FAQ

That’s actually a much larger question than an FAQ really allows me space to answer. The somewhat vague answer is that we’re a lot of different things to a lot of different people. A bit more solid and official sounding answer as written by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) defines coaching as

[P]artnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential, which is particularly important in today’s uncertain and complex environment. Coaches honor the client as the expert in his or her life and work and believe every client is creative, resourceful and whole.”

Standing on this foundation, the coach’s responsibility is to:
Discover, clarify, and align with what the client wants to achieve
Encourage client self-discovery
Elicit client-generated solutions and strategies
Hold the client responsible and accountable

This process helps clients dramatically improve their outlook on work and life, while improving their leadership skills and unlocking their potential.

My personal definition draws heavily on that well worded and extremely specific ICF response but I would also add “helps you see what awesome stuff you’re capable of and then helps you do those awesome things.” Less articulate maybe but it’s easier.

Totally true! I am, however, looking forward to learning more about you soon. While I may have no idea what’s going on in your world (and I bet you’re way better at your current job or passion than I am) that doesn’t mean I can’t help you set and reach your goals.
A coach can be a lot of different things to different people. Some of the more popular options are:

• Accountability Partner
• Perspective Provider
• Probing/Confronting Question Asker
• Encouragement Giver
• Objectivity Haver
• Challenge Maker
• Support Structure

What would you want a coach to be in your life? What can a coach do to help you specifically reach your goals? You get to tell me what you need, not the other way around.

Sure do. Here are 7 of my favorites. (If you’re pressed for time, I’ve got them listed in order of their impact for me personally).

• From the New York Times – Life Coaches for the Entrepreneurial Set
• From the New Yorker – Personal Best
• From CBS News – Top 10 Professional Life Coaching Myths
• From Fast Company – A Look Inside the “Wild West” of Life Coaching
• From the Huffington Post – Why CEOs Don’t Want Executive Coaching
• From Quartz – Why Executive Coaching is Worth $500 an Hour
• From Side Hustle Nation – How (and why) to Find a Business Coach: 11 Entrepreneurs Share What Coaching Means to Them and How They Found Their Coaches.

Want more? How about some video?
Here’s Google CEO Eric Schmidt discussing why he thinks everybody needs a coach

I sure do but that’s a bit of a trick question for me.

I see everyone as some type of entrepreneur.

To me an entrepreneur is someone who is in charge of their future. Someone who wants to take control of their career and move it purposefully in a direction that leads to fulfillment, freedom and financial gain. Even when you’re an employee I see the spirit of entrepreneur inside of you. The official definition of entrepreneur is “A person who organizes and manages any enterprise, especially a business, usually with a considerable initiative and risk.” I would say that your life and your career would count as an enterprise with considerable initiative and risk.

While many associate entrepreneurs with start-ups and tech booms (and I’ll be damned if I don’t love clients working in just that world) I also see the spirit of entrepreneurism in everyone. If you’re motivated to create the life you want and your career/business/calling/service is a large part of that, then I would love to help you get there.

Well brass tacks are as follows.

• One 1-hour session each week, 4 times a month. (Some months there will be 5-weeks jammed in there and on that 5th week the lord said “let there be rest” and it was good.)
• Each session will focus on your personal coaching request. What are you working on? What are your goals and projects? What’s the hurdle you can’t get over, under, around or through? Who are you looking to meet or get rid of? You control the topic - I provide all the wonderful things listed above in question # 2.
• Each week we’ll create practices for you to work on during the week. These can range from “Notice when you’re doing that thing” to “Create your schedule every morning and stick to it” to “Reach out to 10 potential clients and share your website with them.”

The possibilities are endless and we’ll work together to create them for you, by you.

The idea is that through our coaching conversations you’ll gain insight around your request and then we’ll immediately tie actions to it. You can gain lots of insight from lots of places (books, webinars, speaker series, TED Talks) but without actions to hang onto the tree of insights you’re gonna be left with a brain full of wonderfully enlightened ideas and a life full of frustration that nothing is happening.

Nope. I am not a therapist. We may talk about something in your past but it will always be in relationship to your future. I am not qualified to help you with your daddy issues, your Oedipal complex or (all joking aside) any therapeutic issue. If you have old wounds that need to be handled before you can move forward then I have some wonderful therapists I can refer you to and I genuinely hope you’ll find someone who can help you with your past.

For a comparison some people view a therapist as the medical doctor and the coach as the personal trainer. A therapist will heal the wounds while the personal trainer will push you to your goals.

Therapy is an amazing tool and I think everyone should have a therapist. Please e-mail if you need a referral and you can find other resources here.

Nope. People get this confused a lot.

A consultant is an expert in something. They’ll give you advice based on their experience in an industry and advise on things you could do that have worked for them and their clients in the past. A coach is more like a tool (too easy of a joke just avoid it) to help you shift how you’re showing up to get you out of your rut and wherever you’re looking to go. A coach doesn't often give direct advice. (Some coaches will NEVER give advice and that's a bit of a hot topic in the coaching world.) A coach is trained to help you find the answers for yourself, help you see your forrest through your trees and make a permanent shift in how you show up in the world, your career, your life and for yourself.

Some people end up working with a coach for years while others will work with a coach for a period of time (particularly in a growth period of their life) and then the two will go their separate ways.

For me personally the minimum period is a 4-month contract. It usually takes about that long to really start seeing the permanent shift in your habits and patterns. This isn’t to say 1 month of coaching can’t be valuable (or even just 1 session) but there’s definitely a ramp-up period where everyone is getting into the flow of the relationship and we’re developing the basic tools you’ll use to take control of your situation and really bring about the change you’re looking for.

Amazing! Group coaching is a great way to dip your toes in the proverbial coach waters. (Coach waters, gross.)

One built in benefit of group coaching is the new built in support group. You’ll meet other people who are looking to shift their life for the better. The saying goes you’re the average of the 5 people you hang out with most…group coaching can help you get your average up.

Do keep in mind though that since we’ll be working in a group setting we wlll be focusing on the issues facing the group so there will be less direct 1-on-1 attention.

The sappy answer is that I’m always in training because continuing education is a huge part of my work.

The answer I bet you’re looking for is I trained with Accomplishment Coaching. The program was a year long with nearly 200 classroom hours. In between classroom weekends we worked on monthly practice areas and worked 1-on-1 with a mentor coach weekly to help us with training and to model a quality coaching relationship. In contrast, many other coach “training programs” are a long weekend or a week or two of telecourses. I got so much out of my program and my coach. Huge thanks to both.

I accept both Visa and MasterCard and can also accept checks (but who uses mail anymore?). If you do go a check route, please allow 7-10 business days for processing before we have our first session.

Totally fine. I am not a fit for everyone. If you’ve gotten this far and you think coaching sounds awesome but you don’t think we’re a great fit then please send me an e-mail anyway and we can chat about who would be. I know so many amazing coaches that I’d be thrilled to put you in touch with someone who is more your vibe.

Way more fun than you’d think…once you get back the fact that you look like a douchebag. (Seriously though…go do a Segway tour…it’s an amazing way to learn your way around a new city!)

No problem. Why not e-mail me directly at strother@unicorndammit.com. Happy to help and I love gettin' e-mailz. (No really.)