I should add before you read this, this post is a list of personal reflections and not at all intended to be preachy. I write here for me, if you find any use in these learnings then great but please don’t take these as rules, this is merely my spurious thoughts on my coaching practice over the last few months.

Sharing is caring, as a coach we are taught the session is all about the coachee, coachee led. This must not come at expenses of how we coach. We should be open and honest about ourselves, this deepens the relationship which makes coaching more likely to be successful for the individual, the team and the organisation. Share a bit of you in coaching, particularly during contracting.

Don’t be constrained by the ICF competencies, learn them and work with them to start but then move beyond them to what is best for the client and for you.

Do the simple stuff: Organise yourself

Have a book or stack of papers for each client where you keep your notes and thoughts. This will help you follow up in coming sessions.

Manage the time in the session

Outcomes, Outcomes, Outcomes drag the coachee back to goals, outcomes on a regular basis.

Can you coach someone you don’t like? Yes, and it can be quite useful to help you operate as an empathetic provocateur. To challenge more.

Discuss your relationship often

Be creative, coaching is a thought provoking creative process. Create things together as coach and coachee, steal like an artist, borrowing tools and techniques. BUT do the basics well, create a thinking environment first.

Create the coaching space you want to be held in, positive, open minded

Invest in you, learn

Reflect regularly, I have only recently started more regular supervision and find it highly valuable. As well as reflecting prepare yourself well. Are you in the right state to coach?

Gather feedback

Have a strategy, what type of coach are you?

Listen wider, think systemically

The accountability lies with the coachee, remember this. Beware of saying “we”

Let clients go, don’t be tempted to extend the relationship for you

No coach is perfect, keep going and you will succeed