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1 LifeCoachingDefined

2 Coaching As a Profession

3 Who Has Coaching?

4 Benefitsof LifeCoaching

5 KeyElementsof LifeCoaching

a.Confidentiality

b.Equalityof Relationship

c.MutualCommitment

d.TheClientTakesAction

e.Accountability

f.TemporalFocus

6 TheCoachingSession

7 WhatcanbeAddressedinLifeCoaching?

8 TheCoach’sMentalAttitude&Skills

9 WhoistheClient?

10 TheBoundariesof Coaching

11 HowCoachingCanEnableLastingIntentionalChange

12 Concept&Methodsof CognitiveBehaviouralCoaching

13 TheDiamondPath

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CONTENTS

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A Definitionof CoachingBy Noble Manhattan

A Definition of Coaching - Noble Manhattan Coaching Ltd 3 | Page +44 1305 769411 [email protected] www.noble-manhattan.com

Experience is not what happens to a man; it’s what aman does with what happens to him.” -AldousHuxley

LifeCoachingDefined

ALifeCoachhelpseachof theirclientstobecomeincreasinglypro-active,ratherthanpassive,andincreasinglycreative,ratherthanreactive,inthewaytheyapproachtheirlives.Thisempoweringandpositiveprocessof changecanbeeffectivewithinallkindsof settingstobringoutthebestinpeopleandCoachingisnowarecognisedprofessionwithestablishedmethodsforhelpingpeoplegrowandexcelbothintheirpersonallivesandtheirwork.

Well-knownlifeUKCoachandTrainerCurlyMartindefinesLifeCoachingasaprofessioninthefollowingway:

“ Life coaching is a career and an ethical profession. The life coach uses the power of commitment to enable their clients to achieve beneficial and measurable results in all areas of their lives. Life coaching is a holistic process that has the power to balance and harmonize life.” 1

Thissimpleyetpowerfuldefinitionof LifeCoachinggivesasenseof thespiritualandholisticapproachwhichisastrongelementinLifeCoaching.Akeyaspectof thecoach’sroletotheirclientsistoconsistentlyholdabiggerperspective;assuchthecoachcanbeatremendousallyfortheirclientsandtherelationshipcanhaveprofoundeffects.

Thespiritualdimensionof coachingunderpinsaverypragmaticapproachtohandlingchallengesandopportunities.TheICF’s(InternationalCoachFederation’s)Descriptionof coachingisasfollows,

“Professional Coaching is an ongoing professional relationship that helps people produce extraordinary results in their lives, careers, businesses, or organizations. Through the process of coaching, clients deepen their learning, improve their performance, and enhance their quality of life.” 2

2 ICF website: www.coachfederation.com

1


Coachingisoneof manytypesof professionwithafundamentalaimof helpingothersfunctionwellorbetterintheirlives.However,itiscrucialtoappreciatetheimportantdifferencesbetweencoachingandcounselling,psychotherapy,andadvice-givingservices.Thedifferentschoolsof thoughtandsub-categorieswithintheseotherprofessionseachhasitsownpositionregardinghowdirectionalornon-directionalitspractitioners’interactionsarewiththeirclients.Truecoachingtakesplaceatthenon-directionalendof thespectrum;itsremitbeingtoassistthosewhoareconsideredwell(asopposedtoill)torefineandimprovewhattheydotodoitevenbetter.Truecoachesdonotgivespecificadvice;buttheydoteachtheskillsneededforcreativethoughtandbehaviour.

If apotentialorexistingcoachingclientisexperiencingsevereongoingemotionaldistressotherhelpisindicatedandshouldbereferredbythecoachtoalternativeformsof helpsuchascounsellingortherapy.Thecoachhasanethicaldutytoputtheclient’swell-beingfirst,beforetheirownself-interestwhenmakingsuchdecisions.

Coachingworkswithimmediatelifeandbusinesssituationsbyenhancingthethinkingthatgoeswiththemtomakeitmoresupportiveandproductive.Asexplainedin‘TheThirtyMinuteLifeCoach’,

“Your coach will show you how to change the way that you think about adversity and may even point out that we learn far more from our mistakes than we do from our successes.” 3

3 The Thirty Minute Life Coach, Gerard O’Donovan & Curly Martin, The Coaching Academy UK Ltd., page 38

Coachingprovidestheopportunitytoinvestigateandclarifyissuesandsituationsarising directlyfromtheclient’scurrentlifeexperience.Itprovidesanon-judgmental,open,trustingrelationshipwithinwhichtofullyexplorechoicesof actionopentotheclient.Italsoprovidesthearenaforchoicestobemadeandcommitmenttobevoicedoutloud,andveryimportantlyprovidesamechanismfortheclienttoholdthemselvesaccountablewiththecoach’sassistance.Coachingprovidesaspaceforthechallengeof unhelpfulpatternsof thoughtandbehaviourwhereneeded;thechallengemaycomefromtheclientthemselvesorfromthecoach.Itprovidesastructuredapproachtogoal-settingandachievement.Coachingenablestheclienttogaininsightandawarenessof theirhelpfulandunhelpfulpatternsandtendencies,andrefinetheirfutureactionsaccordingly.


Aboveall,Coachingisarelationshipwiththepurposeof supportingclientsinmovingnearertotheirpotentialinanyandallaspectsof theirlives,whilststrictlyadheringtotheclient’sownagendaforchange.Coachingprovidestheopportunityforaclienttodeveloptheirrelationshipwiththemself toahigherlevelthaneverbefore,duetothesteadfastcommitmentandcompassionshownbythecoachtowhatevertheirclientbringstotherelationship.

Coaching As a Profession

Theconceptof LifeandBusinessCoachingasseparatedefinableactivities,developedtotheextentthattheyarenowprofessionalactivities,isrelativelynew.Theconceptof Coachingrequiresexplorationandexplanationtobeproperlyunderstoodandappreciated.Coachingisessentiallynotanewskillbutitisarelativelynewprofessionandithasbeendevelopedforparticularusesinlifeandbusinessoverrecentyears.Therehavebeenelementsof coachingaroundinotherhelpingrelationshipsformanyyears.Coachingisawell-knownterminsports,thoughcertainlytherearemanystylesof coachingwhichcanbeverydifferentfromoneanother.Coachingisalsorelatedto,butcertainlynottheequivalentof,mentoring,whichinvolvesastrongelementof tutoringof theclientbythementore.g.inspecificeducationoremploymentskills.Coachingisgraduallybecomingknownasaprofessionwithitsowntraining,ethicalstandards,andprofessionalbodiesbeingestablishedtohelpsetandsafeguardprofessionalstandards.Itisevidentthat,

“Holding oneself accountable for certain standards is part of being a professional. Those standards are typically developed and endorsed through a professional association.” 4

4 Co-Active Coaching, Whitworth, Kimsey-House & Sandahl, 1998, Davies-Black Publishing, page 170

TheICF(InternationalCoachFoundation)andtheIRCM(InternationalRegulatorof CoachingandMentoring)aretwosuchbodies.

