If you’ve looked at my coaching and mentoring page, you’ve seen that I consider coaching and mentoring to be different processes. Some clients need a mixture of both, but some clients fall squarely under either coaching or mentoring. Here’s a quick summary of how the coaching works. A coaching call has three parts:
- Setting the intention. You’ll choose the issue you want to talk about, and the general outcome or conclusion you’re hoping to get from the call. If you’re not sure, I’ll help you figure it out. Setting the intention at the beginning gives me something to guide us through the call; having a focus makes sure it’s a coaching call, not just a conversation.
- Powerful questions. This is the longest part of the call. You’ll tell me what’s going on with you, and I’ll listen and ask questions. I’ll say things like, “Is that a fact or your assessment of the situation?” and “You sound like you’re not sure about that. Are you really certain?” Sometimes I’ll summarize your story back to you, to make sure I understand what you are saying and help you get perspective. Sometimes I’ll guide us back to the purpose of our call.
- Next steps. At the end of the call, I’ll ask you to summarize what you’ve learned and tell me how you’ll act on it. Depending on how you like to approach things, we may set accountability goals, make detailed plans, or just have you pick a general direction.
That’s it! Notice that I am not going to give you advice or answers. My expertise is in asking the questions that get you unstuck and help you find your own brave. I can’t find your brave for you. All I can do is help you look for it more efficiently.
