Coaching is a transformative process when a coach brings an open mind, curious questions and an empathetic listening ear to working with the individual to be coached.
It is incredibly important to ensure the coach is right for this person. This relationship is referred to as the ‘Coach and the Coachee’.
Each coach brings their own approach and style, where they adapt to the person they are coaching, to bring the right balance of challenge and support to their coaching relationship.
At Synergia, we take the brief for the coaching from the commissioning individual; often the Head, and then arrange to meet with the Coachee. This first meeting is like having a coffee together, getting to meet each other, and enabling the coachee to decide whether the coach is the ‘right fit’ for them.
When the right fit is achieved, the formal coaching relationship will begin.
The first session is always an introductory session which begins with the ground rules of how the coach and coachee will work together. This includes discussing areas such as:
Session 1 is also the time to get to know each other better and build trust. Different tools are available for this, which can include activities like the Wheel of Life, the Leadership Wheel, or a timeline activity. This discussion enables the coach to understand more about the coachee, and their journey through life, which shapes their values, behaviours, decisions and perspectives.
At the end of this first session, the coach and coachee will discuss key objectives that the coaching will work towards.
Session 2 onwards then works towards the achievement of the objectives; each session being shaped by the coachee and their preferences, with the coach asking those ‘curious’ questions.
This enables the coachee to explore their approaches, mindset and way forward to think outside their own traditional options and challenge themselves to find the best solution moving forward.
Each coachee’ s journey will vary and depend on the progress they make and the challenges they face. This means that there is no one size fits all, and when asked the question “How many sessions will this take?” our standard answer is somewhere between 3-12, with an average of 6-9.
All of our coaches are qualified and have regular supervision as well as continued professional development.