- What is Coaching?
- How might Coaching help?
- What are the potential benefits?
- Information about Coaching programmes
- Business Psychology
- Positive Psychology
What is Coaching?
Coaching can be described as “… the philosophy of encouraging the coachees’ learning, resourcefulness and self-insight in a non-directive collaborative way to enhance their goal striving and achievement” (O’Riordan & Palmer, 2021, p. 21). It is an interactive process or partnership where the coach supports the coachee to achieve their goals and objectives. Coaching is sensitive to the practical and changing needs of clients/coachees, supporting success via a bespoke and flexible approach.
Coaching follows the agenda of the coachee encouraging people to take personal responsibility and give commitment to the actions they need to take to achieve their personal and/or professional goals. During this process the coach can support people to gain clarity and direction, act as an objective sounding board and an excellent listener.
How might Coaching help?
- Personal & professional development
- Managing change and transition
- Coaching for skills &/or performance (e.g. confidence, assertiveness, time management, organisation, communication)
- Leadership development
- Enhancing resilience
- Health related goals (e.g. stress management, well-being)
- Motivation and keeping on track
What are the potential benefits of Coaching?*
- Defined actions can be achieved more rapidly
- Motivation to achieve results
- Clarity, to develop a clear direction in the way forward
- Enhanced wellbeing
- Providing and encouraging a forum for creative thinking
- Managing change or conflict
- Offering a sounding board
- Increased personal impact and performance
- Developing resilience
* Coaching requires accountability and personal/professional commitment by the coachee. Therefore, the coachee is responsible for achieving their own results.
One-at-a-time and single-session Coaching
Some coaching goals can lend themselves well to a one-at a-time or single-session format (e.g. stress management, performance). This approach is based on clarifying a clear and realistic outcome at the start of the session and then remaining focused upon working towards achieving this aim during the coaching conversation.
Of course, some people may find that additional sessions can be helpful and next steps can be explored with the coach.
It is generally helpful to schedule coaching sessions between 45-90 minutes. Coaching can be delivered in person, via telephone or video conference.
Coaching Programmes
A coaching programme involves a number of sessions over an agreed period of time. The design of each coaching programme (in terms of frequency and number of sessions), is bespoke and is tailored around the needs of each coachee.
It is generally helpful to schedule coaching sessions between 45-90 minutes. Coaching can be delivered in person, via telephone or video conference.
Delivering Business Psychology
Business Psychology focuses upon individuals, teams and organisations within a work-based setting. This can include training delivery, assessment, professional development support, and coaching. Additionally, Business Psychologists might supervise others in the field. To learn more about our services in this area please get in touch.
Positive Psychology Coaching
Positive Psychologists work with individuals, groups and communities. Settings can include personal, professional, education/academic and organisational. Positive psychology coaching offers interventions to support people to flourish in their lives and at work and enhance their sense of wellbeing. If you are interested in finding out more about this approach please do make contact.
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Reference:
O’Riordan, S. & Palmer, S. (2021). The Background and Development of Coaching and Coaching Psychology. In S. O’Riordan & S. Palmer (Eds). An Introduction to Coaching Psychology: Routledge.