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Thecurrentrapidglobalexpansionof Coachingisdescribedasfollows,

“Today the profession of coaching is still in its infancy . . . But clearly it has the size and theimpact of a profession with active professional and personal coaches not only in North andSouth America but in Europe and the Pacific Rim. That the profession continues to grow atan impressive rate is a tribute to the human desire for excellence and the spirit of being fullyalive.” 5

5 CoActive Coaching, ibid, page 169

Who Has Coaching?

Coachingisfoundinaverywiderangeof settingsandhasthescopeandflexibilityof approachtobeusedinalmostlimitlessapplications.Coachingtakesplaceacrossawiderangeof communicationmediumsasbestsuitstheclientsneeds;one-to-onepersonalLifeCoachingandBusinessCoachingtakeplacebytelephone,videocalls,inperson,andusingemail,orbyacombinationof these.Coachingtypicallytakesplaceonaone-to-onebasis,howevergroupcoachingforpersonalLifeCoachingandinbusinesssettingsisalsoeffective,bothinmovingforwardasanindividualandinimprovingthedynamicsoperatingwithinparticulargroups.

Coachingisbeingemployedwithinawidespectrumof lifesituationsincluding:

. personallifecoaching .inallkindsof businesses .ineducationalsettings .inpublicsectororganisations . withoffenders . inhealth&fitness&professionalsports

Coachesareoftenself-employedwithintheirownprivatepracticeandmaybeaffiliatedtoacoachingbodyororganizationfromwhichtheyreceivereferralsof potentialclients.Theymayapplyforaccreditationinrecognitionof theirtrainingandhoursof coachingexperienceanditisadvisableforthemtohaveindemnityinsurance.

Systemsfortheaccreditationandregulationof Coachingareintheprocessof beingsetupintheUSAandEuropealthoughtheprofessionisnotyetlegallyrequiredtoberegulated.Inmyopinionitisintheinterestsof allCoachestoparticipateinthedevelopmentof industrystandardsandmeansof regulationforthebenefitof currentandfutureclients.

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Benefitsof Coaching

KeyElementsof LifeCoaching

Thepotentialbenefitsof coachingarefar-reachingindeed:

> increasedself-awarenessof allaspectsof oneself> improvedself-esteemandclarity,senseof choice> senseof owningone’struepowerof self-determination> atruerpictureof ownstrengthsandweaknesses> theabilitytoownappropriateresponsibility> knowledgeof one’svalues,goalandaspirations> aligningtoone’struepurposeinlife> theabilitytotakedecisiveaction> theexpansionof one’scomfortzones> resolutionof communicationdifficulties> celebrationof success,andlearningandperseverancethroughanyset-backs!

AboveallIwouldciteimprovedrelationships-withoneself andothers-asthekeypotentialbenefitof coaching,ashumanrelationshipsaresofundamentaltoeveryaspectof ourlives.

Severalkeyaspectsof LifeCoachingwhich,whenpresenttogether,helpdefineLifeCoachingasdistinctfromotherhelpingrelationships,arelistedbelow.Asotherformsof helpingsuchasCounsellingareatpresentmoreknownandestablishedwithinourcultureitishelpfultoensureclarityaboutthedifferences,bothtoavoidgeneralconfusionandtopreventexpectationswhichcannotbemetarisingintheclient.

a. Confidentiality b. Equality of Relationship c. Mutual Commitment d. Action is Essential e. Accountability f. Temporal Focus on Present and Future

Thesedefiningkeyfeaturesof thetruecoachingrelationshipareexploredbelow.

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5


Confidentiality

Equality of Relationship

Theaspectof confidentialityisclearlyanaspectof coachingwhichisheldinhighregardbythecoachincommonwithmanyotherhelpingprofessions.AtrueCoachmakesconfidentialityaveryhighpriorityintheirpracticeandwillmakethisknowntotheclient.Thisisessentialtoenabletrusttodevelopandenabletheclienttofeelsufficientlyateasetorevealtheirbeliefs,values,aspirations,currentchallengesandopportunities.Confidentialitymustalsohaveboundarieswhichtakeintoaccountthelawof thelandandtheclient’s,coach’sandothers’well-being.Forinstance,if itweretoberevealedwithinacoachingsessionthatsomeonewasatseriousriskof harmof physicalviolenceorsexualabuseitwouldbeusualforthecoachtobreakconfidentiality.Theseguidelinesarestrictlyinlinewiththoseforotherestablishedhelpingprofessions.

Coachingisanequalrelationshipembodyingequalcommitmentof coachandclient.Individualresponsibilityisnecessary–thecoachbeingresponsibleforthemself andtheclientbeingresponsibleforthemself andtheirdecisions.thisreducesandlimitstheriskof anydependencyarisingandgrantsauniquepowertothecoachingrelationship.Anytemptationtocoachfromanunequalstance,bygivingspecificadviceaboutwaysof resolvingissues,orhavingpreferencesastotheclient’scourseof action,istoberesistedbythecoach.BygivingadviceImeanthatthecoachdoesnotdesignsolutionsfortheirclient(incontrasttointhewaythatperhapsamentormightbeexpectedto).Forexample,acoachmaywellrecommendthataclienttakecareof theirphysicalhealthbyexercisingregularlywherethishasbeenneglected–asvirtuallyallhumanbeingswhoareabletoexercisemoderatelywillbenefitfromit–butthecoachwillhelptheclientclarifytheirpossiblechoicesanditwillbeuptotheclienttochoosetheirlevelof commitmentintheknowledgeof theresultstheywanttoachieve.

Itiscrucialfortheclient’sgrowthtoensurethatthecoachdoesnotfallintoarescuingmodeandthatfullandfinalresponsibilityforalltheclient’sdecisionsrestswiththeclient.Theclientisnotviewedas‘ill’orinneedof emergencyinterventionfortheirmentalhealth,andwouldbereferredelsewhereshouldthisbeso.Thisissuewillbeexploredindetaillater.

a

b


Mutual Commitment

Acoachusesthepowerof commitment,andthiscommitmentmustcomefrombothcoachandclientforcoachingtohaveprofoundeffectsintheclient’slife.LeadingUKLifeCoach,FionaHarroldisveryforthrightabouttheimportanceof commitmentforthesuccessof thecoachingprocess.Of thecoach’scommitmentshesays,

“My clients get results; some of them get extraordinary results. I give each one of them my undivided attention. I expect, want and demand the very best from them and I want the very best for them. I bring 100% of myself to each client; I am totally committed to them and their goals.”

