Personal Coaching - Definitions and Models by Dean Amory - HTML preview

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INTRODUCTION

This is the first part in a series of three books about

Personal coaching.

Part 1, “Personal Coaching” is about what Personal

Coaching is and offers a surview of the most popular models

for Personal Coaching (or “Life Coaching”) and Self

Coaching.

Part 2, “Techniques for Personal Coaching and Self

Coaching” introduces you to the most powerful coaching

techniques in use and describes the most successful

questions and strategies for coaching.

Part 3, “Essential Knowledge for Personal Coaches”, is a

practical standard reference work highlighting the

knowledge and skills that are indispensable for anybody

who is considering life coaching as a career or as a serious

self coaching process,

Dean Amory's Complete Life Coaching and Personal

Coaching Course is your best guide for coaching your

coachees and yourself towards maximizing your life

potential and achieving a happier and more fulfilled life.

Personal Coaching is an invaluable training manual for

anybody who takes life coaching seriously.

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1/ LIFE COACHING: WHAT IS

AND HOW IT WORKS.

Life Coaching or Personal Coaching always starts with the “Here

and Now” and looks forward. It focuses on the dreams and

aspirations of the coachee - what their goals are, what they want

- and then assists them to make things happen.

Personal coaching is not about healing wounds from the past

(counselling), nor about transferring knowledge (teaching,

instructing), nor about assisting people to find their way and

become successful in a new study- or work related environment

(tutoring). It is very similar to mentoring, but also different,

because it is more structured and formal and aims to determine

and achieve specific goals within a set period.

A personal coach will however make interventions across the

borders listed above. For instance: besides from focusing on

changes in attitude, convictions, performance and behaviour in

order to achieve future oriented goals, the coach may also focus

on such areas as developing personal skills, raising self

awareness, stimulating critical thinking, coping with change or

enhancing communication.

Like personal coaching itself, this manual crosses borders and

also borrows from models and techniques used for counselling

and mentoring that contribute to the quality of the personal

coaching process without requiring a psychological approach,

making it the perfect guide to develop your own power coaching

model.

13

The process of life coaching involves three key phases:

Phase One: Assessment and Intake

During the initial phase, coach and coachee get to know each

other. The coach shares information about the structure of the

coaching process and finds out what coachee is expecting from

him. He will also want to know about the coachee’s present

situation, both in terms of the difficulties that coachee is facing

and of the resources available,

Phase Two: Problem Analysis and Strategy Planning

What kept coachee from reaching his goal? The difficulties

experienced by coachee and the options available to him will be

further analysed. Then, an action plan will be developed. The

coach will monitor the coachee and further help him through

constructive feedback.

Phase Three: Evaluation, Adaption, Further Support

During this final phase of the life coaching sessions, progress

will be evaluated and either the coaching procedure will be

ended, or a shedule for follow up sessions will be agreed upon.

The number of life coaching sessions that are necessary to

complete the coaching cycle is limited. Typically, no more than

five to seven sessions of life coaching are necessary. However

on-going intermittent support can be beneficial.

Source: http://www.mylifegym.co.uk/life-coaching

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1.1 BENEFITS OF PERSONAL- OR

LIFE-COACHING

Coaching services are offered under a wide variety of

names:

Life coaching, ADHD coaching, Business coaching, Career

coaching, Executive coaching, Expat and Global Executive

coaching, Financial coaching,

Personal coaching, Health

coaching, Sports coaching, Dating coaching, Conflict coaching,

Victimization coaching, Christian coaching, Performance

coaching, Skills coaching, ….

1.1.1 WHEN IS PERSONAL COACHING USEFUL?

Generally speaking, life coaching is recommended when

there is a need for assistance at

1.

Improving self knowledge and self awareness

2.

Building self esteem, confidence and assertiveness

3.

Reflection (Offering a sound-board)

4.

Structuring tasks and responsibilities

5.

Improving abilities for planning and goal-setting

6.

Acquiring new skills or improving existing skills

7.

Learning to solve (own) problems

8.

Improving interpersonal skills

9.

Enhancing relationships

10. Learning how to identify and act on personal needs

11. Becoming more effective, performing and assertive

12. Gaining new perspectives

13. Developing greater adaptability to change

14. Reducing stress levels

15. Sorting out personal issues that are blocking you

16. Having a positive impact on your environment

15

Personal coaching is for people who want to make a

significant change in their life.

The coach will ask questions and challenge the coachees in

order to stimulate them to

1. Identify, set and accomplish goals

2. Look at new perspectives

3. Become more effective / Increase performance

4. Find the focus and drive to progress in life / Stay motivated

5. Self improvement / Balance and boost personal growth

6. Self empowerment / Increase confidence

7. Deal with resistance, obstacles and conflicts

Personal Coaching requires motivation on behalf of the

coachee

Hersey and Blanchard developed a grid to help determine the

appropriate style to stimulate personal growth. They see

“coaching” as most appropriate style when competence is high

and motivation low. When competence is low, but motivation

high, they suggest a different style defined as “convincing and

encouraging”

In fact, life coaching combines aspects of both qualifications and

can be used both to motivate coachee to stop procrastinating

and do the things he knows he should do, as to advise and

provide guidance to coachees that have the motivation to bring

about change in their lifes, but are not sure about the way how

to handle the situation.

