A coaching session has at it’s core, a client-chosen focus and agenda. A professionally trained coach knows to ask their client a fundamental question near the beginning of each session, which gives the client choice about what they want to...
Category: U #3 – Establishes and Maintains Agreements
Partners with the client and relevant stakeholders to create clear agreements about the coaching relationship, process, plans and goals. Establishes agreements for the overall coaching engagement as well as those for each coaching session.
What Expertise Does a Coach Need?
Clients seeking a Professional Coach may think that someone 'like them' is the best type of coach. Yet the opposite may be true. This means the client wants someone who has knowledge or experience in their industry. Or has been...
Re-contracting during a coaching session
How often have you attended a meeting, and not known what the outcomes were? Perhaps you felt yourself less engaged as a result, and even wondered, Why am I even here in this meeting? Or at the end of the...
What is Process Partnering?
This article was originally published September 2017, and last updated February 2024. The ICF definition of coaching is, "Partnering with clients in a thought provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential." Core Competency...
How realistic is it to do pure coaching?
Mentoring clients studying coaching skills in my mentoring programs often ask whether doing “pure coaching” sessions is a realistic expectation. Pure coaching refers to when the coach stays in “coaching mindset” through an entire coaching session, refraining from giving unasked-for...
How to demonstrate more ICF core competencies by having a Coaching Plan
Note: This article has been updated in 2023. There’s an easy way for a coach to demonstrate more competencies in their coaching, which is by having a Coaching Plan for your coaching engagement. Definition of a Coaching Plan A Coaching...
The flow of a coaching conversation
A coaching conversation is a conversation with a purpose, being a client-determined topic and outcome for each coaching session. Professional Coaches are trained in how to structure a coaching session, so there is maximum opportunity for the client to gain...
Educate your coaching client on how to use you well
As Professional Coaches, we have a unique opportunity to work deeply with a wide range of people, with different domains of expertise, from different cultures and life experiences. Clients may have technical expertise, be project managers, engineers, or be managing...
Where Presence and Process intersect
Coaching is a “conversation with a purpose.” That purpose being a client-determined topic and desired outcome about their topic. The process of engaging in a coaching conversation supports a client to clarify their thoughts and feelings, with the intent to...
Butterfly on the Wall Coaching Series
Have you ever wanted to be a "butterfly" on the wall hanging out (inconspicuously, of course) while an experienced coach is coaching their client? Here's a very rare, unique opportunity to get an insider's peek into the real relationship...