Shefollowsthisbyemphaticstatementsregardingtheclient’scommitment:

“So why is it that one client will do well while another will do brilliantly? Why will one achieve good results while another gets stunning results? . . . Over my years of working with hundreds of clients I have seen, time after time, what makes the vital difference and I can tell you what it is with absolute certainty. It is the degree of commitment to themselves and their goals that each client has when I work with them. . .6

6 Be Your Own Life Coach, Fiona Harrold, Hodder & Stoughton, 2000, page 10

Itishighlylikelythatacoachwilldiscussthesubjectof commitmentwithaclientattheoutsetand/orperiodicallywithintheirrelationship.Someclientsmayalreadybeverycommittedtotheirgoalsandtotakingactiontowardsachievingthem;othersmayneedtobeeducatedintheimportanceof sustainingon-goingcommitmentforanylastingchangetooccur.Inunderstandingwhatmakescommitmentstrongitishelpfultolookatitscomponents.

AccordingtoFionaHarrold,

“. . commitment is made up of four distinct elements: • motivation • self-belief • self-discipline • willingness to challenge” 7

7 Fiona Harrold, ibid, p11

c


The Client Takes Action

Acoachmayassisttheclienttodevelopthesecomponentsof commitment-tostrengthentheircommitment‘muscles’asitwere–inorderthattheybecomeincreasinglyeffectiveandfulfilledandachievemoreinashorterspaceof timewithlessdiscomfort.

‘A creative life is founded on many, many small steps and very few large leaps.’‘Small actions lead us to the larger movements in our creative lives’ 8

8 The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron, Pan Books, 1993, pages 142 & 143

Iinterpretthe‘creativelife’,of whichJuliaCameronspeakssoeloquently,inthebroadestsense–thatof havingacreativemindset–whichIamconvincediswhatleadsustocreativeacts,bothinartandinlife.Humanbeingscanengagefrequentlyinpointlessanxiety,worryandnegativityorinsteadtheycanchoosetotakethecumulativesmallstepswhicheventuallyleadtoachievingthebiggestof dreams!Soitiswithcoaching;acoachhelpstheirclientrecognizetheirabilitytochooseandactbyassumingthatthisispossible,andthenhelpstheclientfindtheirpathtoanincreasinglycreativemindsetwithineachmoment.

TheInternationalCoachFederationidentifiesactionasthekeytosuccessfortheclient;

“The successful client is not excessively limited in the ability to take action or overly hesitant to make this kind of progress.”

However,itcancertainlybepartof thecoach’sroletoassisttheirclientinchanginghabitsof procrastination–thiscommonhumanhabitof ‘puttingitoff untillater’and‘later’maynevercome.Acommonareaforclientstorequireassistanceinforinstanceisthatof physicalexerciseandhealth-givingdiet;clientsoftenhaveresistancetotakingshort-termactionseventhoughtheyknowtheycanleadtoimmenselongtermbenefits.Thecoachcanhelptheclienttoaltertheirperspectivetotakeintoaccountandfocusstronglyonthelongtermbenefitsandgoodreasonsfordelayinginstantgratification.Theycanalsogivethemselvesinstantmentalandphysicalrewardsfortakingthenewaction.Thesestepshelpformnewhabits–theyevenhavetheirownshort-termbenefitswhichhadnotpreviouslybeenanticipatedastheyarenowincreasinglylinkedtoexperiencingpleasureratherthanpain.

d


Accountability

Temporal Focus

Coachingisbothanartandascienceinmanyways;theartof manifestingthehighestlevelsof innerawarenessandoutercommunication,togetherwiththescienceof understandinghowthehumanmindandemotionsoperateandinteract.Thisenablesthecoachtofacilitatethespecificchangesdesiredbyclientsintheirbehaviourpatternsandhabitsandthusintheirdaytodayexperienceof themselvesandtheworld.

Asignificantdifferencebetweencoachingandotherformsof helpingisinthecentralimportanceof theaccountabilityof theclientforcarryingouttheagreedactions.Thisgrantstherelationshiphighlyeffectivepowerintheprocessof changeandpreventsthesessionsbecoming‘alltalk’withoutleadingtorealandmeasurablechange.Accountabilitycanbeassistedbyhavingamethodfortheclienttofeedbacktheirprogressbetweensessions,whichmaytaketheformof awrittenprogressreportorformof conciseverbalupdate.Itcanbeveryhelpfulfortheclienttorecordtheirprogressinwritingasthisbecomespartof theself-reflectiveprocess;andalsoincreasesawarenessof anyhabitsof procrastination.Thecoachisnottheretochastisetheclientbuttoreflectbackandchallengewhereneeded,anyhabitualpatternsthatdonotservetheclient,andrecogniseandchampionanybehaviorsthatservetheclientwell.

Thetemporalfocusof coachingismostdefinitelyinthepresentandfuture,ratherthanthepast,incontrastwithmanyotherkindsof helpingrelationships.Coachingconcentratesonwhereclientsarerightnow,andwhattheyarewillingtodotogetwheretheydesiretobeinthefuture.

Coachingdoestakeaccountof anyrecurrentpatternsorhabitsinaclient’sexperience,howeveritisimportantthatcoachingfocusesprimarilyonwhatwecaninfluenceandchangeratherthanonourstoriesof thepast.Infactthe‘story’isrecognizedasoftenbeingalargepartof anyperceived‘problem’.Re-livingthepastisonlyhelpfultotheextentthatwelearnfromitandunderstandourselvesthroughit,toassistinourpresentandfuturegrowthanddevelopment.Throughcoachingaclientmaychoosetoshifttheirperspectiveonpasteventstoonewhichismorehelpfultotheirfuturedevelopment.Minimaltimewouldbespentinacoachingsessiongoingoverpasteventsandmuchmoreemphasisplacedonthepresentandfutureandtheoptions,challengesandopportunitiesarisingthere.

e

f


TheCoachingSession

AsexplainedbytheICF“A coach makes a request of the client to promote action toward the client’s desired outcome. A coach does not make such requests in order to fix the client’s problem or understand the client’s past.” 9

9 International Coach Federation. website, ibid.

Thecoachassiststheclientinfocussingsquarelyinthedirectioninwhichtheclientwantstogo;thusenablingthemtogettherequicker,withlessenergy-sappingdetoursalongtheway.Theclientcanthenusetheirfullerenergiestocontributetowardsachievingtheirdesiredoutcomes.

