Got Questions? Excellent.

 
Let's do a little Q&A and see if we can clear them up. If you don't see the answer you're looking for here, write me an email.

Q:

What is leadership coaching, anyway?

A:

Wow, we're starting with the easy questions, aren't we? Well, I'll do my best on this one, but trust me when I say coaching is much better experienced than explained. So the best way to answer this question is to jump on a call with me and let me show you.

While you're waiting for that first phone call, though, let's give explaining coaching a shot:

Coaching is fundamentally a partnership between coach and client to serve the client's needs. That means that you, the client, have something you want to do, work on, or figure out. Then it's my job as a coach to help you get clarity on:

• What you want
• What it means to you
• What's standing in your way
• And what you're going to do about it

 
After that, it's your job to go to something about it, and my job to continue supporting you in that action.

I'm trained in the Co-Active model of coaching, which addresses both actions and feelings required to make change. Some types of coaching are very action-based, strategically-focused, and tactical. Those types are great for making a plan to go out and get something done, and we'll certainly cover some of that in our sessions. The power of the Co-Active model of coaching really shines through in our human moments, though. For most of us, despite being excellent at "doing", there will come a time when we just can't manage to take that first step. When we get hung up on ...something... that just keeps us stuck in place and no matter how much we look around inside ourselves, we just can't see what that something is. Co-Active coaching helps dig into the feelings, attitudes, and other emotional stuff that wants to keep us where we are.

One of the most important tenets of coaching is that both coach and client are an important source of knowledge. I love this because it means that you get to be the expert on you, which you most certainly are. In our coaching, I'll be there to ask you tough questions and reflect back to you things that fall into your blind spots. Then it's up to you to tell me what's going on with you.

Q:

What will I get from working with a coach?

A:

Everyone gets something slightly different from working with a coach. Not to get too cute about it, but it kind of depends on what you were looking for in the first place. Some people find value in having someone to hold them accountable. Other people just need to talk out loud with another person to be able to piece together the puzzle. It really depends.

My favourite thing about coaching when I've been a client is that it means I set aside time to work on the most important asset I have: Myself. Now, that might sound a bit conceited, but I mean it in the most innocent sense. You are the one person who is most invested in your life and who has the most power to turn it into whatever you want. With coaching, not only do you make time to work on yourself, you get help from an expert team: You and your coach. That's a powerful combo that can really take you places.

Q:

Hmm, Ok. Can you give other examples of things I can get leadership coaching on?

A:

Sure!

• Figuring out how to lead while still feeling like you and not just assuming a stereotypically male leadership style
• Having too many amazing projects and activities to do at work and in life and feeling conflicted about which ones to choose
• Learning how to influence and interact better with your boss to get what you need out of work
• Setting boundaries at work and saying no to projects that won't take you where you want to go
• Trying to make some room in all of your busy-ness to have a life
• Puzzling out what the deal is with that vague feeling that you hate your work

So there's a good starting point to give you a clue about the kind of things you can work on with a coach. But...

I have a sneaky feeling that you already kind of know what you'd want to work on. What did you google before you got to this site? What were you hoping Google would send your way?

Let's coach around that.

 
Email me about it! I'd love to help where Google let you down.

Q:

How much time is required for coaching?

A:

The honest answer is: It depends on a variety of factors:

• What you want to work on and how complicated it is
• How much work you put in during and outside of our sessions
• What new information shows up for you during our coaching

Q:

Well, I'm a pretty fast learner, so we can get it all done in one session, right?

A:

Haha, maybe! But there's a good chance it'll take longer. Think about it this way: If it were an easy fix, you would've done it by now. Often in coaching we come up against beliefs and behaviours that you've spent your whole life learning and practicing. These habits and views take time to create, and it'll take time to replace them, too.

Q:

So, how much does coaching cost?

A:

Great question! Unfortunately, it's not one I can answer blindly in an FAQ on my website. The coaching work I do is tailored to the individual and my pricing structure is too. I don't really offer 'standard packages' because people don't come in standard packages. If you're thinking about coaching with me and wondering about price, I'd invite you to book a call or meeting with me and we can answer this question together.

Q:

Where do we meet?

A:

I prefer to meet in person at my home office in Downtown Vancouver. I think you get more out of coaching when you're face-to-face with another human being. Besides that, my office has amenities that just can't be beat: an extensive selection of teas, freshly fizzed soda water, and three adorable cats that serve as my coaching assistants.

If that's not your bag, or you're not a YVR local, I also offer coaching over phone and Zoom.

Q:

Other than pay and show up, what else do I have to do?

A:

You have to be ready for things to be different in your life. Ultimately coaching is about creating movement towards something you want. Now, this doesn't mean you have to be ready to do a complete 180 or that you need to throw out every single thing about the way you live right now. Coaching might lead you towards a big change like taking a totally new direction with your career, or it could mean something as small as a shift in the way you think about the interactions with your boss. One thing is sure though: You won't leave our coaching relationship the same way you came into it.

The other thing you'll have to do is...homework.

I know, you thought you were done with that years ago when you finished school. Me too, but here we are.

The good news is that this homework will be different than school homework was. First of all, it's about you, so the subject is more interesting than those 10th grade history readings about Louis Riel. Second, this homework will directly apply to your life and be useful in your day to day. Can you say that about memorizing the parabolic formula? Didn't think so.

One thing the homework does have in common with school, though, is that it's where a ton of the learning and growing happens. It's where you test things out, see what mysteries you haven't unraveled yet, and find your own revelations. You just can't replace it with time spent sitting across from me. So, it's kind of a big deal.

Q:

And results are guaranteed, right?

A:

Nope! I'll be right beside you as you do the work, but ultimately, the results depend on you. I will promise that I'll put in as much effort as you do, though. So the power's in your hands. Let's see how far you can go!

Q:

How do I know if you're the right coach for me?

A:

In the words of a wise, wise man:

If you like pina coladas
And gettin' caught in the rain...

 
Woah, whoops! How did Rupert Holmes hack my website...again? That guy is incorrigible...

But seriously, as cheesy as it sounds, choosing a coach is something you do with your heart. Yes, even a Leadership Coach. If your heart's a little quiet on the matter, here's a couple of good indicators you've found the right coach:

• I've made you laugh at least once in this FAQ
• You have an issue that you want to solve
• You like what you've read so far on my website about coaching
• You're curious enough to send me an email and schedule a conversation

The best way to know if you connect with a coach is to talk in person or over the phone. So let's set up a meeting. The first one is on me. I want to know all about what you want to work on, what you're hoping to get out of the coaching, and what you're feeling a little freaked about.

Q:

How do I know you're not some untrained rando that just decided to put up a website and call herself a coach?

A:

I love the skepticism! It's important to know what you're buying, and coaching is an industry with more than a few "self-declared" coaches. Luckily for both of us, I'm not one of them!

I was trained with the Coaches Training Institute (CTI) in 2015. CTI is a great coaching school, and was actually the first program to be certified by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), which is one of two major certifying bodies for coaches. I'm currently working on my PCC professional designation through the ICF.