Coaching FAQ

Coaching is intended to help you grow and change, so you should bring a focus area on which you are eager and open. Topics could range from professional (for example- delegation, managing at a new level, communication styles) to more personal (work life balance, relationships) - it is often the case that professional and personal growth areas overlap. I will work with you to help understand the inspiration behind the focus area and develop specific, actionable goals to make progress on during coaching.

The first several sessions will focus on gaining clarity and commitment around the goals. What will success at the end of the coaching engagement look like? Once this is well established, each session will work towards making progress. This could come in the form of deepening understanding around the challenge, gaining awareness through observation, or experimenting on changed behaviors, all while keeping an eye on the overarching goal of the engagement. There could also be an acute topic that arises (an upcoming difficult conversation, performance reviews). In the final sessions, I will work with you to notice what has changed over the engagement and establish a plan for continued progress beyond coaching.

At the start of a session, I will ask you what you want to focus on for that session and what you hope to walk away with (for example- a plan for a conversation, deeper understanding). Thus, it is good to come with some sense of what you’d like to cover, and I will work with you to refine it. The topic could be related to something that happened recently or experimentation or observation following a previous session, as examples. Ideally, it connects to your overarching goals to ensure you’re using the time to make progress.

Beyond the intro questions above, I will then spend the bulk of the session helping you gain awareness on the topic through questions and observations. What makes this important now? What do you want to do with this? What ideas do you have to move forward? I will also offer observations and reflection to help you get in touch with your deeper intuition and emotions around a topic. As coaching is about action, I will work with you towards what you want to do following the session. It could be an observation exercise to notice what happens internally in a certain situation, an action or behavior you want to try in between sessions, or a key new insight you want to hold on to. The majority of discovery and change happens outside of the direct coaching sessions as you continue to work with what is uncovered in the sessions.

When deciding which coach you will work well with, focus on fit. A coach will typically offer an introduction or chemistry call where you can share intros and get coached by them. Each coach will bring a different style in terms of how you feel their support, how they challenge and help you grow, and general presence. Pick someone who you would feel comfortable sharing with openly and whose style helps you grow your awareness and unlock actionable change. A coach with a similar background to you can be helpful at times by having a shared language and understanding (for example - tech corporate speak!). This can help you get to progress faster. But, what matters is someone who will help you see things in a new light and move towards action. Someone who does not have a shared background may help you see things from a different perspective. Focusing on fit will help you find someone who will enable the most impact.

We can start with a free introductory call to get to know one other and discuss your coaching goals. I will help you refine your goals and explore immediate actions you can take. This call lets you experience my coaching style and see how it can support your growth, ensuring we are a good fit. Reach out to rachael@arcgrowthllc.com to schedule a free introductory call.