Coachesandclientsarrangeascheduleandaverbalorwrittencontactthatworkswellforthemboth.Thecoachwillleadintheconstructionof amutuallyagreedandclearcontract.Coacheshavedifferentapproachestosessionsdependingontheirpreferredwaysof working.Itmaybeappropriateforinstanceforcoachingtotaketheformof one-off sessionsforspecificissuesorprojects,butgenerallyaseriesof coachingsessionsisrequiredtorealizesignificantpositivechange.Somecoachesmayrecommendaseriesof adozensessionsfromtheoutsetsothattheclientbringsanexpectationof devotingthistimetotherelationshipfromthestartandwillbemorelikelytostayontrackthroughanyexperienceof challenge.Itishelpfulforcoachandclienttoacknowledgethatinanyprocessof growththerewillbetimesof easeandstrugglewhenoldpatternsarebeingexchangedfornew.

Acoachingsessionwouldgenerallybeginasfollows:theclientwouldbringanissueorrangeof issuestothesession;thecoachlistensandformssuitablequestionstofurtherclarifytheissue/sonbehalf of theclient,(andnottosatisfythecoach’spersonalcuriosity).Thequalityof listeningissuchthatthecoachisabletotuneintotheclient’swayof being,wayof seeingtheirworld,anduniqueexperienceof themselvesandothers;withaskilledcoachthisoccurstosuchanextentthatthecoach’sownagendaallbutdisappearsintheprocess,beingputtoonesideforthedurationof thecoachingsession.Thecoachwillaskpowerfulandattimesprovocativequestions;throughtheiranswers,theclientwillexploretheircurrentexperienceandfutureoptions.Thecoachwilloftenreframeanissueintermsof thetimescaleandperspectivetoenabletheclientseesituationsinanewlightandenablemorecreativesolutionstoarise.

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WhatcanbeAddressedinLifeCoaching?

Therangeof possibleoptionswillbegeneratedandanactionplanagreed.Actiononthepartof theclientbetweensessionsiscentraltotheprocessof coaching,togetherwithanylearningandfeedbackresultingfromtheiraction/non-action.Forinstance,inasituationwheretheclientwishestoadoptanewhelpfulhabittheymakethemselvesaccountablewiththecoach’ssupport.Thishelpspreventthepossibilityof theclientlosingsightof theirgoals,actionplansandpersonalinsights.Thecoachmayalsomakerequestsof theclientwhichwillpromotefurtherlearningandactioninthedirectionoftheirgoals.However,theclientatalltimeshasthepowertoagree,disagreeormakeacounter-offertoacoach’srequestsandthisfreechoiceshouldbemadeexplicitintherelationship.

Coachingcanonlyworkfortheclienttotheextentthattheybringcommitmentandwillingnesstochangeinthewaytheyrelatetothemselvesandothers.Theongoingextenttowhichtheclientcommitstotakeactionwhichtheyhaveagreedtotakebetweensessionsisof greatsignificance.Partof theeffectivenessof coachingliesinthefactthatwheninacoachingrelationshiptheclientfeelsmoreaccountable–notjudgedby–butaccountable–ultimatelytothemselves–foralltheiractionsandnon-actions.

Acoachmaywellensurethattheyobtainclear‘nailed-down’commitmentsfromtheclientbeforetheendof asessionastoexactlywhattheyareagreeingtodo,withwhom,andwhen,beforethenextsession.Thistakestherelationshipfarbeyondoneprimarilycomposedof talkingandsharingwithoutanyrealchangeinbehavior.Theresultingpositivespiralof empowermentandincreasedclarityandchoiceinclient’slifeisthesuccessfulresultof coaching.

LifeCoachingishelpfulinamyriadof differentsituations,someof whicharelistedbelow:

•Communicationissuesinallsituations •Raisingandmaintainingself-esteem •Improvingself-confidence •Relationshipissuesof allkinds(whetheratwork,family,friendships,sexual) •Decisionsaboutwhatworktodoandhowtogoaboutit •Financialchoicesandissues

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TheCoach’sMentalAttitude&Skills

•Healthrelatedissues •Maintainingrecoveryfromaddictions(providingotherappropriatesupportis alsopresent) •Recoveringafterbereavementorothermajorloss •Anymajorlifedecisions •Anyissuewherechoiceisinvolved

Asonecanappreciate,thisisaverybroadremit,andmanycoacheschoosetospecializeincertainareasaccordingtotheirowninterestsandexperience.Thecoachhasaccesstoawiderangeof approachestosuitdifferentclientswiththeiruniquepersonalitiesandpotentials,anddifferentlifesituations.

Anoteontimescaleof coachingrelationship:Eachclient’sspeedof discovery,growthinself-awareness,willingnessandabilitytoact,andrateof changeisspecifictothem.Itiscommonforclientstohavecoachingoveraperiodof monthsandforsomeyearstoachievesignificant,lastingsuccess;theymayachievetheiroriginalgoalsandgoontosetnewhighergoalsforthemselves.Thecoachassiststheclienttokeepreferringtotheintendedoutcomesintheirlife,thussharpeningtheirfocus.

Throughtheirtrainingandcoachingexperienceacoachwillamassagreatdealof experienceinthementalandphysicalstatesthatleadhumanbeingstowardssuccessandfulfilment–thisawarenessof strategiesforsuccessisoneof thecoach’sassets.Thepositivemindsetand‘cando’mentalityisatthecoreof acoach’sbeing;acoachwillseektoexemplifytheirmethodswithintheirownlife.Eachcoachwillhavetheirownuniqueapproachtocoachingdependentontheirparticularinterestsandinspiration,aswellastheirformalandinformaltrainingforthejob.Acoach’sparticularcoachingstylewillprobablyemphasizecertainaspectsof coachingmorethanothersandwillbetailoredtosuiteachindividualclientdependentontheirneeds.

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WhoistheClient?

Acoachwillfrequentlyspecializeinoneormoreareasof Lifeand/orBusinessCoaching.Thelawof attractionof liketolikeresultsinthemworkingwiththeclientswhoareattractedtotheirparticularapproach.Acoachhasawiderangeof toolsattheirdisposaltoassisttheclientwithwhateverarises.Thecoachwillhaveclarifiedtheirownprofessionalboundariesregardingwhattheycanandcannotoffertoaclientandwillbeadeptincommunicatingthiswithclarity.Whencoaching,agreatcoachwillaccesscertainstatesof beingwhichwillpromotehighqualitylisteningandawareness.Thisisagroundedstateof being‘inthezone’forcoaching–acaringstateof non-judgementalopennessandpositivedetachment.Inmyexperiencethispositivesenseof detachmentfromtheclient’sdecisionsneedstobeconstantlycultivatedandcontributessignificantlytothecoach’seffectiveness.Whilstcaringdeeplyabouttheclient’soverallwell-beingandrecognizingtheirinfluenceintheclient’sprocess,thecoachneedstoresistoverinfluencingtheclient’schoiceof action.Coachesdonotusetheirexpertisetodiagnose,direct,ordesignsolutionsfortheclient.

