Technical Competencies
Communication
Communicating effectively is an important aspect in coaching. Coaches communicate openly and clearly. Their communication is effective because they are aware when to use silence, listen effectively, use powerful questioning and communicate directly. Coaches use powerful questioning that helps the client to explore beliefs and perspectives, obtain clarity, discover ways of resolving and facilitate learning. The communication style used by successful coaches is often open, flexible, non-offensive and confident.
Coaching Methodology
Since coaching is a field which is integrated from various branches of knowledge such as psychology, sociology, neuroscience, etc, there are many models and methodologies which are used by coaches. Many coaches choose or derive their own models or methodologies because it portrays their learning into effective practical and workable model which serves as the best approach for practice.
The Orange Academy uses the DANCE methodology which is a step by step process in facilitating deep-rooted changes in individuals.
Scope of Coaching
A successful coach has a clear understanding regarding the scope of coaching. Coaching is not a substitute for counseling or psychotherapy. Though coaching is a broad spectrum and aims to help individuals discover their potentials and work on their goals by focusing on the individual's strength, it does not stretch beyond its scope to solve problems such as psychiatric problems affecting an individual's life. The coach either refers such clients to relevant intervention or disqualifies such clients from coaching. A coach is aware of and follows the professional standards of coaching which includes the guidelines, scope of coaching, professional candor and ethics of coaching.
Structuring the Coaching Journey
While structuring the coaching journey, the coach ensures that a professional relationship is set between the client and the coach after having discussed the needs of the client and the goals to be achieved. Both the coach and the client are clear on the purpose of coaching, the expected outcome and the desired results of the client.
The agenda for coaching is set based on the client's need and not on the coach's proposed agenda. However, the coach plays a significant role in providing a structure for the coaching journey. Structuring facilitates the client to move forward, know where the client is currently, what changes are necessary to make progress. This serves as a map for the client that helps both the coach and the coachee to evaluate progress. During the whole journey of coaching the coach ensures that the client care is rendered consistently while maintaining a constant professional conduct.
Entering into a Coaching Contract
A coaching contract is formed once the coach and the client arrive at a specific set of objectives to be met, mutual expectations from the potential contract, conflict of interest clarified, checking of boundaries and goals to be achieved. The coaching areas may differ in terms of psychological, professional or administrative. However, once these aspects of contract is determined, the coach enters into a professional contract with the client with the documentation or discussion of other elements of contract such as the number of sessions, the frequency of sessions, the duration, location and learning tools or methodologies.
Facilitating Self-Awareness and Learning
The coach may use various tools, techniques and strategies that support the client in achieving the desired outcome. This is done after explaining the nature of these tools, techniques and strategies to the client. An effective coach is one who is able to adopt the right tool for building self awareness in each individual client according to their need. A highly competent coach knows which tool is suitable for each client type. To build self-awareness in a client a coach may choose from wide range of psychometric tools such as MBTI, Big 5 and DISC and life balance wheel, 360 degree assessment, etc.
The aim of these tools is to help the client to explore beliefs, perspectives and identify strengths, weaknesses, potentials and behaviors. It will further help the client to understand if these factors are interrelated which may affect their choices, actions and behaviors. Once self-awareness is achieved the client is facilitated to come up with ideas and solutions for improving performance, effectiveness or attain the desired goal. The coach may give inputs or insights if asked for.
Planning and Accountability
Planning refers to the steps the client would focus and work on to achieve the set goal or derive the expected outcome. It is the stage which lies in between the where the client is now and where the client would desire to be. In fact it is initial stage required for change without which it would be difficult to proceed. Here the role of the coach is to help the client draw a plan independently, encourage self-discipline, take responsibility and be accountable.
The most successful coach is one: i) who respects the client's thoughts, ideas, perspectives, beliefs, shortcomings, learning style and fears; ii) who ensures that each sessions turns out to be a positive one for the client; iii) the client is independent throughout the coaching journey; iv) who is flexible in moving back and forth in coaching stages for better clarification and efforts v) who is confident and supportive till the end.
In this process both the coach and client hold themselves accountable to do their jobs effectively. The coach helps the client in reviewing the progress, take feedback and identify gaps and obstacles. The coach positively challenges the client to facilitate progress and stay focused. Once the desired results of the client are met, the coach acknowledges and celebrates the client's success.
Knowledge of Psychology and Neuroscience
A successful coach is one whose knowledge is not limited to coaching alone. The most efficient coach is one who has a broad spectrum of knowledge from psychology, neuroscience, sociology and organizational psychology.
An effective coach is one who has both self-awareness and awareness of others which is the fundamental to coaching process. An effective coach is able to assess an individual's thoughts, feelings and behavior as well as his. The coaching process involves various behavioral dimensions and understanding them is essential to know how certain changes takes places and why some doesn't. A psychological knowledge will enable the coach to assess and apply methods and techniques for behavioral coaching. Similarly, the knowledge of neuroscience enables the coach: in knowing that consistent learning is essential for human brain to grow and become productive, in understanding certain behavior patterns and habits, and repetition is important way of learning. The knowledge of sociology and organizational psychology helps the coach to understand group behaviors, work place behaviors and different aspects to improve performance in organization such as motivation, working together, etc.
Knowledge of Specialized Coaching
As stated earlier, coaching is a broad field and there are specialized areas of coaching such as life coaching, executive coaching, spiritual coaching, cross-cultural coaching, divorce coaching, etc. Most commonly coaches are specialized either in one or two areas of coaching since each spectrum of coaching is broad and requires in depth knowledge and practice to become an expert.
The Orange Academy is specialized in providing coaching in two areas: Executive Coaching and Life Coaching.
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