The Process of Coaching

Having established the goal, the process of coaching is about helping people access or acquire the resources they need to get from A to B.

We call the tangible resources, or those things that are "external" to the client environmental resources.

The intangible resources are personal or "internal" to the client. They essentially fall into two interrelated categories, skills and abilities, and motivation.

These areas of environment, skills, and motivation provide the coach and client three entry points to help the client achieve their goal.

For example, if a client wants to be a better preacher they could:

• Make changes to their environment, such as improving the sound system, location of the pulpit etc.
• Develop their preaching skills by learning better ways to plan sermons or communicate more effectively.
• Improve their motivation to preach and preach more effectively.

Clearly these domains are interrelated and during the coaching process aspects of each domain will be explored to help the client achieve their desired level of excellence as a preacher.

>>  Appreciative Coaching: Case Example

Coaching Spiral

Is coaching directive or non-directive? As in most cases the answer to this type of question is: "it all depends." Coaching to develop environmental resources and skill development tends to be more directive or training oriented, whereas coaching in the motivational realm is open ended, exploratory and may lead to the client awakening to transformational understanding. We created the coaching spiral to describe how these domains are related and the coaching strategy that each requires.

>>  Locating Resources on the Coaching Spiral

Coaching Isn't Psychotherapy

While coaches may use many of the same techniques or change strategies as psychotherapists, such as empathic listening, reframing, goal setting, and even more complex strategies such as role rehearsal in imagination, coaching is different from psychotherapy, in large part because it has a different starting point and purpose.

The purpose of psychotherapy is to treat and reduce the impact of symptoms of mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, compulsions, thought disorders, etc. The starting point of psychotherapy is the reduction of troubling symptoms such as suicidal thoughts or anxiety. Because of the risks involved, the people who can offer psychotherapy is goverened and controlled by various State Agencies.

The purpose of coaching is to help people achieve the personal and professional lives they desire. Unlike psychotherapy, coaching does not require a "problem state" as the starting point. Our coaching clients are psychologically healthy people who are wanting more from life or who are seeking to develop the skills and abilities to enhance their work performance. Coaching is about the pursuit of life and excellence.

>>  Is it Coaching or Psychotherapy?

Check Out Our Coaching Services

Are you still wondering if our coaching would be helpful to you?
Check out our Just-In-Time Coaching Services. You can send Rob an email and request a free 30 minute session to explore whether coaching with Rob would be of benefit to you.

>>  Just-In-Time Coaching Services

Check Out Our Coaching Services

Are you still wondering if our coaching would be helpful to you?
Send Rob an email and request a free 30 minute session to explore whether coaching with Rob would be of benefit to you.

>>  Email Rob Voyle for a Free Introductory Session

>>  Obtain the Coaching Letter of Agreement

Coach Training

In addition to providing Coaching, the Clergy Leadership Institute also provides appreciative inquiry based Coach Training for those who would like to develop their coaching skills.

>>  Appreciative Coach Training

Our Certificate in Appreciative Coaching program is especially oriented toward training clergy to coach: peers, staff, and volunteers; and psychologists and counselors who are interested in coaching clergy and consulting to congregations.

>>  Certificate in Appreciative Coaching