Ibelievethatsuccessfulcoachesfindtheirownparticularnichewithincoachingtogivethebestof themselvesinwayswhichdelightandfulfilthem.Ibelievethat,throughtheirpracticeof coaching,successfulcoachesrepeatedlyaccesspeakstatesof inspirationandeffectivenessinaspiralpathleadingtogreaterandgreaterawarenessof self,of othersandof theinterconnectednessof both.

Theclientwantssomething–whetheritisahigherlevelof performance,additionallearning,orgreatersatisfactionandfulfilmentinanyorallaspectsof theirlife.Coachingisoftenusedbysuccessfulindividualswhosupportthemselvesandtheirdevelopmentbymakinguseof Coachingasahighlysupportivemechanismforpositivechangeandevengreaterlevelsof success.TheICFclarifieswhythesesuccessfulindividualsuseaCoach,

“What about people who are already doing great in their lives. Why would they need a coach? They might not need a coach. But it is helpful to find out: Are they doing what they most enjoy? Are they tolerating anything? Is life easy? Are they going to be financially independent within the next 15 years? Do they have what they most want? We’ve discovered that, often, people need to expect more out of their lives. A coach can help in this process.” 10

10 International Coach Federation website, 2003: www.coachfederation.org

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TheBoundariesof Coaching

Itmaywellbethecasethatclients’levelsof expectationof whattheirlifecanbecouldberaisedsignificantlyintheirfavour.Clientsoftenneedlotsof encouragementtoallowtheirgreatestdreamstolive!Someclientscometocoachingforproblemsolvingwithmajorandminorlifeissues.Itiscrucialtorecognizethatcoachingcanbeusedconcurrentlywithpsychotherapeuticworkbutitisnottobeusedasasubstitutewherepsychotherapeuticworkisneeded.Thequestionof identifyingwhenitwouldbeadvisableforaparticularclienttohavetherapeutichelpisoneinwhichthecoachmustusetheirprofessionaljudgementandexperience;Iwillsaymoreaboutthisprocessinthenextsection.InadditiontoclarifyingtheirownprofessionalboundariesIbelieveacoachshouldregularlyseekthecounselof seniorcoachesinmakingtheseimportantjudgementcalls.

Coachingisnotthesameasmentoring;thecoachisnotrequiredtobeanexpertinanythingotherthancoachingtechniqueandcommunication.Thecoachisnotgivingadviceasamentorwould;thecoachfacilitatesmentalagilityandexpansionof choicesratherthanteachingfromexperiencee.g.of havingdoneaparticularkindof work.

Whilstacoachisnottheretotellaclienthowtoactinspecificways,theyaretheretohelptheclientmoveintowhateveractionisconducivetotheirwell-beingandgrowth.Someclientsmaythinktheywantandneedadvice,butanytemptationtogiveitshouldberesolutelyresistedbythecoach.

TheICF,initswebsite,givesanotablydifferentopinion,saying

“Advice, opinions, or suggestions are occasionally offered in coaching. Both parties understand that the client is free to accept or decline what is offered and takes the ultimate responsibility for action. The coach is not discouraged from offering advice, opinions or suggestions on occasion.“

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If,asIwouldresolutelyuphold,thecoachisnottheretoofferadvicehowdoestheclientknowwhattodo?Coachingimplicitlyassumesthattheclientdoesindeedknowwhattodo;thismaytaketimeandencouragementtouncover,buttheyhavealltheirownanswerstoachievetheirpotential.Coachingprovidesthemeansforexploringboththemore‘rational’areasof self -whatclientsthinkaboutthemselvesandtheirpotential-butalsocruciallyacoachwillhelpaclientfeeltheirintuitivesenseof innerguidance.

AsRobbieGasswrote

‘ Like an ability of a muscle, hearing your inner wisdom is strengthened by doing it’. 11

11 As quoted in The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron, Pan Books, 1993, page 16

Iwouldarguethatatrueandgreatcoachdoesnotadviseinthesenseof beingattachedtotheclienttakinganyparticularrouteof attainingagoal.Clientsneedtobeencouragedtobecomemoreandmoreaccustomedtolookingwithinfortheiranswersandstrengtheningtheirbelief intheirowninnerwisdom.Coachingclientsareultimatelyresponsiblefortheirchoiceswithinthecoachingsessionandshouldbeencouragedtorecognizeandtakethisresponsibility.Thisisbalancedwiththeclientbeingmotivatedtoachievetheircommitmentsbecausetheyarebeingheldaccountabletothemselvesbythecoach.Ultimatelytheyneedtomovetowardsrecognizingthattheyhavecompletefreedomof choicetoundertakewhatevertheywishto.Wherethereisanyquestionof aclientfeelingobligedtodosomethingthisneedstobeexploredandacknowledgedsothattheycanmoveforwardintotheirownpower.Thecoachisworkingtowardsenablingtheclienttocoachthemselvestosuccessbyadoptingtriedandtestedmethods.

Coachingisnotacure-allforallproblemsandisnotarescueserviceforthosestuckinprolongedemotionaldistress.Itisnotatherapyinthesenseof healingillnessof themindbutIwouldarguethatitismoreappropriatethancounsellingforpeoplewithmuchlessseveredifficultieswhomaygotocounsellinglookingforsupportandanswerstotheirinnerquestionsbutfindthattheyhavenotachievedanysignificantchange.Oftenwhatpeoplewhoarebasicallywellneediseducatinginhowtobecomemoreconfidentlythemselves!Coachingisnotapplicableincasesof extremepsychologicalandemotionaldistress,clinicaldepressionordeep-rooted,intransigentdifficultiesstemmingfromthepast.Itispossibletohavecounsellingandcoachingcontinuingalongsideoneanotherif helpfultoaclientfordifferentpurposesintheirlife.


“The client is not seeking emotional healing or relief from psychological pain. They are not in a state of crisis.. . .Coaching is designed to help clients improve their learning and performance, and enhance their quality of life. Coaching does not focus directly on relieving psychological pain or treating cognitive or emotional disorders.” 12

12 International Coach Federation. website, ibid.

Whetheroperatingfromwithinthemembershipof arecognizedcoachingbodyornot,eachcoachmustultimatelysetandactupontheirownspecificmomentbymomentboundaries.Ihaveidentifiedthefollowingguidelinesformyowncoachingpractice:

◆ Theapparentstateof theClientandthenatureof theirissue/sbothneedtobe considered.ItisnotsufficienttosaythatwhereaClientorpotentialClientisnot considered,ordoesnotconsiderthemselves,‘ill’theycanbeacceptedfor coaching.Theirissuemaybeunsuitable.

