What is performance coaching?

Performance coaching is a mixture of many things. There are elements of psychology, philosophy, communication, but most of all performance coaching is understanding and helping. Performance coaching is the coaches taking the skills that he or she has crafted, nurtured and refined and successfully applying them to the individual clients situation.

Why do people hire coaches?

Individuals and businesses hire coaches for a myriad of reasons. Sometimes it's a role of guidance and understanding or to help with motivation and inspiration. For some people they have a fear of failure and they like the idea of someone that has been through the experience of pursuing success many times and in many different ways and environments. The reason why most people hire coaches is to have someone supporting them or their team in the pursuit of increased productivity and success.

Where does a coach focus their coaching efforts?

First and foremost, coaches should direct their efforts to the needs of the client. This is why it becomes difficult to outline a specific plan of attack, as every individual situation is different. The coaches initially direct their efforts to finding out what it is the client wants and why. The coach should question the outcomes of those discussions, so as to make sure for the clients that, what they say they want, is truly what they want. Once the outcome has been established the coaches job is to create, develop and instigate a process or a plan so as to accomplish the desired target or outcome.

How do coaches help their clients move forward?

A coach will as an overall direction help the person reach their true potential. Foremost working towards their true potential is a step up from working to their or others expectations. Most clients are usually an untapped resource as far as working at or near their true potential. A good coach will raise the level of confidence and self esteem within clients so that they can see the opportunities that exist for them and the talent they posses to enable them to reach newer and higher levels of performance.

What are some of the areas that performance coaches work on?

Once again each situation is totally unique. However the types of areas that we may help in are:

• Getting out and staying out of your comfort zone.
  
• Setting and pursuing realistic and achievable goals.
  
• Identifying and implementing change.
  
• Creating performance based processes.
  
• Identifying and pursuing your individual description of success.
  
• Breaking through external and internal pressures.
  
• Creating a success oriented environment.
  
• The difference between outcome and process.
  
• Working beyond your expectations and towards your potential.
  
• Becoming an active participant in your own life.

What type of people do you work with?

• Business owners
  
• Young people
  
• Housewives
  
• Sports people
  
• Company executives
  
• Students
  
• Parents
  
• Sales people
  
• Sporting teams
  
• CEO's
  
• Older people
  
• Tradesman
  
• Business teams
  
• Teachers
  
• Sporting coaches
  
• Individuals, teams and businesses that want to be the best that they can be.

What is your greatest asset as a coach?

Experience. I have been coaching for the past twenty years. In that time I have developed and refined many skills and attributes. But I believe my strengths lie in the following areas

• Personality. I am a pretty easy guy to get along with.
  
• Communication skills. I know how to listen.
  
• Perception. I know how to help people realise REALLY what it is they want.

What typically do you discuss in a performance coaching session?

That is absolutely up to the client, as you are the one in charge the coach is just a resource to help you get to where it is you want to go. But like it or not, a lot of the topic of conversation is you!

• You update the coach on where you are at since you last spoke.
  
• You discuss issues and seek advice.
  
• You discuss and develop strategies and processes to reach desired outcomes.
  
• You talk about your fears and develop ways to reduce them.
  
• You discuss the motivations in your life and ways to develop more.

Shouldn't I be able to get a friend or relative to help?

There are probably issues where a friend or a relative could be very advantageous. But in an overall perspective you will need professional help. Coaches have experience in many different areas and this experience is what will differentiate them from friends or family.

In some cases the coach will need to confront you on certain issues, there will be times when the coach puts you in situations that take you out of your comfort zone. These and many like situations are why you need independent professional coaching.

How do I know that putting money into coaching is a decent investment?

The truth is, you won't really know until you try coaching. But let's look at it this way. You will never invest money in a better product or item than yourself. The single greatest gift you can give yourself is to work at being the best that you can be. There is a price to pay, both in money terms and in time. But it is what I call the "Gucci Approach." That is, "After the price is forgotten the quality still remains."

Does performance-coaching work?

What clients and potential clients are just starting to know and understand? Athletes have known for years. That consistent well-founded and directed advice, support and help can go along way in you becoming the best that you can be.
The basis for a good coach-athlete relationship is honesty and trust; the same rules apply in performance coaching. If with your current or potential coach you feel as though you cannot be totally honest with them or you feel as though you cannot trust them, then the performance coaching will probably not work. In these cases it is better to cut the ties early, this is in the best interest of both parties.

How does the coaching actually work?

We have prepared a separate section that overviews the various contact methods that are used and incorporated into the performance-coaching program. As with every aspect of our performance coaching, if the outlined methods are not convenient or not workable, please contact us so that we can make the necessary arrangement to facilitate your needs.

Why does coaching work?

Because there is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. I have always said that two heads are always better than one, but only when they are headed in the same direction. That is the reason why coaching works. It is because it is a number of people working together towards a common outcome. It is because you have at your disposal, a resource that has belief in you and a belief in the fact that you posses the ability to achieve the goals that you have both set about developing. It's about discipline of daily action because you know that someone who cares about what it is you do, is relying on you doing what you have to for you.

How do I get started with the performance-coaching program?

Please contact us.