Everything worth having happens outside the comfort zone. Growth. Success. Achievement. As a coach I’m doing my job right when you’re outside it. Operating from outside your comfort zone is the key to successful coaching. And it's foundational to how I approach it.
But it’s scary outside the comfort zone, I know. Having me in your corner supporting you makes it bearable. This meeting of “scary” and “support” is where you’ll find your success, and that’s where I take you. When we work together, I'll help you do your best thinking and encourage actions needed for change.
Themes Over Goals
To me, coaching is about so much more than reaching a goal. I prefer to coach for themes. For example: financial independence, time freedom, family closeness, or work satisfaction. With goals you never feel like you’re getting anywhere. It’s a destination you can’t reach because goals change from day to day. But a person’s theme for their life doesn’t.
Coaching Tools That Work
I study and practice several coaching methods. The tools below bring out the best in my clients and help them align with their lives’ themes.
Clean language coaching uses a set of open-ended questions to help explore things that matter to you. The approach engages you in finding your own ideas and solutions.
I'll reflect back your words and ask clean questions that don't lead or influence. This keeps my opinions, personal perspectives and biases out of the way.
These questions are a unique way for me to listen and for you to identity your personal metaphors. Clean questions help you understand and discover things about your own thinking. They also don't complicate things by introducing new thoughts from me.
Using clean language lets me walk with you, rather than trying to solve something. You'll access your own inner wisdom, and come to your own conclusions. And it's a way for both of us to stay curious.
e.g. Coach asks a clean question: “For this job to by successful, it will be like what?” This frees the person to answer whatever comes to mind without concern for the “right” answer. It leads to the person developing a personal metaphor for their success. Let’s say the person answers, “I'm greeted every morning by a team of people committed to my success. I would feel like a queen!” Her personal metaphor is a queen, and she can use that image and feeling as a trigger to motivate her.
Solution focused coaching focuses on outcomes and almost ignores the problem. It's working on what works.
e.g. “I don’t like sleeping late.” (PROBLEM). What would you like to have happen instead? (SOLUTION). Then we work to identify the steps get to that solution.
I have found that these tools change my clients’ perceptions, decisions and actions. They get unstuck and out of “problem talk” fast. And move forward on their path to their ideal lives with more ease.
How I Help
I like to start coaching sessions with one simple question: What would you like to have happen? This allows you to climb into the driver’s seat of your own life in a gentle put powerful way. I know you are capable of leading your ideal life, and have within you all the knowledge you need to succeed. My approach is to pull out information that’s already in your head and heart in an organized manner. And place it within a coaching structure. This is why I ask questions without telling clients what to do. You have the questions and the answers. My role is to guide you, help you come up with the steps you need to take, and make you feel heard.
Want to change careers to align your work with your life’s theme? Find yourself unemployed after 20 years at the same company? Our coaching sessions build confidence to handle the interview. The work we do together will help you get out of your own way. And draw out past successes so you can present yourself as best as possible. We can forget our achievements when we’re in panic mode. I’m here to help you remember them.
After each coaching session I’ll send you a recap sheet that outlines what we’ve discussed. I’ll also keep you on schedule with what you want to do. This accountability is key to achieving the life you want.
Saying you want change is not enough.
What is it you want most? Are you taking the steps to get there? After all, a goal without a plan is wishful thinking. Try coaching instead! Book a complimentary coaching session with me today.