Coaching

What is coaching?

The International Coach Federation (ICF) definition of coaching is:

Professional coaching is an ongoing professional relationship that helps people produce extraordinary results in their lives, careers, businesses or organisations. Through the process of coaching, clients deepen their learning, improve their performance and enhance their quality of life.

In each meeting, the client chooses the focus of conversation, while the coach listens and contributes observations and questions. This interaction creates clarity and moves the client into action. Coaching accelerates the client’s progress by providing greater focus and awareness of choice. Coaching concentrates on where clients are now and what they are willing to do to get where they want to be in the future. ICF member coaches and ICF credentialed coaches recognise that results are a matter of the client’s intentions, choices and actions, supported by the coach’s efforts and application of the coaching process.

'Life is a path that you beat as you walk it' Machado

What are the benefits of coaching?

• Gives you time and space to think through issues
• Focuses on enhancing your performance
• Helps you to identify and achieve your goals
• Is forward moving and action-orientated
• Helps you articulate what you want and unleash the means to achieve it
• We help you to recognise what is holding you back and then move you forward
• Completely confidential

Coaching can be done face to face or by telephone.

Coaching can be arranged to fit in with your needs. For example:

• an initial session (ideally face to face) followed by four one hour telephone coaching sessions, with a final two hour review session
• face to face – four 2 hour sessions
• a single coaching session if you are facing a crisis or seeking clarity on an issue

The Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development’s factsheet on Coaching gives helpful advice on deciding whether coaching is right for you.

As members of the International Coach Federation and European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) our work is regulated by their standards and code of ethics.

For coaching specifically for HR directors, practitioners and HR Teams see Coaching for HR

This article from People Management highlights the benefits of a coaching programme for the HR Leadership Team at Ealing Council: Ealing Council 'transformed' by coaching .

Also read: HR Professional Excellence

"Thanks for your coaching, Hilary, which has been an inspiration! You seem to have a very special way of listening, often helping me to see things in a new way and always helping me feel safe to explore scary topics! I particularly appreciated your warmth and sense of humour, which combines so well with your occasional, well-judged challenge to help shift my habits of thought. You really have helped me to move a long way very quickly at a difficult time - thanks."
Dr A S, Consultant, London

"Many thanks again for your time and work over the last few months - I have found it very useful and 'nourishing'."
JD, Headteacher, Hertfordshire

"Throughout the coaching I received from Hilary, I found her to be professional, her questioning insightful, and she always worked to my agenda. I would not hesitate in recommending Hilary as a Professional Coach."
JY, Web Developer, London