◆ Wheretheclient’sissue/srelatesprimarilytoaneventorrelationshipinthepast whichtheyexperiencedasverytraumaticIwouldreferthemfortherapyor counsellingand,if consideredappropriateanddesirable,offercoachingin addition.

◆ WheretheClient’s‘negative’emotionsarestrongandsustainedandnotunder sufficientself-controlforthemtomanagetheirlives.E.g.anger,depression, anxiety,Iwouldreferthemon.

◆ WhereaClientissufferingfromprolongedsenseof overwhelmanddoesnothave thecurrentcapacitytomoveforwardIwouldreferthemontotherapyor counselling.

WhereindicatedIwouldreferclientstotheirGPandperhapsalsototellthemaboutCognitiveBehaviouralTherapy(CBT)asIamawareof theexcellentresultsachievedandknowthatCBTissometimesavailablethroughtheNationalHealthServiceintheUK.However,itwouldbetheGP’srole,withassistancefromMentalHealthprofessionalsandtheClientthemselves,todeterminetheappropriatecourseof actiondependingonthenatureandseverityof thedifficulties.


AchievingLastingIntentionalChangeClientscometocoachingbecausethereissomethingsomewherewhichtheywanttochangeintheirlives;eithersomethingtheywantordon’twant.Theywillneedtolearntothinkandactindifferentwaystogetnewresults.Inmyexperienceclientsoftenneedencouragementtoownandexpresssomethingtheyalreadyknowaboutthemselvesdeepdown;theirowntruthwhichresidesperhapssodeepthatitisintherecessesof theirunconsciousmindasyet.Coachingmethodsinvolvingvisualisationcanhelp,ascantheprecisepowerfulquestionsthecoachasks.However,negativeself-beliefscanblockfurtherprogress.

Theprocessof uncoveringnegativeself-beliefsandsystematicallyreplacingthemwithsupportiveself-beliefsisoneof themosteffectivelifechangingandaffirmingprocesses.ThisprocessisdescribedbyJuliaCameronin‘TheArtist’sWay’(abookwhichguidespeopleinreleasingtheirinnatecreativity).Itworkswithuncoveringnegativebeliefsanddiscardingthem(p30-36)andusingpositiveaffirmations(p32-40).JuliaCameronalsodescribestheprocessof identifying‘gremlins’and‘monsters’whichareourhabitualinternalfearsandblocks.Thishastheeffectof externalizingthestumblingblock–thepoorqualityquestionswehabituallyaskaboutourselves,andthepoorqualityanswersaboutourselveswhichnaturallyensue.Itclearlyidentifiesthismentalconstructasthedifficulty,andnotsomethinginherentlypartof theperson.Thiscanbeanimmenserelief toanyonewhohaslurkingfearstheyaresomehowinherentlyflawed.

InAwakentheGiantWithin,AnthonyRobbinsalsoengagesdeeplywiththisprocessofchangingnegativeself-beliefs;hegetsustoasknewquestionswhenweperceivedifficulties.Hestronglyencouragesustoaskanumberof ‘challengequestions’,including:

‘ What’s great about this problem?’ 1

1 Awaken The Giant Within, Anthony Robbins, Simon & Schuster, 1991, page 193

Thisturnsourusualthinkingonitsheadandcanpromotearadicalchangeof stateandperceptionif wearewillingtoengagewithit;itcanbemind-expandingindeed.If followedbynewactions,whichgiveusnewfeedbackaboutwhatweareabletodo,beandhaveinourlives,wecangoontofreeourselvesfromtheself-madeprisonsof habitualnegativeresponsesforgood!

11


Methodsfrom‘CognitiveBehavioralCoaching’

Whenviewedfromahigherstandpointourgreatestobstaclescanrevealthemselvesasourmosthelpfulteachers.Themoreoneexperiencesthisdynamic,thegreaterone’sabilitytoperseverethroughdifficultieswithaninnerfaiththatvaluablelearningandgrowthwillsurelyfollow.Thisisnotinanywayanencouragementtoundergounnecessarysufferingif wecanseeawayoutof it!

Alargepartof humansufferingiscausedbyattachingtothinkingthatreality‘should’somehowdifferfromhowitactuallyis–andwithoutourhavingtotakeresponsibilityforactivelychangingit!Whenwecanthinkandfeelourwaybeyond‘shoulds’likethiswecanexperiencemuchgreaterinnerpeace–eveninthemidstof whatmightappeartobesignificantobstacles.

Ifeelstronglythatmanyperceivedobstaclesaresubjectiveobstacles,of akindwhichitispossibletodissolve,giventherightwayintoourthinking;theymaylook,feelandtastesolid,buttheyareconstructedinourmindsandinthemindsof otherswhoinfluenceus.Giventherightapproach,toolsandsupport,weareabletobreakthroughtoaplaceof fargreaterinnerfreedomandjoy.Thisawarenesscanleadustoacreativemindsetof recognizingthosefactorswhichwedowishtochangeandgettingonwithitconfidence!

Clientsmaybeawareof unhelpfulbehaviorstheywishtochange;butawarenessalone is notusuallyenoughtochangedeep-rootedbehaviors;clientsneedtobeequippedwiththetools,methods,andsupportforlastingintentionalchangetooccurandtakeenoughof thenecessaryactionswhichwilltrulyimplementthechange.InthissectionIwillexplorehowcoachescanworkmosteffectivelywithsomeof themoreresistantof behaviorswhichcanstandinthewayof theclient’sfurtherprogress.HereIamconsideringentrenchedbehaviorssuchasprocrastination,poortimemanagement,andtheadoptionof certainverycommonstances(suchasthatof ‘victim’and‘rescuer’)inpersonalandworkrelationships.Thesebehaviorscanverymuchaffectaclient’slifeadverselybutwithoutthemnecessarilybecomingclinically‘ill’assuch.

Isuggestthatthecoachcanassisttheprocessof changebydrawingonmethodsfromanapproachcoinedas‘CognitiveBehavioralCoaching’,byMichaelNeenanandWindyDrydenintheirbook‘LifeCoaching:ACognitiveBehavioralApproach’,firstpublishedin2002.

12


Thisbookisclearlyaimedat“ that neglected species . . .the intelligent reader. This person keeps her critical faculties sharp by engaging with new ideas, welcomes opposing viewpoints, is unafraid to change her mind and seeks opportunities for self-development. However, even these fine qualities cannot prevent you from underperforming or becoming stuck in certain areas of your life.” 13

13 ‘Life Coaching: A Cognitive Behavioural Approach’, Michael Neenan and Windy Dryden, Brunner-Routledge,2002, preface.

