Discover new insight with validated tools.
All About Coaching
What is Coaching?
The International Coaching Federation defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. The goals of coaching will be determined by the client and continuously explored and refined.
Our approach to coaching is person-centered and we believe that the development of the person and the professional is inextricably intertwined. As such, coaching sessions with us may explore aspects of personal and professional life that result in a full understanding of the steps needed to truly achieve your goals. Our coaching practice is informed by the individuals’ lived experience as well as in the here-and-now of the coaching sessions.
What is not Coaching?
Coaching differs from advising, counseling, consulting, and mentoring. You will be in the driver seat the entire time. During our meeting together, we might make observations, ask questions, and act as a mirror for you to better understand yourself and work with you to identify how you can achieve the goals that you’ve outlined. There are times where I might put on a mentor or advisory hat by providing gentle suggestion, encouragement, or bring in some best practices or industry knowledge but those moments will be few and far in between.
Coaching is not therapeutic and nonclinical in nature. It is entirely possible that throughout the coaching process, it may be determined that you also want to seek counseling or psychotherapy concurrently or in lieu of coaching. If that is the case, we are happy to work with you to establish a referral and continue working together within the bounds of coaching.
What do people go to coaching for?
Really, this is up to you. Coaching is designed to be entirely client driven. A lot of clients come to coaching to find their self-confidence, defeat imposter syndrome, or figure out how to navigate change and difficult workplace situations. Coaching might also touch on personal elements of life especially if you’re navigating a difficult work environment or need some help setting boundaries. I use a holistic approach and believe in the power of narrative and so this might include examining previous patterns as a way of understand what is going on for you.
Assessment Types
Have a client or team member who wants to learn more about themselves through an assessment?
Let’s partner on how we can help people learn through assessments.
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Inspired by the insights of Jungian Psychology, the MBTI™ is a reliable and valid tool of learning more about your innate preferences. A multi-page personality report provides unique insight to the 16 different personality types to better develop self-awareness. Enhance your results through individual feedback sessions or elevate your team’s performance by better understanding yourselves and one another.
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The CliftonStrengths™ assessment generates customized reports and guides to provide unique insight into individual talents. With some goal setting and investment, these talents can be developed into Strengths that can be used to tackle challenges that you’re facing. Create and aim towards your goals using the power of positive psychology and using a Strengths-based approach.
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The leading assessment that measures reputation through self-report. Validated for both selection and leadership development.
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Using the well-validated Five-Factor Model of personality, this assessment is validated on the working population and provides useful insights for leaders at work.
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The Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation steps beyond individual traits and talks about our needs, wants, and how we work with others.
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One of the leading 360 tools which can provide honest feedback. Available as custom designs or from pre-select configurations
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Identify your relationship to change and how you engage with change processes.
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We all have differing styles of influencing others. The Influence Style Indicator reports on individual preferences as it relates to how we influence others.
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ICF Credentialing Exam Guide
Download some tips and tricks along with a real account (my experience) of taking the new (post 2022) ICF Credentialing Exam.
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Coaching Questions at Work Guide
Download this free resource for managers who are trying to employ more coaching questions at work, using the JWC Dream - Believe - Achieve™ Coaching Framework.
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Assessments Overview
There is an overwhelming number of assessments in the field of people and leadership development. Download an overview document with potential use cases.
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CliftonStrengths Theme Reference Guide
Download a PDF reference guide with short descriptions of the CliftonStrengths 34 Talent Themes.
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Name It! Claim It! Aim It! Worksheet
Download the Name It! Claim It! Aim It! worksheet from the CliftonStrengths workshop to reflect on your Strengths.
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GPT Prompt Guide
Download a quick guide on prompt engineering using chatGPT to maximize your output. This is the corresponding to my webinar on “Generative AI: Who is GPT and Why are people Chatting with ‘them’”
FAQ
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Really, this is up to you. Coaching is designed to be entirely client driven. A lot of clients come to coaching to find their self-confidence, defeat imposter syndrome, or figure out how to navigate change and difficult workplace situations. Coaching might also touch on personal elements of life especially if you’re navigating a difficult work environment or need some help setting boundaries. I use a holistic approach and believe in the power of narrative and so this might include examining previous patterns as a way of understand what is going on for you.
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Frequency for coaching will be mutually agreed upon at the first session. Typically clients like to meet every 1-2 weeks and engagements can last as short or as long as what makes the most sense for you. There is always an option to recontract and continue on or wrap things up early if it seems appropriate. You remain in control the entire time we work together.
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We have worked with individuals and teams ranging from individual contributors all the way to senior executives in the non-profit, education, and Fortune 500 spaces. I’ve coached in industries including higher education, technology, pharmaceuticals, professional associations, health care, learning and development, real estate, and start-up spaces. Some of our favorite topics to work through include helping people manage authority, managing imposter syndrome, change management, strengths-based coaching, and supporting professional development and transitions into new roles.
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We have experience working with college student groups, newly forming teams teams, intact teams, and project teams/committees to do group level leadership development and strategy work.