I’ve been coaching informally for some years; and I ran a coaching group in Bristol for a year or two under the Life Clubs brand.
In 2012 I decided to get qualified; and I am about to complete the Diploma in Personal Performance Coaching run by The Coaching Academy.
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WHAT KIND OF COACHING? I help performers of all kinds who need to build and maintain a high level of confidence for their performances.
WHO DO YOU COACH? Musicians, actors, speakers.
WHERE? Face-to-face, for clients based in London or Bristol; otherwise over Skype.
WHEN? Single sessions (45-60 minutes) for specific short-term needs; four-month programmes incorporating up to six sessions plus e-mail support; and anything in between.
HOW? By providing 1:1 coaching / mentoring sessions utilising my training as a coach, my knowledge of neurolinguistic programming (NLP) tools and the DISC system of personality profiling, allied to my own years of performing experience.
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SOME MORE FAQs
What is coaching?
Coaching is a tool that is used to empower individuals and help them reach their goals; it is a structured conversation between the coach and the client.
During a coaching session your coach will walk by your side to help you to reach your ultimate goals and aspirations. They will listen to you, ask questions, find out what your challenges are and inspire you to reach that end goal.
You will be encouraged to make decisions and take responsibility for these decisions.
How do I know if coaching is right for me?
- Do you feel that right now you aren’t reaching your potential and feeling fulfilled?
- Is there a gap between where you are now and where you want to be?
- Do you sometimes feel you don’t have the skills, resources or confidence to get something completed?
- Do you feel stuck and put off from making decisions or maybe fail to stick to those decisions you have made?
- Are you ready to entertain new and fresh ideas?
- Are you willing to be accountable for what you desire?
- If you answer yes to any of these questions then coaching can most definitely support you to be the best that you can be.
What coaching is not
Coaching is not about your coach giving you suggestions or advice. They are not mentoring or counselling you.
If after commencing a series of coaching sessions it is deemed that coaching is not the correct support mechanism for you at that moment in time, this will be discussed with you in order to find a more suitable solution for you.
How does coaching work?
Different coaches use different models to structure their sessions. A widely used model is GROW: an acronym for the areas explored: Goals, Reality, Options and Way forward. This is the model favoured by The Coaching Academy, where I’ve trained.
This model keeps you moving forward towards your goal. Your coach will be asking you questions, listening to your responses, challenging you whilst all the time remaining non-judgmental regarding the details and not offering you any advice.
What will happen during a coaching session?
Coaching is carried out over the telephone (mostly Skype), or face to face.
You will be guided through a 6 point process.
- Review the previous session and the actions that you completed
- Set the goal for that session
- Consider where you are at the present moment with this goal
- Consider your options in meeting this goal
- Agree on some actions
- Summarise the session before completing the session.
Each session will typically be for 45-60 minutes. The coach will manage the timing of the session and ensure you gain full value from the session.
Who else will know what has been said?
Nobody! A coaching session is completely confidential. I myself comply with the Coaching Academy’s Code of Conduct.
What does the coach need from me during a session?
To make sure that your time is being well spent with your coach you are expected to come to the session fully prepared and with a goal or aspiration in mind that you would like to work towards.
Preparation is very important for the coaching session so you are encouraged to spend 15 minutes prior to the session taking yourself to an environment where you will not be disturbed, with a drink and feeling refreshed to relax prior to the start of the session. You will also need to ensure that you have a pen and paper to hand and any other items that you may think will be useful such as a diary.
I’d like to start coaching, or maybe just find out more. What do I do?
You just need to contact me at the e-mail address below to discuss your requirements and find out how you would like to be coached.
I will send details regarding the terms and conditions, which will include the frequency of our sessions and fees for the sessions. I’ll ask you for some basic contact information and a little bit of detail around where you see yourself at the moment.
We would then organise an ‘Intake’ session (no fee, no commitment) which will start us talking about you and your aspirations.
“At the end of the day”, as they say, it is all about YOU!
Here’s a great advert for the coaching process in general, from one of my former coaching clients: “If you’ve never done it, you have no idea how delicious it is to talk about yourself for an hour.”
Want to know more? Drop me an email: mail@michaelmacmahon.com; or use the form in the ‘Contact’ tab on this site.
All the best
Michael
(aka ‘the stranger who takes your life seriously’)