In both cases however, there must be a strong motivation

towards change itself . If you feel the coachee does not want to

change at all, but has been forced to come and see you, chances

of success will be very remote.

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1.1.2 JUST HOW BENEFICIAL CAN COACHING BE?

In a study, the effect of coaching in the context of professional

learning communities was measured. The outcomes were

astonishing:

Instructional coaching is most effective when it occurs within a

successful professional learning community. At the heart of this

community is a belief in the need for continuous improvement,

where a constant and collective search for improving classroom

instruction is conducted.

The process of professional learning includes:

 Research, presentation and explanation of the theory behind

the practice

 Demonstration and modeling of instructional strategies

 Opportunities for initial guided practice

 Prompt feedback from guided practice

 Sustained coaching for institutionalization of instructional

practice

The chart below depicts the outcomes of different elements of

professional development: theory, demonstration, practice and

coaching.

Based on research, an estimated 95% of teachers who receive

ongoing support and guidance through coaching are more likely

to learn and implement new practices in the classroom.

Researchers also estimate that teachers generally need to utilize

a new instructional strategy approximately 25 times before it is

transferred into their daily teaching routine.

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Professional Development Outcomes

Professional

Knowledge

Skill Level

Transfer to

Development

Level

Practice

Elements

Estimated % of

Estimated %

Estimated % of

participants

of participants

participants

demonstrating

regularly

understanding

proficiency in the implementing

contents

instructional

instructional

practices

practices in the

classroom

Theory

10%

5%

0%

(e.g., presenter

explains content -

what it is, why it

is important, and

how to teach it)

Demonstration

30%

30%

0%

(e.g., presenter

models

instructional

practices)

Practice

60%

60%

5%

(e.g., participants

implement

instructional

practices during

the session)

Coaching

95%

95%

95%

(e.g., participants

receive ongoing

support and

guidance when

the return to the

classroom)

Source: Showers, Joyce & Bennett, 1987 –

Published by West Virgina Department of Education

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1.2 THE COACHING STYLE

In Personal Coaching, the point of gravity is always the coachee.

Personal Coaching is mainly facilitating:

The coach does not offer advice, ready-made answers or

solutions, but asks questions aimed at encouraging the coachees

to think for themselves and find their own answers, based on

their own values, preferences and unique perspective.

During the process, the coach offers a supportive framework

based on structure, assistance and feedback, aimed at positively

changing the coachee’s behavior, attitudes and convictions.

Coaching is not complete until the coachee has successfully

developed and implemented at least one concrete action plan.

Exceptionally, some form of advice may be necessary. The

coach will pose the advice as a question, e.g.: “how do you think

… would work for you?”

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Other recommended styles are:

If competence and motivation are low: prescribe, instruct

(Tell people what to do.)

If competence and motivation are high: Delegate

When talking about personal coaching, what is most important

is the level of motivation of the coachee with respect to

immanent change in their lives: either coachees want to make a

change themselves, or they desire to prepare themselves in

order to be able to cope with what lies ahead. Whether their

competence level is low or high is irrelevant, as long as they are

truly motivated to make a change in their lives.

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1.3 PERSONAL COACHING MAXIMS

1.

Listen better, talk less.

2.

Understand what motivates coachee.

3.

More is in you: everybody is capable of achieving more.

4.

Let the past be past: it is no indication of the future.

But learn from it.

5.

How we see ourselves is what matters most: People’s

believes of what is possible for themselves are their only

limits.

6.

A coach must be genuine, empathic and always provide full

support

7.

Coaches do not provide the answers

8.

Coaching does not include criticizing people

9.

All coaching is always completely confidential

10. Some needs cannot be met by coaching

11. Coaching is about identifying goals and finding ways to

achieve them

12. Coaching always implies change

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1.4 CORE COACHING SKILLS

1.4.1 THE 20% THAT GET’S THE 80% OF RESULTS

Carter McNamara of Authenticity Consulting, LLC

Many Coaching Models Have Certain Approaches in Common

About 15 years ago, I had the privilege of studying a variety of

coaching models. When people asked me which model was best,

I always answered that it was the last model I had studied.

Each model seemed tremendously powerful — because each

had certain practices in common. I came to realize that those

common practices in coaching seemed to make the biggest

difference for those being coached. I came to call them “core”

coaching skills. Since then I’ve incorporated them into a process

I call “peer coaching groups.”

I had realized that the experience of having someone –

1. Ask me what is important to me now, what do I want to

accomplish.

2. Ask me questions about how I came to identify that priority.

3. Ask me what success would look like if I addressed my

priority.

4. Ask me about my nature, how I like to work on priorities in

my life.

