Q: What's the difference between organizational coaching and individual coaching?

A: For the individual, coaching is a powerful relationship with a singular purpose: to move you from where you are to where you really want to be. The coaching process is about you as a whole person; your values, goals, work, balance, fulfillment, and life purpose. A coach works with you to discover the deep truths about who you are, what makes you come alive, and the life purpose you were created to fulfill, then designs with you achievable, accountable goals and structures to get you moving powerfully toward that purpose. Coaching is all about pursuing and achieving your deepest dreams, discovering your life purpose, and learning to craft a fulfilling life based on the freedom of being your truest self, no holds barred.

In an organizational setting, the objectives are quite similar to one-on-one coaching, but the skill set and approach are different. Rather than be in exclusive service of any one person, the coach's focus shifts from the individual to the team itself. In essence, the "team" becomes the client, and the coach brings all of his training and expertise to bear in service of that team's unique needs, goals, culture, and purpose. In team coaching, the work is designed to optimize the organizational system through transforming the culture. Old habits, norms, and perspectives are challenged. New beliefs and agreements along with new ways of being and doing business are established--not by the coach per se, but by the team itself. This level of creative commitment and ownership by the team ensures that the changes--even difficult ones--remain long after the coach is gone.

Q: What qualifications should I look for in a coach?

A: Coaching is a rapidly growing field, and although use of the word "coach" is growing in popularity, most people are still somewhat unclear about what qualifies someone to use the title of coach. In response to this issue, the International Coach Federation (the dominant governing body of the coaching profession worldwide) has established a rigorous set of standards and certifications to distinguish professional coaching from other disciplines such as consulting, mentoring or counseling. When searching for a qualified coach, then, here are some questions you should ask before signing someone on:

• Are you professionally trained by a coach training organization that is accredited by the International Coach Federation (ICF)?

• Are you an ICF-certified coach? If so, what is your level of certification (Associate, Professional, or Master)?

• How long have you been coaching professionally?

Q: What does the coaching process look like?

A: Both for individuals and teams, the coaching process begins with a Discovery questionnaire that clients complete, followed by an initial Discovery session, which generally takes place by phone (buy may also be in person) and lasts between 90 minutes and 2 hours. This initial session is designed to jumpstart the coaching relationship and get the client moving immediately toward positive, meaningful actions that produce authentic change.

After the initial Discovery session, Coaching sessions are typically scheduled three times each month, and each lasts 45 to 60 minutes. The sessions are all by phone unless the coach and client plan otherwise. Sessions generally begin with a report on your progress from the previous week, and end with a clear set of action steps you choose to take in the week ahead. Between those two benchmarks, the coach engages the client in an intentional, strategic, transformational conversation designed to inspire the client to explore his or her issues and life from new or unexpected perspectives, thus opening the door to new possibilities, actions and accomplishments. The coach provides a safe, courageous environment for client to take meaningful risks, be authentically transparent without fear, and strengthen his or her capacity for success both as a leader in the world and as a follower of Christ.

For team coaching, the process varies widely depending on the specific needs and requests laid out by the client. For a more detailed description of the team coaching process, visit our Team Coaching section of the website. 

Q: What are the benefits of coaching?

A: Coaching tends to lead to higher productivity (wouldn't we all like to get more done!), increased focus, accelerated learning and a more balanced and fulfilling life. Several studies in the organizational world have confirmed that coaching more than pays for itself in increased productivity. Below is just a sampling of results from several studies that confirm the benefits of coaching:

• A Metrix Global global study of Fortune 500 executives found that coaching produced a 788% Return on Investment.

• The Manchester Inc. study found an average rate of return on investment of 5.7 times the cost of the coaching. Key benefits of coaching included: Productivity (53%), Quality (48%), Customer Service (39%), Retaining executives (32%), and Bottom line profitability (22%).

• Investigating the effect of following up training with coaching, Olivero et al. (1997) found that training with coaching was four times more effective than training alone in increasing performance.

For more information regarding the effectiveness and impact of coaching on individuals and organizations, see our selection of Coaching Research Articles.