What coaching isn't

I was thrilled last week to get the opportunity of a coaching session with a very prestigious coach. This coach shall remain anonymous for reasons which will become apparent. They have written numerous best selling books on coaching and I thought a coaching session with them would be a great learning experience (which is was).

So the appointed time came and the phone rang. "Hello", "Hello" and so we began. Firstly this coach told me to take some deep breaths as I was probably a very busy person (have a look at my linked in profile or twitter feed and you can get that) and I needed to get in the zone. OK, deep breathing done.

Then the coaching starts (frequently peppered by swear words which I have omitted). Instead of asking me what I wanted to talk about they start by telling me that they want to get a feel for me (ok, there's a challenge, all I have said is hello). They tell me that I am very busy and have a lovely bubbly personality and that I have reached a cross-roads (Anyone coming to coaching has usually reached a crossroads so this deduction wasn't rocket science).
Yes I say I have reached a crossroads, their response "Please don't interrupt when I am talking"
"OK" and so they tell me that I need to make a choice and why is that.

As I start to explain they say "no details". Having broadly outlined what I want to do without details (well as far as I can manage) they tell me that I need to join their special programme, I'll get lots of help and support to help with me my "problem" (I didn't think I had a problem, I thought I had choices to make). Now here's the smart bit, I say "So are you going to tell me how much the course is", their response "Are you asking?" (well you've tantalised me with this special programme that will solve all my problems, oops I mean help with my choices!)
"Yes" I say.
"In that case the course is £10,000 plus VAT, are you interested?" In my head I am going HECK NO!. My silence (unless they can read  minds, which I doubt) obviously spoke volumes and they said there was another programme more suited to my budget if I couldn't afford the special programme. The less special programme was £500 and they knew just the colleague of theirs that would be ideal to work with me. Was I interested? I asked for details about the three 45 minute sessions I would get and the predicted outcomes. They briefly explain but I can tell at this point I am irritating them. This starts to show through as they tell me that I don't care enough to want to change things and that £500 would solve all my problems, when I ask how, they tell me that the coach will push me to do the things I have outlined. When I ask what would happen if I didn't feel confident doing those things they tell me I need to do them anyway otherwise I will not get the outcome. When I say no to the less special programme, their response is "You've had great value from this call and you obviously don't want to change your circumstances, there is nothing more I can do for you so we had better finish the session. Goodbye" "Goodbye".

Lets reflect on the call, yes, I did have great value from the call. It showed me coaching is about people and good outcomes and if this coach had offered me free sessions for the rest of my life I still wouldn't have taken them up. There was no synergy and I felt bullied and let down. How could a prestigious coach have such a crap coaching style.  It appeared to me that all they cared about was selling one of their special programmes to me and my outcomes were not important. Well that's not the sort of coaching I want.

I have been coached over the years by a number of different coaches, some inexperienced and learning the technique, others very experienced and very good and I would happily recommend nearly all of these to someone else.

I believe that coaching is about asking the coachee questions so that they can achieve the best outcome for them. In a series of coaching sessions, their priorities may change or they may have things they struggle with. My job as the coach is to help you see a way round those obstacles and leave you feeling that you can achieve a great outcome for you. That you can make good choices. I know this might not be everyone's idea of coaching and that the more bullish, tell them what to do style, suits others but I would be the wrong coach for you.

So there it is, I learned a lot during the call, probably not the things they wanted me to but they have moved me forward, in that I am very clear of the type of coach I am and that I would never have a so-called coaching call where the aim was solely to sell my products. My advice to you if you are looking for a coach is to have a chat with them beforehand, see if you like what you hear, how do you feel having spoken with them and are they going to be able to help you move forward apace. We all need help and support and someone to help us see the best way forward and a good coach will help you achieve that and much, much more. If you don't find someone the first time, keep trying. Me, I am going to phone a good coach who I will enjoy working with and who has my best interests at heart, I still have choices to make.