Services

Our Coaching Approach

If you asked one hundred people what they thought business coaching was you would get one hundred different answers, because the approach and results attained will be different for each person. However, for the purpose of providing a foundational coaching definition, we and our colleagues define it at an introductory high-level perspective as “facilitating people in their own commitment and enthusiasm to accomplish their objectives”.

Take a look below at the key results which can be delivered through business coaching, immediately followed by our seven coaching considerations.

** Key Results Delivered through Business Coaching

Revealing what is by listening and keen observation.
Accessing and providing solutions through intelligent inquiry.
Distilling complex challenges into easily understood concepts.
Uncovering an individual’s characteristics to expose greatness.
Elevating language to increase individual effectiveness.
Coupling actions to intention, while strengthening purpose.
Evolving interrelatedness while affecting people and networks.
Creating trust and intimacy to deepen relationships.

Each one of the key results is based upon a relationship that operates through a combination of face-to-face conversations with in-person meetings at the client business location(s).

Special off-site coaching events for groups are available with 3 months save-the-date advance notice

** Seven Considerations in Our Coaching Approach

There are 7 major considerations present in the delivery of our coaching and mentoring services as follows:

1. Coaching Outcomes

Business coaching services generally involves defining a specific result(s) or goal(s) to attain, such as increased sales revenues and profits, exit planning, growth to meet specific objectives for expansion or for the purpose of selling the business, hiring talented staff, etc. - see below under The Expected End Result. While the overall objectives for each project are different for each client, the coaching approach and delivery associated will follow closely the characteristics of the On-Purpose Awareness Model.

The principle coaching outcome is for the client: 1) to learn by gaining awareness and understanding; 2) change something either in themselves and/or in their organization; 3) allow for possibility to become present; 4) hold people accountable; and 5) impact the business environment (all things including resources, plans, etc.) to such an extent to forward effectiveness throughout.

2. Means to Understanding and Performance

Coaching is a means to allow the client to understand and gain awareness about themselves, their businesses and the environment in which they operate: in normal business life, the client cannot observe what they are doing or saying, nor can they recognize the conditioning or paradigms in which they operate. Client awareness can come in small increments or as major breakthroughs, depending upon the level of insights attained through coaching. Coaching is critical to understanding and effective performance.

3. Observation and Inquiry

Observation is a key component to our coaching approach, which will allow understanding of what is occurring for the client: how the client operates. The coach asks questions of the client, observing and understanding what occurs while remaining in the inquiry as the principle form of understanding and assisting. Coaching consistently engages people in dialog and conversations, while at the same time inspecting various processes and related business components: all for the express purpose of understanding what is occurring, what steps and actions need to be undertaken to gain the end result.

4. The Expected End Result

An end-result(s) is the primary focus, with the coach helping clearly define the end-result, what it looks like and which measures will assist in determining when the end-result is reached. The coach will hold the client accountable and responsible for the end-result. End-results are dependent upon the actions (i.e. strategy and tactics defined consistent with the end-result) to be taken and the business environment which will encompass the people, processes, resources, knowledge, skills, commitment, etc. within that specific environment.

5. Understanding the Sources

The business coaching will concentrate upon getting to and understanding the source of things. For example, the source of results is the actions taken to produce that result. The source of actions is the environment necessary to produce the actions. While this may sound simplistic, it is any but. Especially considering the mix in the specific environment which includes that which is known with existing process and people, whether effective or not, but more importantly that which is not known or understood but occurs within the business. One of the prime intentions of coaching is to uncover and reveal that which happens, which can be gleaned by understanding the source of something.

6. Language

Language is the source of all within a business, because the business lives in the language it uses. How people communicate internally and externally is important and what the say or do not say, can either forward or stop action within the business. Gaining understanding about the language for the business, how and when it is used, is a significant component to assisting change. Determing what lind of language produces effective results is key toward creating and sustaining excellence.

7. Structures and Measures

Two very important component of effective business are the structures put in place to allow action to occur and happen, and the measures that used to track effectiveness. Coaching will focus attention to these important areas and assist in recommending, establishing and implementing ones, which work to forward actions consistent with the expected end-results.

** It all begins with an Initial Conversation

The first conversation with our coaching services engages the prospective client in a conversation about a brief history of the business and a first-look "What Is" review to uncover what is working and what's not working. From this initial exposure of the business, a determination may be made about where to start, what kinds of coaching would be appropriate and how to proceed. Next steps will be clarified.