CognitiveBehaviouralCoaching(CBC)isbasedonthepremisethatlearningtothinkdifferentlycanenableustofeelandactdifferentlyandthusbecomehappierandmorefulfilledinlife.Thisworkisderivedfromtheauthors’experienceof deliveringCognitive-BehaviouralTherapy(CBT)butisaimedatthepopulationatlarge,inanon-clinicalsettingandisconcernedwithchangingtheself-defeatingthinkingwhichadverselyaffectsandrestrictssomanypeople.

FromengagingwiththemethodsandexamplesNeenanandDrydendescribe,Ihaveastrongsensethatwhereveracoachencountersablocktotheirclient’sprogresswhichhingesontroublesomeemotions,procrastination,excessivesensitivitytocriticism,orreactionratherthanresponse,themethodsof CognitiveBehaviouralCoachingwouldbeveryhelpfulindeed.

Togiveaflavourof CBC,itsmethodsincludeworkingwithunhelpfulthinkingby:

◆ Disputingunhelpfulpatternsof thinkingbyusingquestionsbasedonlogicand asking‘Doesthisthoughthelporhindergoalachievement?’

◆ Counteringdistortedthinkingsuchasexaggeratingthenegativeanddiscountingthe positive.

◆ Findingalternativestorigid‘shoulds’and‘musts’.

◆ Recognizingthehabitsof ‘catastrophizing’,orassumingtheworst,andif itoccurs, assuminganinabilitytocopewithit.

Theauthorslookatthenegativecorebeliefswhichoftenunderpindistortedthinkingandwhichare‘activatedfromtheirdormantstatewhenyouareupset’andexplainhowtoidentifythembyprogressivelytrackingbackacurrentdisturbingthought(p8-9)tofindoutwhatliesatitsroot.Thesecorebeliefsdeterminehowweseeasituation;asweknowfromexperiencepeopledoseedifferentsituationsverydifferentlyindeed.Changingourcorebeliefsrequiresidentifyingthenewbelief onewishestoadoptandthenactivelyseekingevidenceforitwhereverpossible,fromone’spast,andparticularlyfromone’spresentandfuture.


Iwillgiveabrief outlineof themajortopicscoveredwithinNeenanandDryden’sworkandthengoontoexploreacoupleof thesemethodsinmoredetailtodeterminehowtheycouldbenefitaLifeCoach’swork.

Theirchapterscover: 1. Dealing with troublesome emotions 2. Problem-creating vs. problem-solving 3. Overcoming procrastination 4. Time management 5. Persistence 6. Dealing with criticism 7. Assertiveness 8. Taking risks and making decisions 9. Understanding the personal change process 10. Putting it all together

InChapter3NeenanandDrydentakeathoroughlookatprocrastinationbehaviors;identifyingthemas‘oftenabehavioralwayof protectingyourself fromexperiencinganunpleasantemotionalstate.’If thecoachhelpstheclientunderstandtheirfearstheycanhelptheclientimplementaprogramof actiontoovercomethem.Theyalsorecognizethatsometimesproductiveactionneedstocomebeforeone’smotivationcanbereallyhigh,andthatitcanbeself-sabotagingtowaitforsufficientmotivationtoarisebeforemakingastartonactionwhichweknowwillbenefitus.Theyidentifyacommonmisconceptionaboutchange;somepeoplebelievethat:“..insightalonewillbringaboutthenecessarychangesinyourlife.Unfortunately,thechangeprocessismorecomplicated:insightplusforcefulandpersistentactionequalsenduringchange.”

Theygoontogiveanexampleregardingproducinglastingimprovementsinself-worth:“..insightalonewillbringaboutthenecessarychangesinyourlife.“Forexample,youseethatyourself-worthisdependentupontheapprovalof othersandthesolutiontothisdependencyistovalueyourself irrespectiveof howothersseeyou.Unlessyouputthisinsightintodailypractice(e.g.beingassertivewhennecessary,doingthingsthatmayincurcriticismorrejectionfromothers),itishighlyunlikelythatyouwillintegrateyournewphilosophyof self-worthintoyourbelief system(i.e.youbelieveitdeeplyandconsistently.”14

14 Ibid, Neenan & Dryden, page 82


ThisishowCBCwouldapproachtimemanagementissues,‘Theessenceof timemanagementisknowingwhatyourvaluesandgoalsareinlifeandmakingtheoptimumuseof yourtimetoachievetheseends...Youwillneedtoreviewhowyouuseyourtimeandphase-outthoseactivitiesthatarenotgoal-directed.’

Theymaywelladvocatetheuseof adailytimelogwhichisreviewedjointlywiththeclienttomakedecisionsaboutwhatneedschanging.Theirfocusonvalues,goalsandincreasingthegoal-directedactivitiestoachievepositiveoutcomessitsveryhappilywithcoachingmethodologies.Theyalsoofferprecise,practicalideasforchange;e.g.fortheclientwhoisworkingwithimprovingtheireffectivenessandwhooftenhandlesthesamepiecesof paperworkmanytimeswithouttakingthenecessarydecisiveaction,NeenanandDrydensuggestthefollowingmethod.Theclientputsatickinthecornerof eachpieceof papereachtimeitishandledtohelpthemnoticeif theyareputtingoff makingadecisionif theticksaremountingup.

ItwouldhavebeeninterestingtoknowmoreabouthowNeenanandDrydenseetheirworkwhenviewedwithinthecontextof stylesof LifeCoaching.Theirviewof theclient-coachrelationshipfitswiththeapproachdescribedin‘Co-ActiveCoaching’byWhitworth,Kimsey-HouseandSandahl,andalsowiththemethodstaughtintheNobleManhattanLifeCoachTraining.IhavenoticedthatthroughusingtheCBCapproachcoachandclientarelikelytobecomebetteracquaintedwiththeircurrentreality:adeptatlookingforthepreciseevidenceof howsomethingisnow,whatpreciseandmeasurablecriteriawouldrepresentanimprovementand,oncetheactionischosenandactedupon,itseffectivenessinthelightof theirchosencriteria.Inmyopinionthisisaverygoodresultof CBC–onecouldsaythatitmakeshighlyeffectiveuseof the‘reality’stageof theTGROW15coachingmodel,comingbacktoreviewitlaterwithaseriesof realitychecksbeingbuiltintotheCBCcoachingprocess.TheCBCapproachalsomakesgooduseof theotherstagesof thismodel.

15 The ‘TGROW’ coaching model as taught by Noble Manhattan, and found in ‘Effective Coaching’ by MylesDowney, stands for Topic, Goal, Reality, Options and Way Forward.


