Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I need a Coach?
“A coach is someone who tells you what you don’t want to hear and has you see what you don’t want to see, so you can be who you have always known you can be.”
Every great performer, whether you are an elite athlete, business expert, or an international superstar at some stage, will need a mentor, coach or advisor.
A good coach helps you to focus on your goals and understand what’s holding you back and what needs to change or improve to achieve them. They will work out an action plan with you, make you accountable and support the process.
Can leadership be taught?
Leadership can only be mastered by practice. It is a process whereby an individual pursues a vision by exerting a positive influence on those around them to contribute their efforts to their full potential in realising that vision.
Good leadership starts with good self-awareness. Once people understand how they instinctively behave, feel and think in different situations and recognise how their style impacts those around them, they can adjust their behaviour to get the best out of others. This is the part of leadership that can be developed through coaching.
What is Individual Executive Coaching?
It is a high-impact process that empowers CEOs and other business leaders to understand their challenges and use their strengths to find solutions so that they can grow as leaders and grow their businesses.
Executive coaches help their clients by:
- Serving as a trusted adviser and mentor who supports the executive in developing strategies to solve their problems and ultimately achieving peak performance.
- Providing structured and focused conversations (and sometimes role-playing) to help them improve their job performance.
- Helping the executive manage stress, feel more self-confident, and develop practical leadership skills.
- Holding the client accountable for taking necessary actions to reach their goals.
What is the Difference Between Coaching and Therapy?
Modern Leadership Coaching is founded on the principles of Positive Psychology, which focuses on the positive things that make life worth living. The Coach encourages clients to draw on their strengths to formulate successful action plans.
This is in contrast to traditional psychotherapy, which focuses on traumatic experiences in the past and the effects they have on a patient’s current situation.
Some contemporary psychotherapy models, like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), have much in common with coaching. Both guide clients to think in positive, practical, and realistic ways and implement new behavioural patterns to support their growth and success.
Who can benefit from executive coaching?
Virtually anyone with a challenging career can benefit from executive coaching. Most often, these are corporate executives, professionals, business owners and people at different stages of mid to senior management who want to advance professionally. Coaching also benefits people pursuing personal growth or navigating difficult professional or personal change.
Why is Critical Thinking important for Leaders?
The quality of leadership is tied to the quality of a leader’s thoughts. By developing Critical Thinking skills, leaders take a more analytical approach to problem-solving by elevating their thinking above the assumptions and unconscious biases that hinder good decision-making.
Most importantly, it impacts how they communicate and engage with peers and those they lead, improving performance and outcomes.
Critical Thinking allows leaders to:
- Embrace and implement change
- Inspire those around them
- Create a vision and get buy-in
- Understand how to get the best out of individuals and teams
What results can I expect?
Educating yourself and your team to change and adapt behaviour in different situations creates a better organisational culture and a more agile workforce.
Clients who have undergone training in critical thinking and unconscious bias report a significant improvement in team performance and confidence.
What should I look for when selecting an executive coach?
Finding a good coach is like finding any professional service provider. Firstly, it should be someone with whom you feel comfortable and safe. Coaching requires a lot of vulnerability as you open up about problems, inner thoughts and feelings.
Secondly, it should be a professional with a good depth of experience. Unless you genuinely respect the coach’s skill and competency, it will be tough to accept guidance and advice.
ThinkSpace Director Jaymini Mistry is one of Australia’s most qualified practitioners of DISC and Motivators and Critical Thinking psychometric profiling. She also holds a Masters in Change Innovation and Leadership and a Masters in Positive Psychology. And is an Advanced Certified Practitioner by the International Coaching Federation.
Is coaching confidential? Will my company know what takes place in our sessions?
Coaching sessions are entirely confidential. We ask your colleagues and other stakeholders to provide feedback on your progress, but we do not reveal anything you ask us to keep confidential. An exception can occur in some instances when your company is paying for the coaching. Your company may have a policy requiring that some details be provided upon request, for example, whether you are attending all the sessions and making good use of them. If your company will be paying for your sessions, we can help you determine what, if anything, must be disclosed.
What areas will you coach me in?
- Your observable behaviours – how you are seen by your peers and team
- Your personal value system – the principles or ideals that drive and influence your behaviour. This often reveals what is meaningful and essential to you.
- Your learning style – what is your instinctive way to absorb and integrate information?
- Your emotional intelligence – people with high emotional intelligence know what they are feeling, what their emotions mean, and how they can affect others.
- Your unconscious bias – the learned stereotypes that are automatic, unintentional, deeply ingrained, universal, and can influence your behaviour.
Can you also train my people?
Yes, in fact, we believe that training your team is as important as coaching you.
You’ll be amazed at how much enthusiasm and commitment comes from your team as they experience each of our training programs.
How much will this cost?
Your investment depends on the size of your business and the scope of the coaching based on the goals you want to achieve.
For a complimentary 60min discovery session, please email us: [email protected]
Talk to Think Space Co today.
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