5. Ask me what relevant and realistic actions I might take to

address my current priority.

6. Ask me what I am learning as I am working to address the

priority.

– was extremely powerful.

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All of the models seemed to include this or a very similar

sequence of questioning.

Core Coaching Skills Are Accessible to All

The process is so clear and straightforward to apply that almost

anyone can be of tremendous help to another person, to

members in a group — or to him/herself by posing those, or

similar, questions. That’s one of the features that makes the

coaching process so very powerful. I’ve watched 100s — if not

1,000s — of people around the world use core coaching skills to

help others transform themselves and their work.

Many people might strongly criticize me for suggesting that

coaching is a simple process. I’m not suggesting that. I’m

suggesting there’s a central set of techniques that is very

powerful.

Certainly, these can be embellished in many ways — and an

explosion of coaching schools have done that.

I’ve watched as the field has become a profession for many,

including codes of ethics and credentialing. I look back very

fondly on those early years where so many people watched this

wondrous new field become so popular to so many — and for

good reason.

What do you think?

———————————————————————————

Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD – Authenticity Consulting, LLC –

800-971-2250

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1.4.2 GROUNDRULES FOR PERSONAL COACHING

1. Coach and coachee have to get along: successful coaching is

impossible if the parties involved do no get on with each

other.

2. Coaching requires a safe environment, which is necessary

for a collaboration based on trust and confidentiality.

3. Contrary to Mentoring, coaching assumes a formal and

professional relationship. This implies regular contacts

based on well structured sessions scheduled within an

agreed coaching itinerary.

4. Clear Scope: Goals and methodology have to be agreed upon

at the start of the coaching relationship. Progress has to be

closely monitored and communicated during regular

feedback-moments.

5. Coaching aims to lead to an increase of insight, motivation

and efficiency on the part of the coachee and to improve

their self-esteem through the implication of a supportive but

professional relationship in which a facilitating style is used

to stimulate the coachee to find their own answers and

solutions to the challenges faced.

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1.4.3 CORE COACHING COMPETENCIES

1. Design the alliance: Build a strong foundation

-

By meeting ethical guidelines and professional standards

-

By establishing a professional coaching agreement

-

Through a correct assessment and intake

2. Communicate effectively

-

Practice active and empathic listening

-

Be authentic (congruent), unconditionally acceptive and

supportive

-

Be non judgmental; do not enter in discussion

-

Establish rapport, respect and trust with coachee

-

Use powerful questioning and purposeful inquiry

3. Facilitate learning

-

Create awareness – challenge with compassion – celebrate

not knowing

-

Do not offer your solutions – help coachee find his

-

Co-create possibilities and actions, stimulate experiments

-

Assist in planning and goal setting

-

Affirm, acknowledge, celebrate

4. Manage progress and accountability: make specific requests:

-

Start with “I have a request…”, or “May I invite you to…?”

3 possible answers:

1. Yes

2. No

3. Here’s what I’ll do instead

-

What are you going to do exactly?

-

By when?

-

Where, with whom, conditions, …?

-

How will you know? How will I know?

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1.4.4 THE SEVEN C’S OF COACHING I

Source: Dr. Greg Dale, an AAASP certified sport psychology

consultant at Duke University

http://education.adelphi.edu/hpe/healthstudies/healthnets/pdf/gr

egorydale.pdf

Character – Competent – Committed - Caring

Confidence Builder – Communicator - Consistent

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1.4.5 THE SEVEN C’S OF COACHING II

Alternative 7 C’s of Coaching

Source: 7 C’s of Coaching – The Practical Guide to Collaborative

Coaching for Optimum Results by Mike Cope. ISBN 0273681109

The Seven C’s described are:

Coachee - Understand the person and the problem

Clarity - Unearth the symptoms and roots of the issue

Create - Generate a solution

Change - Deliver the solution

Confirm - Make sure it works

Continue - Ensure it will be suitable

Close - Celebrate and say goodbye

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1.4.6 CORE COACHING SKILLS ACCORDING TO

THE

ACADEMY

FOR

COUNSELLING

AND

COACHING (ACC)

While coaching, pay attention to:

1. Introducing yourself properly.

2. Giving a clear explanation of what life coaching is.

3. Developing a trusting relationship with your coachee.

4. The techniques:

open questions / paraphrasing

reflecting feelings

summarizing

focusing

caring confrontation

(appropriate use of) self-disclosure.

5. Structure and process of the discussion (phase-

awareness).

6. Responding to cues and verbal signals.

7. Matching your language to that of your coachee.

8. The content of the discussion.

9. Managing silences.

10. Enabling the coachee to tell his story (without undue

interruptions)

11. Refraining from giving advice or solutions.

12. Effectiveness and usefulness of the session.

13. Evaluating the session.

14. Coming to an agreement regarding progress.

You will know you have mastered the skills when you:

1. can describe each skill,

2. can distinguish between the different skills,

3. know when to apply a certain skill or not,

4. can recognise and identify a particu