Coaching is a practical and holistic process that is completely results oriented. "Coaching is an on-going partnership that helps clients produce fulfilling results in their personal and professional lives. Through the process of coaching, clients deepen their learning, improve their performance, and enhance their quality of life. Beginning with the clients' desires, coaching uses reporting, exploring, and a consistent commitment to move the client forward. Coaching concentrates on where clients are today and what they are willing to do to get where they want to be tomorrow." - International Coach Federation, ICF. Coaching has been defined as a professional partnership that supports the achievement of extraordinary results. Through this partnership of coaching the focus is on the skills and actions needed for you to successfully produce your ideal life. No, it is not impossible and yes, you can achieve your goals ! What are some typical reasons someone might work with a coach? There are many reasons that an individual might choose to work with a coach, including but not limited to : A desire to accelerate results in your life or work. More clarity with choices to be made. Perhaps you are extremely successful but success has started to become problematic in your life. Work and life are out of balance and this is creating unwanted consequences. You are not sure or have not yet identified core strengths and how best to leverage them. You desire work and life to be simpler, less complicated. You need and desire to be better organized and more self-managing How long does a coach work with an individual? The length of a coaching partnership varies depending on the individual's needs and preferences. For certain types of focused coaching 3 to 6 months of working with a coach may work. For other types of coaching people may find it beneficial to work with a coach for a longer period. Factors that may impact the length of time include: the types of goals, the ways individuals like to work, the frequency of coaching meetings, and financial resources available to support coaching. Within the partnership what does the Coach do? My role as your Coach is to provide objective assessment and observations that: Champion opportunities and potential. Encourage stretch and challenge commensurate with personal strengths and aspirations. Encourage shifts in thinking that reveal fresh perspectives. Illuminate new possibilities. Support the creation of alternative scenarios. Your role is to: Create the coaching agenda based on personally meaningful goals and objectives. Assume full responsibility for the decisions you make and the actions you take. Utilize the coaching process to promote possibility thinking and fresh perspectives. Take courageous action in alignment with your goals and aspirations. Engage in big picture thinking and problem solving skills. Utilize the tools, concepts, models and principles provided to move forward toward your goals and dreams. How is coaching distinct from other professions? Professional coaching is a very distinct process which focuses on an individual's life as it relates to goal setting, outcomes, and personal change management. It seems Therapy is most often confused with Coaching so I will take care to explain the difference. If there is ever a question about what coaching is and what it is not please let me know immediately so we can clarify the difference. Therapy: Coaching is NOT Therapy. Therapy deals with healing pain, dysfunction and conflict. The focus is often on resolving difficulties arising from the past which hamper emotional functioning in the present, improving overall psychological functioning, and dealing with present life and work circumstances in more emotionally healthy ways. Coaching is forward moving and future focused. The emphasis is always on action, accountability and follow through. Coaching lives in the present and future. Consulting:   Consultants may be retained by individuals or organizations for the purpose of accessing specialized expertise. There is often an assumption that the consultant diagnoses problems and prescribes and sometimes implements solutions. In general, the assumption with coaching is that individuals or teams are capable of generating their own solutions, with the coach supplying supportive, discovery-based approaches and frameworks.

"Coaching is not about the past or figuring out why and how life got so complicated or overwhelming. It is about moving forward on the things that matter most to you, dissolving barriers and blocks to your own success, and designinga life that you love. " -- Sausalito.net