What is your definition of coaching?
Coaching is a unique relationship that enables the client to clarify his goals, the strenghts he has to reach them, the blocks that might holding him back from reaching them, and to set up an action plan to succeed. The role of the coach is to support and challenge his client during this process.
What is the main benefit of coaching ?
When we keep all our ideas for ourselves, we stay with one vision, our vision. This is ok for minor decisions. But when we are confronted to major changes or challenging situations that can potentially affect our life, it is important to discuss with someone else. Naturally we talk with members of our family or our good friends. And very often we are disapointed. Because those relatives have their personal agendas, expect things from us, want things from us, we don't feel really listened and understood. A professional coach has no agenda. He is trained to listen, to ask powerful questions, to challenge our answers, and to help us make a decision based on our real needs. The main benefit of coaching is that it helps the client see his reality differently, from someone with no other agenda than his client's.
What is the purpose of coaching in a company ?
Identify the key behaviors that no longer fit the company's objectives. In private coaching, it is the same ! identify the behaviors that no longer fit our personal objectives. A good example of that is information retention. Some employee unconsciously act like that because they want to punish the company not to reward their hard work. When they understand that they go nowhere with this type of behavior, they start to change. Remember, we need to change our attitudes and behaviors first in order to change our character. People who believe the contrary cannot change, because their always think: "I am like that !".
What is the first thing you do when you start working for a company ?
I always try to know as much as I can about the company: history, products, markets, teams, habits, behaviors. That helps me coaching people more effectively. When I have an flexible mission, like for instance :"help us define a set of values for our company", or "help us improve our management", I start by meeting with the CEO and the Executive team and ask them this question : what is your vision for the company ? A vision is something very simple that must connected with the day to day business of the company. It is very surprising. Sometimes they have the answer, sometimes they don't ! Then I meet with as much people as I can inside the company and I try to understand where they are, if they are clear about their mission, if they like what they do and the people they work with, if they understand the value of their job, if they have unfulfilled expectations...From that, I can start to make proposals to the Executive team, and we can start to work.
How can I know if coaching is for me?
When inside of me there is a contradiction or a question that I feel I cannot solve by myself. When I feel it is time for me to change but I find it difficult to initiate this change. When I am challenged in my relationships with others or someone in particular. When I feel stuck without knowing why.
What main tools and techniques do you use in private session?
Some coaches are specialized in one technique that they use with all their clients. I don't do that. During my certification I have been trained to one technique called breakthrough laser coaching. This is very powerful and insightful for the client. I use it as the background, a philosophy, a framework for my sessions. But I don't limit myself to this technique. The value of coaching is to open possibilities. To do so, the Coach must be totally open to his client's needs, and not be the prisoner of one technique. Most people come to coaching because they need to talk, to be listened and validated, and certainly not to receive an assessment. That is the reason why I mix the Energy Leadership approach, the transactional analysis concepts, Process Communications concepts and assessments, the Art of relationships theories and approaches, some NPL... I have all those wonderful tools in my box that I did learn during my certification or through great books of modern and cognitive psychology, and depending on the needs of my client, I bring them out during our sessions.
What is the main challenge in companies ?
A firm is an addition of very different people, with very different backgrounds and very different expectations. Those people didn't choose each other, but they need to work together. Working days are long: eight or nine hours. It is difficult to always step back, not overreact, not take things personally. Some people have very high expectations for their jobs, and are highly emotional about doing good, or their personal achievement, or not betraying one of their value. I very often compare the corporate world to a drama piece: each one wants to play his role. The role of the leader is to promote a climate where there is a balance between personal expectations and the common goals of the company. This is a main challenge, and this is tough !