More about coaching at the Looking Glass Consultancy
What is coaching?
Ask anyone, including experienced coaches what they think coaching is all about and you'll get lots of different definitions. Here at the Looking Glass Consultancy we believe that coaching is basically a learning and development relationship between two people who have a coaching agreement to work together on an agenda set by the coachee.
How does it work?
- In coaching you take time out to become more aware of what works and doesn't work for you
- You take a step back and look at who you really are and what's important to you
- You learn to appreciate the value and importance of other people's perspectives
- You are encouraged to talk about your thoughts and feelings
- You're encouraged to adapt and change unhelpful attitudes and behaviours so that you get a satisfactory outcome
- And finally you learn to develop more effective strategies that help you get to where you really want to be
What can I expect?
People sometimes worry about what to expect in a coaching relationship. For example “what sort of questions will the coach ask me” or “will the coach want to know lots of detail about me.”
In a coaching conversation you say what you want and only disclose information you feel comfortable talking about. If it helps, here are some questions a coach might ask to help you understand more about you and the situation you want to change.
“So, having set your target and achieved 80% instead of 86% what are your plans now”
“Tell me a little more about the way you felt when John said you had let the team down.”
“You've used the words 'I should' quite a lot over the last half hour; What would need to change for you to be saying "I choose to…”
“If Staff Nurse Prichard knew you believed she was a competent nurse how do you think that might affect your relationship with her”
Is coaching for you?
Coaching is for anyone who wants it. However, experience has taught us that it is not an obligation free commitment. For coaching to work well:
- There must be trust and respect in the relationship
- You both have to make time for coaching
- You have to want to change
- You have to be willing to test out new ideas
- You have to be willing to take a risk