How Does It Work?

Every successful coach-client relationship is characterized by mutual trust and respect, and a clear understanding about the confidentiality of coaching conversations.  A client must therefore choose a coach with whom they feel very comfortable.  This often means meeting a few coaches before selecting one.  Early in the engagement, clear expectations are jointly set about how the coach and client will work together, about how progress will be evaluated, and about what the primary goals are for the client.

Regardless of the engagement specifics, each coaching session provides the client with a safe, non-judgmental space in which to reflect, explore, and learn.  The client can choose the focus of the conversation, while the coach guides it with questions, observations and insights, always with an eye to the client’s overall coaching goals.   The coach and client will often agree on carefully selected homework assignments for the client between sessions.  These assignments provide an opportunity for action learning, positioning the client to self-observe and reflect on the job, try out new behaviors, and make tangible progress toward their stated goals. 

Over time, the coaching dialogue brings increasing clarity around where the client currently is and moves the client into purposeful action to get to where they want to be.  And unlike business consultants who are hired to provide solutions, coaches believe the solutions lie within you.  The coach's job is to help you access your untapped potential.  This may, for example, involve developing new skills, taking on new responsibilities with confidence, or becoming better at learning and self-management.

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Who Should Hire a Coach?

Coaching is most successful when a client is truly ready to make a commitment to change.  The drivers of that commitment may include dissatisfaction with one’s work and/or life (even if the visible measures suggest success), perceived under performance, stress, a stalled career, or a lack of personal fulfillment.  Coaches do not fix people or lives that are broken or dysfunctional; high achievers and successful people with recognized professional potential can benefit tremendously from collaboration with a coach.  The client commitment involves an open mind and heart, with the emotional courage to explore the unknown and embrace personal change as well as a commitment of time and money.  Coaches can be hired directly by the coachee or by the coachee’s employer, as an investment in the employee’s professional development.

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Are There Different Kinds of Coaches?

Yes.  Many coaches focus on particular domains, including business/professional life, families, life/career transitions, and specific types of organizations.  Within each domain, coaching styles are quite diverse.  Coaches professional backgrounds vary widely as well, from psychology/counseling to business management.  In the business world, there are executive coaches who focus on leadership effectiveness at the highest levels, and there are also coaches who work with other levels of management and with individuals who are exploring career transitions.  Most coaching is one-on-one, but some coaches offer team coaching to management teams.  Regardless of a coaches specialty, most take a holistic view and consider the client’s whole life and how experiences in the different parts of our lives affect our thinking, feeling, behavior, and capacity to grow.

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Isn't This Just Therapy?

No. Coaching is not therapy. Coaches (even those with backgrounds in psychology) do not help clients diagnose or heal from deep-seated psychological issues.   And while therapy involves probing into one’s past, coaching has a strong forward-looking, action orientation. Coaching is about envisioning a better future and working toward those new possibilities through a broader, richer understanding of oneself and others.

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How Long Do Clients Work With a Coach?

A coaching engagement is usually an ongoing relationship of at least three to six months, and frequently up to a year or more, depending upon the client’s personal and professional goals. Occasionally, a coaching engagement is as brief as a few sessions, to achieve a very specific goal or performance objective.  The frequency of coaching sessions (in person, by phone, and with or without email support) may vary from weekly to monthly, and may change throughout an engagement.

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What Does It Cost?

Depending on their experience level, coaches generally charge from $75 to $400 per session (or $200 to 800 per month for bi-weekly sessions).  Coaches who work directly with individuals will be at the low and middle of that fee range, while experienced executive coaches working with senior executives, and paid by their employers, may charge as much as $500 per session or several thousand per month, as a retainer fee.

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Do Coaches Have Credentials?

Yes! The best coaches recognize the importance of formal training and accreditation.  Look for a coach that has completed one of the coach training programs that is recognized by ICF as an accredited program with appropriate curriculum and sufficient training hours.   Membership with the International Coach Federation (ICF) is another sign of a coach’s professional commitment.  ICF has established Standards of Ethical Conduct for all member coaches to ensure consistent professionalism.  Additionally, many coaches are working toward or hold one of ICF's credentials, which include three levels of mastery and experience: Associate Certified Coach (ACC); Professional Certified Coach (PCC); or Master Certified Coach (MCC).

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