FAQ: What does a coach do?
- Kerrie Smit
- Apr 8, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 29
People who hire a coach to work on skills or get independent help with specific areas of concern are doing a very smart thing. Coaching helps you take giant steps forward because you gain individual attention from someone who has been in your shoes and has probably learned from their own mistakes. Coaching is also an important skill for change managers and people leaders to develop, enabling them to help others change their thinking, approach, and see new perspectives.
On the benefits of coaching, you can download our free e-Booklet which contains evidence from organisations such as Harvard Business Review, Bloomberg and Forbes.
One frequently asked question by professionals considering coaching is 'What does a coach do?' or, put another way, 'What would we do in coaching sessions?' In today's blog we present a fictional example that shows you what a coaching session might look like.
This case study is drawn from real scenarios and demonstrates the transformative power of coaching to drive positive change and enhance performance. It sums up the approach over time, but the total duration required for coaching will depend on many factors.
Case Study: Coaching for Improving Job Performance
Background
Client: Jessica, a Senior Manager in her mid-30s, working in a multinational organisation.
Challenge: Jessica had recently been promoted to a new position, resulting in her reporting to a new line manager.
Coaching Approach
Understanding Jessica’s Context: Through conversation, questions and answers, understand Jessica's role, responsibilities, and the dynamics of her new position. In particular, focusing on what has changed that prompted the coaching enquiry.
Identifying Pain Points: Jessica expresses feelings of overwhelm, uncertainty, and pressure due to the promotion and new reporting lines.
Goal Setting: Together, set clear goals that address the pain points while providing both initial improvements in confidence and long-term skills development.
Enhance Jessica's leadership skills.
Improve communication with her team.
Adapt to the new organisational structure.
Coaching Interventions
Self-Reflection and Mindset Shifts:
Through conversation with an independent, supportive, and objective coach, Jessica explores beliefs about leadership and her own capabilities.
Together, challenge limiting beliefs and replace them with empowering thoughts based on solid examples of Jessica's demonstrated ability.
Feedback and Communication Skills:
Jessica learns target areas for improvement from the sessions and gets help with how to practice active listening, empathy, and assertiveness.
Work on regularly occurring, challenging leadership conversations such as delivering constructive feedback or delivering unhappy news to team members.
Time Management and Prioritisation:
Through one on one conversation and workshopping, Jessica isolates areas of concern in organisational skills and learns techniques to manage her workload effectively.
Together, create a personalised time management plan.
Expected Results
Increased Confidence: Jessica gains confidence by identifying the skills in which she is highly competent but must now use in a new context, and by receiving practical tools and advice to improve less confident areas of her performance.
Improved Team Dynamics: Jessica's team benefit from her openness to personal development, her improved communication style, and the coaching practices she can now role-model with her team.
Enhanced Performance: Jessica’s productivity and decision-making have improved significantly through her increased confidence and clarity; and through having an independent sounding board with whom to talk things over.
Lessons Learned
Adaptability: Coaching helps people like Jessica adapt to their new role and circumstances and navigate organisational changes.
Self-Awareness: Jessica's self-awareness grows, enabling her to lead more authentically and participate in new workplace networks and teams more effectively.
Continuous Growth: Coaching is an ongoing process, and Jessica will continue to evolve as she now has a reliable way to explore scenarios and a confidential outlet to discuss challenges and release limiting beliefs.
Coaching can have a truly transformative impact. Personalised guidance and support can empower individuals to thrive and achieve confidence and clarity they never thought possible. This case study seeks to illustrate the answer to the question: 'What does a coach do?' or 'What would it look like for me?'
Should you have any further questions, have a look at the free resources on www.agenciachange.com or book us in for a free intro session to discuss further. Agencia Change has two core coaching services: Grow - Mentor for individuals experiencing change, and Grow - Coach for professionals seeking to focus on skill development. We're here to help.
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