What is coaching?

The earliest definition of the word 'coaching' literally meant to transport someone from one place to another. Today, the one thing that all forms of coaching seem to have in common is that people use it to help them to move forward or create change in their personal and professional lives. The International Coach Federation, an international body that regulates the coaching profession, describes what professional coaches do as providing:
“... an ongoing partnership designed to help clients produce fulfilling results in their personal and professional lives. Coaches help people improve their performance and enhance the quality of their lives. Coaches are trained to listen, to observe and to customise their approach to individual client needs. They seek to elicit solutions and strategies from the client; they believe the client is naturally creative and resourceful. The coach’s job is to provide support to enhance the skills, resources, and creativity that the client already has.“

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Why is coaching so effective?

• Coaching helps to focus on the things that are important to you. It can help you to see what you cannot see on your own, often because you are too close to your own situation. This includes ways you may be holding yourself back and opportunities that you may not recognise.

• Coaching provides structure, discipline, and regular focused attention to what you want to achieve. The coaching process allows you to break down those big goals that may seem unrealistic or unachievable into a series of manageable steps.

• Goals become clear and specific. You agree with your coach on specific actions that will move you ever closer to the results that you seek. It is the outcome from those actions that achieve success.

• The coaching relationship helps to keep you on track and accountable for the actions you take in pursuit of your goals. By holding yourself accountable to yourself and someone else, you create momentum and take the needed actions to reach your goals.

Does coaching work for everyone? 

Coaching can work for everyone who really wants to and is ready to change. To be most effective coaching requires a commitment from you. You have to put in the work. Much like keeping fit - if you don't go to the gym and work out, you're not going to see the results in the mirror.

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Do you serve a particular geographic area? 

No - I offer all my coaching services via Zoom video calls. I can call you no matter where you are and you will receive coaching in the convenience of your home or office.

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What are your hours? 

My hours are flexible and coaching is also available in the evening or on Saturday mornings for your convenience.
To ensure an optimum service I work with a maximum of 12 clients at any one time - please do enquire as to whether I currently have availability.

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Is coaching confidential?

Yes - Our calls and information you share with me are kept strictly confidential to the extent allowed by law. As your coach, I will not disclose that you are a client without your prior permission. I am a member of the ICF (International Coaching Federation) and work by their Code of Ethics.

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What is the difference between counselling, consulting, mentoring and coaching?

Here is a common metaphor that coaches use to explain the difference between counselling, consulting, mentoring and coaching.
Let's say, you wanted to learn to ride a bicycle -
A therapist - would help you discover what is holding you back from riding the bike. They would go back into your past to discover what kind of experience you had at an early age with a bicycle.
A consultant - would bring you a bicycle manual and tell you everything you ever wanted to know about the workings of a bicycle. The consultant would then depart and return six months later to see how you were doing.
A mentor - would share his/her experiences of bike riding and the lessons that he/she has learned. The mentor would bestow all the wisdom they had about bicycle riding to you.
A coach - would help you get up on the bicycle and then encourage and support you while running alongside until you felt comfortable enough to go it alone.

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Do you also work with organisations?

No - my b.inspired Coaching programmes are designed (and priced) specifically for private clients to offer them confidential support outside their workplace. If you look for coaching support within an organisational context specifically for architects and designers please visit THINK:BUILD.

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How do I get started?

Please get in touch to arrange a free 30 minutes consultation - by phone or Zoom video call - to clarify your questions around coaching and working with me. At the end of our session you should have a real feel for whether or not coaching is right for you and I am the right coach for you. Everything we discuss will be held in the strictest of confidence. There is no obligation to continue if this is not the right time to begin coaching.

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