Thecentralpremiseof cognitiveapproachesisthatourfeelingsarenotjustautomaticreactionstoevents,theyareshapedbytheideasandrecurringthoughtsthatwehave.WhilsttheCBCapproachtochangemanagementtakesfullaccountof boththerationalandnon-rationalcognitiveandemotionalforcesunderpinningbehavioritpurposelyplacesthemwithinarationally-basedframeworktofacilitateincreasingcontrolandmasteryof one’sstrong,reactiveemotions.ThusNeenanandDrydenoffercoachespreciseandeffectivemethodsforhelpingclientsworkdirectlywiththoughtsandthewaytheyaffecttheirfeelingsandbehaviors.

Iwasinterestedtofindoutwhethercognitiveapproachesgenerallyfitwithcoachingmethodology.FurtherresearchintoCognitiveBehavioralTherapyrevealedthetemporalfocusasacommontoboth.AsDrChrisWilliamsexplains,

“ Cognitive therapy looks at “here and now” issues rather than things from the past. It helpspeople to learn new methods of coping and problem-solving which they can use for the rest of their lives.“

Hegoesontosaythat“ Cognitive therapy is a way of talking about the connections between how we think, how wefeel and how we behave. It particularly concentrates on ideas that are unrealistic. These often undermine our self-confidence and make us feel depressed or anxious. Looking at these can help us work out different ways of thinking and behaving that in turn will help us cope better. Cognitive therapy also helps us to look at our “rules for living”. These are strong beliefs about how we should live our lives which we develop while we are growing up. They are based both on what we learn from other people and on our own experiences. Although they shape our lives, most of the time we don’t give them much thought. They may be realistic or unrealistic, helpful or unhelpful. For example, someone may grow up with the belief that “I cannot be happy unless I am successful in everything I do”. This belief is unrealistic - the reality of life is that we all fail sometimes. By demanding the impossible, this idea is likely to produce feelings of depression. Cognitive therapy can help us not only to be aware of the “rules” we use but also to develop more helpful ones.“

ItisimportanttorecognizethatCognitiveBehavioralistsdonotencourageclientstosimplychangetheirthoughtswhereinfactitispreferableandpossibletochangetheexternalcircumstancesforthebetter.NeenanandDrydenrecognizethattherearedifferentsolutionstoanychallenge–someare‘emotionfocussed’andsomeare‘situationfocussed’solutions;eitherorbothcanbeappropriateandhelpfuldependingupontheindividualsituation.


Forinstance,theyidentifyemotionalself-managementastheusualkeytostressmanagementinadditiontomakingchangeswithinone’senvironment.IseethatCBCapproachesaspotentiallyveryhelpfulwherean‘emotionfocussed’solutionmaybehighlyapplicable.

ItisimportanttoemphasizeherethatIaminnowayadvocatingcoachestakingclientswhoinfactwoulddobettertoseekrelief fromtherapy;howeverIamadvocatingtheuseof CognitiveBehavioralapproacheswithinLifeandBusinessCoachingasIwouldmaintainthereisgreatvalueinthesemethods.Theycanbehelpfultopeoplewhoconsiderthemselves,andareconsideredbyothers,entirelywellinadditiontothosewhoare ill.

Ibelievethatfurthervaluableworkcouldbedoneinexploringtheuseof CognitiveBehavioraltechniquestofurtherenhanceallcreativeandpositivethought,aswellasinsubstitutingunhelpfulforhelpfulthinking.

Tomakeuseof theseCBCmethodsprincipallyrequiresacoachtofocustheirskillsonhelpingtheclientanalyzeminutelytherealityof theirthoughts,feelingsandbehaviorsandthenmethodicallymanagetheirchosenbelief changesattherightpace,whilstsupportingtheclienttakingmassiveamountsof thedesiredkindsof action.Thismayrequirethecoachandclienttoworkingreatdetail,andperhapsataslowerpacethantheymayinitiallywishtoattimes,butIbelieveitcouldachievelastingintentionalchangeof habitsfortheclient.

Iaminfavorof usinganymethodwhichcanhelphumanbeingsharnessourphenomenalmentalandemotionalpowerforintentionalliving!If someof thosewayscomefrommethodologyoriginallyemployedintherapysettingsthisisentirelyvalid-providingthatwemaintainaveryclearawarenessof theprofessionalboundariesof coaching.

Ihaveaconviction,bornefromexperience,thatwhereverhumanbeingshaveatendencytolimitthemselves

bytheirthinking,theycanalsofreethemselvesbyit!


Amajorreasonformakingtheefforttohavecoachinginthefirstinstancemaywellbetoalignmoreeffectivelywithone’sgreatestpotential.Aswecometoseesowellincoaching,justtalkingaboutsomethingdoesnotproduceresults–commitmenttoactionisrequiredtoreallyseepositivechange.Reflectingontheintentionalchangefacilitatedbycoachinghasledmetogeneratethisrepresentationof thejourneythatcanoccur:

DiamondPathof CoachingLow level of self-awareness

Gradually increasing self-awareness

Still very much locked into one’s initial conditioning

Knowing what one is ‘good at’ but not feeling truly fulfilled

Finding the sources of ongoing inspiration and motivation,

Coming into stronger relationship with oneself, one’s dreams and aspirations with

increasing self-awareness and sense of choice; aligning oneself with ones values by one’s actions

Living with increasing intentionality & willingness to learn from all experience – both joy & challenge

Living more and more confidently in accordance with one’s individual nature

whilst finding a moving balance within changing conditions

Transforming all limiting views of self/other

Highly inspired & inspiring of creativity

Living out one’s true potential

Fully self-aware

TheDiamondPathof Coaching

Wherewestartmaybelargelydeterminedbyourdisposition,environmentandconditioning–butwherewefinishisuptous!

Wegrowourowndiamonds!

13


The Life Coaching Handbook CurlyMartin,2001,CrownHousePublishing

Co-Active Coaching Whitworth,Kimsey-House&Sandahl,1998,Davies-Black

Be Your Own Life Coach FionaHarrold,2000,Hodder&Stoughton

Coaching for Performance JohnWhitmore,1992(3rdedition2003),NicholasBrealey

Effective Coaching MylesDowney,1stedinGB1999,OrionBusiness

Awaken the Giant Within AnthonyRobbins,1991,Simon&Schuster

The Thirty Minute Life Coach GerardO’Donovan&CurlyMartin,2000,CoachingAcademyUKLtd

Life Coaching: A Cognitive Behavioural Approach Neenan&Dryden,2002,Brunner-Routledge

Mind Over Mood DGreenberger&CPadesky,1995,GuilfordPress

The Artist’s Way JuliaCameron,1995,Pan

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