The International Coaching Federation defines coaching as: “…[P]artnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. The process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity and leadership.

We all have goals we want to reach, challenges we’re striving to overcome and times when we feel stuck. Partnering with a coach can change your life, setting you on a path to greater personal and professional fulfillment.”

Yes!

Leadership and executive coaches undergo extensive training and certification. Coaching supports the client to develop innate awareness, knowledge and/ or skills to achieve a sustainable change or result. Coaches believe that the human getting coached is already naturally creative, resourceful, and whole.

Consultants are typically content experts engaged to offer solutions and advice to help improve business performance.

Mentors provide emotional support, feedback on how to develop, and other forms of guidance.

Therapists are trained and credentialed to support mental health concerns.

It’s important to check in with yourself to assess whether you are ready for coaching. Coaching asks you to be vulnerable, reflective and committed to making some kind of change. In coaching, you are in charge of what kind of change you want to make and how to get there. If you feel open, motivated and ready for this next step, and you have the time to commit to meeting regularly with your coach, you are well situated for a successful coaching experience!

You should expect to have the enthusiastic and undivided attention of your coach during sessions. Your coach will ask you questions, invite insights, and reflect back observations in service of your coaching goals. At times, your coach may challenge you or invite you to move outside of your comfort zone in order to seek deeper awareness and facilitate growth. Your coach may also propose some work for you to do in between sessions to further your progress.

Most importantly, you as the client are in control of the experience!

Coaching is about seeking change and growth. This doesn’t happen overnight. In order to see meaningful change, the minimum time commitment is generally four to six 50-minute bi-weekly sessions. With that said, it is up to you and your coach to design the coaching engagement to meet your needs!

The exploration call is a free 30-minute meeting with a prospective coach to get to know one another. As the client, you can use this time to assess whether you “click” with the coach and can see yourself wanting to work with them moving forward.

Be prepared to ask any questions you have about the coach’s style and approach and to share a bit about why you are interested in coaching and your coaching goals.

In general, a coach will not share any information about you or the content of your coaching session.

There are a few exceptions, including: if you discuss harm to yourself or others; and if the coaching engagement is subject to a subpoena in a legal proceeding.

Shana Schoem Coaching follows the International Coaching Federation’s code of ethics.