How would you pick a Life or Business Coach?

How would you pick a coach? word of mouth, search engine, or an advertisment? I am amazed how often people pick a coach with little or no thought about how effective the coaching relationship will be. I found the following article by Lisa Brooks; she makes some interesting points and I would me interested in your experiences of picking a coach, how it worked out and what would you do differently in the future. So, over to Lisa.....

Coaching services abound on the internet, and since the internet is not the same as stepping in to a coaches office where you have the in person feel or feedback of your surroundings, it can be difficult to figure out if the coaches website you are looking at is legitimate. There are certain things you can look for to determine if the coach you are about to hire will provide you with quality service.Is there a contract? For your own protection and the protection of the coach, check to see if the coach has some sort of agreement which outlines their services and your rights as a consumer. A contract will set forth the expectations of the services offered, give you a guide to how the service works, and details what to do or if you will be charged if you need to cancel the session.Are the sessions recorded? Coaching is meant to be private and confidential, but it is very helpful to have a log and recording of your sessions. It protects the consumer from being over billed, and also gives an extra security measure which protects you against any rare disputes with your coach. Its like having an over sight committee available to protect both the client and coach from any possible misunderstandings. If your calls will be recorded for this purpose, it will generally be listed in the terms of the contract. If it is not, ask the coach by email, or look for a policy on their website that addresses how they handle this topic, and how the time is logged per session.Does the coach provide home work or an action plan? To make the most out of the time that you spend with your coach, and to maximize and measure your growth as it relates to your goals, does the coach provide homework or an action plan of things you can do between sessions? Assignments stimulate your mind and also force you to be accountable to your goals, so a coach who can provide extra assignments gives you something to focus on to enhance your learning experience and achievements.Look at the coaches credentials and biography. Coaching is not a regulated field, and literally anyone who has extensive knowledge or experience in a given topic can put up their shingle as a coach. But not all expert chefs can teach novices to become gourmet cooks and not all experts in their fields make great coaches.Look for things like their background information, how long they have been a coach, where they were trained, if they have any certifications in their field, and is there personality compatible with yours. Check their facebook, linked in, or other social media networking websites for their profile to get a larger feel for the coach as a person. After all, although it will be a professional relationship, you will be providing very personal information about yourself to a total stranger.Keep in mind that you are hiring a professional not a friend or confidante. Coaches should have professional ethics just like doctors and other service-oriented professionals. Most coaches will answer questions like are they married or single, but will not offer up personal details beyond the mundane. Its important to find a coach who knows their boundaries and who won't cross ethical lines. After all, the time spent with your coach is all about you and nothing else.Hiring a coach can be a life-changing and very rewarding experience. By taking a little extra time to research your options, you can find expert coaches that will provide you with a wonderful gift of knowledge and help you move in the direction you want to go in a way that is productive and is quality based.Lisa Brooks is a freelance writer and web master of work at home for the visually impaired a website which provides telecommute options for individuals with visual disabilities. Read her blog at http://www.wahvi.blogspot.com/

Do people need to be happy?

There are lots of articles telling us that it is important to be happy. Is it important? If so what makes you happy or is it ok to be "happily unhappy"?

I had a call to ask " was Mozart happy?" Interesting question.

Do you need to see more clearly?

One evening I was having a quite drink when I was introduced to a friend’s colleague. As some point in the conversation he asked what I did for a living. So I told him briefly that I coached individuals and business leaders.
His reply was swift and dismissive: “I cannot see how you make a living doing that. I own my own business and I cannot see what coaching would do for me”.
I smiled and congratulated him on his success. I decided that a long conversation about the merits of coaching could wait for another day. Sometimes even coaches need a break. However, it reminded me how often the people who may benefit most for coaching react in a defensive manner when coaching is mentioned. Of course he may have achieved his goals and was now content. Some how, I doubt that was the case.
If the time and the place had been conducive for a chat I would have said that coaching helps develop self-awareness and confidence. My clients often remark that they see significant improvements in the following areas of their live:
Learn to solve own problems
Improve managerial and interpersonal skills
Have better relationships with colleagues
Learn how to identify and act on development needs
Have greater confidence
Become more effective, assertive in dealing with people
Have a positive impact on performance
Ability to see new perspectives
Acquire new skills and abilities
Develop greater adaptability to change
Improve work-life balance
Reduce stress levels
Generally more contented
Feel that their lives are moving forward positively.

If my friend’s colleague had the chance to reflect on the above check list and feel able to answer the questions in a safe environment I would what he would have said?
Try it for yourself; you might be surprised at the answers.

Our deepest fear ......................

I just remembered this quote. I think it has great depth and power.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us."-- Marianne Williamson, and repeated in Nelson Mandela's speech

"Poor is the man whose pleasures depend on the permission of another" - Madonna Ciccone

What are your plans for today?

I wonder how close you are living your dreams. Make a list of what you will do this weekend. Then on the back page list all the things that you would do this weekend if you could. Interesting reading?

When did you last pause to think about what you want?

Are you facing up to a major career change in your life?

Every so often we're hit by the urge to change jobs and for a lot of people since the global economic downturn, enforced job change. Particularly in the case of redundancy the future may look very frightening. This is specially if you have been in the same role and/or company for some time. I do not need to rehearse the reasons for this, as you will know them well.
The solution to this problem is manageable although still hard work. The solution is to remember to break the problem down into manageable sections.

Do you/can you replicate your old job?

What do you really want to do?

Is this an opportunity to consider if you are happy with your life style?

What are your strengths, capabilities and assets?

What are your transferable skills?

How long will your severance money last?

Look at your budget. Is there a way to cut back and take the pressure off, or allocate some funds to a special project?

Think about what may be standing in your way of achieving your chosen path. What would it take to remove those barriers? It can be a very exciting time when you approach job change in an enlightened way. The secret to success is to explore a range of options. To give yourself the time and space to think about your core values and aspirations. If there were no barriers, what would you be doing in six months time? When you take the time to dream, you will discover that you are qualified for many more opportunities than your CV/resume or your current mind set would allow you to believe.
If you would like a confidential no cost consultation about how one t0 one coaching can help your career or personal growth – call 07790126264 or email paul.ainscough@fiducia.org.uk.

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What time did you get home?

Working late again?
Work couldn't survive without you? May I suggest that you put down the Blackberry and write down what would happen if you were on a desert island for two weeks unable to communicate. What would happen in your office? Who would pick up the pieces? What could your team handle that you've never allowed room for? How productive were you in that last hour of work?
Here is the challenge: send me your list as a comment.