discover the learning from the last week and use that to move you closer to your goal.
A consultant provides answers. A coach offers questions, explores the possible options, and discovers the answers with you.
A coach is with you on your journey to your goals and dreams.
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What does it feel like to be in coaching?
In order to achieve the goals you will set in coaching, you may have to do things differently. Doing things differently can feel uncomfortable, it can feel challenging. In fact, a primary role of the coach is to challenge you and to stretch you out of your comfort zone.
Coaching also requires a serious commitment of time, energy, and resources. You are committing to the coaching sessions with your coach and to taking specific and possibly time-consuming actions in the weeks between your sessions to forward your momentum toward your goals.
Working with a coach is also rewarding and fun, taking on new challenges, achieving things you never dreamed were possible.
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What kinds of results can I expect from coaching?
On average our clients report levels of achievement and satisfaction above 90% after completing a minimum of three to six months.
The results you will experience from coaching will depend greatly on you, on your time and effort, on your commitment, and on your willingness to try new ways of thinking and new ways of doing things. (This does not constitute a guarantee of your results. Individual results will vary.)
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