Coaching & mentoring

One-to-one support and guidance

First of all, what is coaching? Well, it can be defined in a number of ways. The facilitation of a performance. Helping others to improve. Learning and development through perhaps half-a-dozen structured, confidential one-to-one sessions. Sessions that typically last around an hour and focus entirely on you.

Mentoring is slightly different. It usually draws on and shares the relevant experiences of the mentor who may have worked in a similar environment. The relationship with a mentor is often longer term. Otherwise, coaching and mentoring can be similar and the terms are often interchangeable.

But neither are about telling you what to do. Or supervising you. Or prejudicing your thinking.

The benefits of using a coach include:

• Improved performance
• Personal development
• Improved life balance or time management
• Feelings of empowerment
• Increased motivation
• Helping the “coachee” to learn for themselves
• The vocalising and sharing thoughts: “a problem shared…”

The coaching formula

And for the mathematicians out there, we like coaching by the formula:

Pf = Pt-I

Where Pf = your level of performance, Pt = your “potential” and I = “interference”.

In short? By looking at improving potential and reducing interference, we see improved performance.

It’s worth bearing in mind that coaching is not always appropriate. When there’s a high level of urgency or where training is required to learn a new skill. It’s also less effective where actions may be governed by regulation or, for example, where counselling or therapy may be what’s needed instead.  Give us a call 020 8238 8730 to have a chat about your situation. We’d be happy to talk it over and see if coaching is right for you.

What you need to make coaching a success

And what would you need to being with you to a coaching session? That’s easy. Bring us an issue you’d like to address. Bring your desire to learn and develop. And always be open and honest.

Not too much to ask?

If you’d like to have a chat about one-to-one coaching or mentoring give us a call on 020 8238 8730.