Tenets of Coaching
As we begin this work together, there are some tenets I share with my clients. These are important to my practice and reflect how I show up as a coach for you. Take your time to read through and reflect on them. When you show up for our calls together, this indicates you are aligned with what has been outlined below.
Coaching with Me:
Is a co-created relationship. Leaving behind the expert-client paradigm, this work serves to empower you as an equal partner in this process.
Is founded on the idea that all people are whole, creative, and resourceful. You are not broken and therefore do not need to be “fixed”. Using the safety of our coaching container, we partner creatively and resourcefully to do this work.
Is without failure, only feedback. You cannot fail at coaching. Everything is an experiment, everything is feedback.
Is without judgement, only observation and reflection. I observe and reflect, never judge. This is part of the safety of our deep work conversations.
Is from the 30,000 foot perspective. My role is to see the bigger picture and provide the space for the courage, trust, and integration of your work.
Is simply a tool. You will be the one to change your own life. I come alongside to support with my unwavering belief that you have the power and knowledge to do it.
How I show up as your coach
My intent is always to be of service, not to check boxes.
I will never push you to a solution or feel hurt if you do not agree with a perspective I offer. This is your time and your work. The way I show up as a coach, the questions I ask, and the space I create is to serve you and your best interests.
I am responsible for creating the coaching container. You are responsible for your experience & results.
The “coaching container” is the space created for you to feel heard, supported, open, and safe. In this container, I will also take the opportunity to challenge you in a place rooted in love. You are responsible for your life and what you do with what we uncover.
I believe that people are not their behaviors.
You are the doer. The behaviors and sets of habits that we engage in have a purpose. From the neuroscience perspective, they are typically behaviors that use the least energy possible. They are not a problem until our outward goal has changed that no longer matches our behavior. I work around what is inhibiting your goal, which can be a set of unconscious patterns or habits.
I am human and also do the work.
I believe it is important for a coach to be a “product of their product”. I practice what I preach and am a work in progress, like everyone else. I partner with my own coach and am on a path of continuous learning and practicing. I will share pieces of my own experiences if I think they will serve you.
Ethical Responsibility
I am committed to “do no harm”. The coaching container is completely confidential, is client-driven, and the client has the right to end the work if/ when it no longer serves them. This also means that in the capacity as a coach, I act in the best interest of my clients first, not myself. With awareness that clients are at the whim of coaching as an unregulated industry, I am committed to the code of ethics as outlined by the governing body of the industry, the ICF.
I dedicate a portion of my time to providing free resources and pro bono coaching to those who otherwise would not experience coaching.
I am committed to coaching my clients to feel empowered and not reliant on me to do their work.
I honor my client’s experience and to meet a client where they’re at. I will only challenge if in service of the desired outcomes outlined in our work together.
MY VISION
My purpose is to create a better world through empowering individuals. By leaning into trust and bravery, working through fears and hiding strategies, we can create conditions of unlimited collective potential. Imagine a world where all individuals tap into their fullest and most impactful versions of themselves.
ICF GUIDELINES
I follow the guidelines set forth by the International Coaching Federation. Below is their definition of coaching.
“Professional coaching brings many wonderful benefits: fresh perspectives on personal challenges, enhanced decision-making skills, greater interpersonal effectiveness, and increased confidence. And, the list does not end there. Those who undertake coaching can expect appreciable improvement in productivity, satisfaction with life and work, and the attainment of relevant goals.
ICF defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creating process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential, which is particularly important in today’s uncertain and complex environment. Coaches honor the client as the expert in his or her life and work and believe every client is creative, resourceful and whole. Standing on this foundation, the coach’s responsibility is to:
Discover, clarify, and align with what the client wants to achieve
Encourage client self-discovery
Elicit client-generated solutions and strategies
Hold the client responsible and accountable
This process helps clients dramatically improve their outlook on work and life, while improving their leadership skills and unlocking their potential.”