about coaching

Frequently Asked Questions

What will we talk about on the first call?

This is really a get-to-know-you chat. It’s a chance for me to learn who you are, what’s important to you, and why you’re interested in coaching. You’ll have the opportunity to share any big goals or challenges you’re facing. And of course, you’ll have a chance to get to know me a little bit too. 
 
I’m happy to answer any questions you have about coaching or what it would look like for us to work together. Sometimes we might even do a bit of on-the-spot coaching. I encourage you to talk to a few coaches before making a decision because chemistry is so important! More than anything this conversation gives us both a chance to see if we’d work well together.

What are you like as a coach?

I like to say I’m a heart-centered coach because I bring a lot of heart into our relationship. I invest the time to really get to know my clients deeply and make myself available between sessions for quick check-ins, or an in-between coaching session. I care so much about my clients, their organizations, and the success of both. I meet my clients with deep listening, actively asking you to further define and explore, so we can find patterns that might help you make progress. I’ll ask powerful questions, give some observations and ask you to dig deep to get to the heart of your values, beliefs, and mindsets, so we can support your transformation as a person and as a leader. The work can be challenging at times, such as asking you to consider viewpoints you may not have thought about previously. 

I can be direct in my inquiry and feedback, yet it comes from a place of empathy and respect. The feedback I hear from clients time and time again is how genuine, authentic and supportive I am. I’ll be your biggest fan! I’ll celebrate you and your wins. Throughout our time together you’ll learn how to coach yourself, because the goal is to enable you to do this work on your own. And my proverbial door is always open after our engagement ends – I’ll be there if you need me.

Are our coaching sessions confidential?

Yes, our coaching together is confidential. As an International Coaching Federation (ICF) professional, and certified PCC Coach, I abide by the ICF Code of Ethics (you can find the full Code of Ethics here). It provides for “protection of information obtained around the coaching engagement unless consent to release is given”. You, of course, are welcome to share whatever you’d like about our coaching together.  

If your organization is sponsoring your coaching, your agreement may indicate that I will share your participation level and overall goals with your HR Partner and your Manager (if you have one). I do encourage you to share your lightbulb moments with some key colleagues or partners, so they can support and celebrate you! However, the content of our conversations is confidential, with a few notable (and extraordinary) exceptions. If I were asked to legally testify, I would need to do so. And if I felt that you might harm yourself or another person or entity, I would also be free to disclose this information. With that said, I’ve never experienced any of the above-mentioned situations.

What’s the difference between coaching and therapy?

Leadership coaches are (usually) not trained psychotherapists. We focus on you as a person and as a leader, and focus on the present and future, including your goals and objectives. There’s an assumption that someone is a fully functioning adult. We do look to the past to gain information about underlying causes (what has or hasn’t worked) but we don’t deal with trauma or go deep into your psyche. Sometimes, we can bring up a topic that might warrant further discussion with a trained therapist. If that’s the case we’d have that conversation and you would pursue that work on your own, either at the same time as our coaching or while we take a pause if the issue is standing in the way of our work together. 

What if we start together and we’re not a good fit?

This is a voluntary relationship and if it’s not working even after we make adjustments, we’ll close our engagement together! I want you to get the best possible coach for you. I’d do my best to help you navigate to someone who would be a better fit for you. 

Do you do other types of coaching?

While our main focus is leadership development, we understand that there’s always overlap with life! So we do some personal coaching along the way. We have some experience with transition and succession coaching. We have deep expertise in career coaching and on occasion do this as well. Our sister company, The Coaching Cottage, focuses on coaching and supporting women at the intersection of life and everything else. 

What levels do you coach?  

I have experience coaching at all levels. My main focus is coaching executives, which, depending on the size and type of the organization, might include the highest two or three tiers of leadership. When I run leadership development programs I’m often found coaching and working with earlier and mid-level leaders – which I love!!! I enjoy the strategy, complexity, and organization-wide issues my clients are dealing with. Many of the people I coach are in some sort of transformation, whether that’s a new role or project, coming into a new team, planning for or implementing a merger or acquisition, or planning to move to the next level.

Have you coached someone in my industry at my level?

I have coached, consulted, taught, or facilitated in almost every industry, across the globe and with nonprofit and government entities and individuals. I’ve coached people from age 17 to 92 and have done career, leadership, executive, and life coaching. The majority of my work is in leadership and executive coaching these days, though life and work are not separate, and when we coach around work, we coach the whole person, which also involves life outside of work.

How soon could I see results? 

After your first session, I hope! My wish is that you have at least one insight about yourself as a person or leader and around the situation, we’re coaching every time we meet. Additionally, you’ll be taking on practices that we co-design together (don’t worry, you’ll pick this up super easily). So you’ll be continuing your coaching work between sessions, which opens up the possibility for new insights, behaviors, and shifts almost every day. Coaching will naturally increase your awareness of yourself and what you are learning throughout our time together.