A big fat coaching Q&A

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A couple of weeks ago I did a little Q&A over on Instagram about coaching. I answered all of the questions in an IGTV video, but it struck me that it might be useful to share those questions and answers here on my blog, too.

And so that’s exactly what today’s post is going to be - a big fat coaching Q&A! Hopefully it’ll give you some insight into my style of coaching, who it’s for, and what it’s like to work with me. And if you’re left with any questions at the end of this, please feel free to drop me an email at sophiecliff@live.com, or book a discovery call so we can chat!

How did you get into coaching?

This is a pretty long story, but let me give you the short version! Coaching has been a fairly recent pivot for me, having spent the first decade of my career working in sales and marketing for big companies like The Walt Disney Company and Hallmark. However, a big part of my previous roles has always been managing a team, and at my last job I was responsible for the development of over 80 members of staff, so I’ve definitely been building this skill set for a while.

My decision to retrain as a coach came as a result of a lot of soul searching and re-evaluation following a very tough year in 2016. It was a slow process that started with working with a coach myself and figuring out how I wanted to spend my days and the impact I wanted to have, before completing an Advanced Life Coaching Certificate last year and setting up my own coaching practice. 

Since then I’ve worked with over 20 1:1 clients, delivered lots of workshops and developed a variety of online courses and programmes, and I find finally took the leap to run this business full time in November 2019. 

What’s your approach to coaching, and how does it differ to that of other coaches?

This is a tricky question to answer, because honestly, my approach will differ depending on the needs of the client. While some coaches work to a set formula or programme, I prefer to get to know the client first so that I can figure out what they need and also understand their preferred learning and communication styles. This helps me to tailor the sessions in a way that provides the most value for my clients, and also helps them feel valued and listened to.

That being said, there are some key concepts that underpins all of the work I do, including helping people to identify their values and use them to inform decision making, prioritising a good balance of both work and lifestyle goals, and working on building a positive and resilient mindset. Plus, I’ll always be down to earth, honest and operate in a confidential and trustworthy way. 

Do I need to get a plan of action together before working with a coach, or will a coach help me to do that?

This is probably the question I get asked the most, and I understand it because I had the same concern when I was working with a coach. I think we sometimes feel unqualified for coaching unless we have a specific plan of action that we want to work on, but the truth is, working with a coach will probably help you to identify that a hell of a lot more quickly.

So, in short, the answer is no, you don’t need to have a plan of action or a “thing” that you want to focus on, simply knowing that you want to make some sort of change is enough. I spend the first 2-3 sessions with each client getting to the heart of what’s going on for them and building a vision for the future, so all you need to be able to articulate is what’s going on for you right now, and where you’d love to see some improvements. Then we get cracking on making a plan together!

Do I need to prepare anything before entering a coaching relationship?

As mentioned in the answer above - no! The only thing I would say is that in order to get the most from any coaching relationship, you need to be committed and ready to put the work in. That might mean committing to trying new mindset tools, being open to approaching things in a slightly different way, or actually prioritising the time to show up wholeheartedly for our sessions together. If you’re ready to start making change happen, then you’re ready to work with a coach. 

How do I know what type of coach I need?

This is another popular question, and again, I get it, as there are so many different types of coaches out there now! The best advice I can offer is to think about what it is you want help with or the area of life you’re looking to change. So, if you know that you need help improving the marketing for your small business, a digital marketing coach might be a perfect fit for you, or if you want to pivot your career, there are career change coaches who specialise in that.

However, if you’re trying to make a broader shift in your life, or you’re not quite sure about what changes you want to make just yet, a coach will a more holistic approach will probably work better for you. The reason I market myself as The Joyful Coach, instead of focusing on just business or life coaching, is because I believe all of the areas of our life are interconnected, and so therefore, I like to take broader approach with my clients and help them to deliver changes that improve their happiness and satisfaction across the board. 

Can a coach act as an accountability partner?

Absolutely! Coaching is great for anyone who needs a bit of external accountability as we’ll check in on your progress towards any actions in each session. It can also be great if you’re the sort of person who likes to process ideas by talking through them, but want to do that with someone completely neutral, as opposed to a partner, friend or parent. 

Is coaching just for business owners?

Nope, not at all. While lots of my clients are business owners or have a goal of running their own business one day, I’ve also worked with lots of people who are just looking to make some positive changes in their life, whether that’s changing career, working on a big goal like saving for a house, or simply changing their mindset so they can start to appreciate all of the great stuff they already have in their life. 

I work full time, is coaching still an option for me? 

Yes! I have availability on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, and a handful of Saturday morning slots each week too, so hopefully there will be a time that works for you around your full time job. In terms of the actions to be completed in between sessions, we set these together, so if you know you have a busy period coming up at work, we can make allowances for that. 

If you have any other questions about coaching then please do get in touch! And if you’d like to chat a little bit more about whether coaching could be a good fit for you, then feel free to go ahead and book a discovery call - I have two slots available for people looking to get started straight away, and I’m also starting to take bookings for Q2.

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