What happens in a coaching session?
Each coaching session will be a little different, depending on the client and their unique needs at the time of the session. However, there are a number of common things that happen in a dream work achieve coaching conversation:
The coach creates a professional and confidential space – that provides you with a sense of safety and comfort, allowing you to share freely.
At the first session (or prior), the coach will clearly explain to you the difference between coaching and counselling, consulting or mentoring. The coach should also provide you with an agreement that outlines all the arrangements of the coaching engagement.
The coach will explain the confidentiality arrangements and check in with you to see if you have any questions about the coaching arrangements.
Generally when you engage the coach, you will have a specific area(s) that you want to focus on (or that your organisation has scoped). As the client, you are in control of the agenda for each coaching conversation - a good coach will meet you where you are at, work at your pace and fully respect your boundaries.
At the beginning of each session the coach will ask you to identify where you would like to focus & what you would like to achieve from the session. To get best value from a session, it is always useful to have spent some time to reflect on this prior to the session.
The coach will ask questions and actively listen to you. Some of these questions will be things that you may not have previously thought about – allowing you to generate new thinking and perspectives.
You will do most of the talking – answering the coaches questions and sharing your thoughts, reflections and learnings.
The coach may redirect your conversation at times to ensure you get the most value from the session.
At times there will be silence in the conversation – to allow you to fully think and reflect.
The coach may challenge your thinking and behaviour, to create space for you to reflect on your thoughts and actions – to facilitate your learning and growth
The coach may inquire about your past successes and what supported them. They also may ask about your strengths and how you use them.
During the coaching session – you may start see things about yourself that you were not aware of (e.g. habits and beliefs that are subconscious) – providing you with new awareness and insight into your thoughts and behaviours
Sometimes as the conversation develops – you may find that you want to change the focus of the session due to some new insight. This is ok and very normal.
Throughout the session, you will focus on your chosen area, talking through challenges and potential ways forward, in a safe and supportive space, with no judgement or consequences.
At the end of each session, you will have chosen some agreed action(s) to progress and explore. The coach may ask you to articulate them in specific detail (as this increases your likelihood of doing them).
At the start of your next coaching session, the coach may check in with you to see how your agreed action(s) progressed and explore what you experienced and learnt.
You may (as part of preparation for a session or as agreed action) be invited to complete science based exercises and assessments that provide you with research validated information – to help you better understand yourself and where opportunities/risks may be present for you
What you should never experience in a coaching session
The coach talking a lot - particularly about themselves
The coach telling you what you should or should not do
The coach being distracted and not really listening to you
Judgement (verbal or non-verbal) about anything
A conversation that has no clear direction/purpose and delivers no insight or outcomes.