1. International Coaching Week 7th - 12th February, 2011.
International Coaching Week (ICW) is a weeklong celebration of the coaching
profession held each February since 1999. The ICW is a designated time for coaches
and clients to educate the general public about the value of working with a professional
coach and to acknowledge the results and progress made through the coaching
process. During this week, coaches around the world are offering a variety of activities
and pro bono services in their local communities to share the value and benefits of
coaching. This is a unique opportunity to promote a relatively new and lesser know
profession in Ireland while at the same time having a positive impact on peoples’ lives
during a very difficult period.
So what is coaching?
One of the most frequent questions asked is what is coaching and how does it differ
from counselling or other professional interventions. Coaching is defined by the
International Coach Federation as “partnering with clients in a thought provoking and
creative process that inspires them to maximise their personal and professional
potential.” Coaches recognise that clients are the experts in their own lives and they
provide a safe environment to support, stimulate and challenge clients to find their
unique solutions that are right for them. It deals with the present, the here and now. It is
forward moving and goal oriented and makes the key assumption that the client is more
than capable of finding and using the resources he/she needs to achieve a satisfactory
outcome.
How does coaching differ from other helping professions? Consultants very often give
leads, advice and their expertise. Trainers help clients to develop new skills and
evaluate the results. Counsellors help clients deal with a personal crisis by going back
into their past. Psychotherapists help clients heal wounds from the past and reach a
level of acceptance. Coaching is very different, it is forward moving and very focused on
helping the client find the solution for themselves. Sometimes coaches have to make a

2. decision on the appropriateness of their role, given the circumstances surrounding the
client’s issue.
What are the benefits of hiring a coach?
Individuals who engage in a coaching relationship can expect to experience fresh
perspectives on personal challenges and opportunities, enhanced thinking and decision
making skills, improve interpersonal effectiveness and increase confidence in carrying
out chosen work and life roles. Consistent with a commitment to enhance their personal
effectiveness, they can also expect to see appreciable results in the areas of personal
effectiveness, personal satisfaction with life and work, and the achievement of
personally relevant goals.
Many businesses have increasingly turned to coaching to help meet the variety of
challenges that face today’s managers and executives. Coaches assist individuals
within an organisation as well as entire organisations, to achieve increased
performance, improve retention and morale and develop greater employee commitment
through helping individual employees to find greater satisfaction in their roles.
There are many different areas of coaching such as life, business, career, education,
social, unemployed, wellbeing, retirement etc. Some coaches are generalists while
others specialise in particular areas.
So how do you choose a coach?
The most important thing to look for in selecting a coach is to find someone with whom
you can easily build a rapport. It is important that the chemistry is right between the
coach and the client and many coaches arrange a pre meeting with the client to
determine if there is a good match between them before indicating that they will take on
the assignment. In some instances, the coach may decide that a particular person is not
right for them and refer them on to another coach. The client should ask a prospective
coach about their experience, training, credentials, speciality, the method they use and
examples of coaching success stories.

3. Like all professions, it is critically important to ensure there are very high standards
within the coaching profession. The International Coach Federation which was founded
in 1995 is the leading global organisation dedicated to advancing the coaching
profession by setting high standards, providing independent certification and building a
worldwide network of coaches. The ICF is the voice of the coaching profession in over
90 countries around the world. In Ireland , there are four main associations –the
International Coach Federation ( ICF ), the Association for Coaching ( AC ), the
European Mentoring and Coaching Council ( EMCC ) and the Life & Business
Coaching Association of Ireland ( LBCAI ).
Each of the four organisations has its own membership structure, with requirements
regarding hours and content of training, level of coaching experience and further
development. They each have a code of ethics and a complaints procedure.
The first challenge for the coach is to ensure that he or she is in the optimum state in
order to do their best for the client. Secondly, the client identifies the topic he/she wants
to cover and the outcomes he/she requires from the coaching session. The coach
spends a considerable amount of time with the client on defining the coaching contract
and very often the more time spent on contracting, the more insights emerge about the
specific issue being discussed. The coaching contract becomes far more complex when
there are multiple parties involved such as organisations and companies.
Confidentiality must be maintained between the coach and the client ; what is discussed
may not be divulged unless with the permission of the client or by them.
The coach then assists the client to develop greater awareness and insights into the
issue through questioning and direct communication. There are no judgements, so the
client has the unrestricted freedom to express his/her views. The coach will endeavour
to use a style that is resourceful and helpful in moving the client forward. The coach will
clarify with the client early on as to the most appropriate role for the coach that is helpful
to the client. During the session, the coach will check back with the client on the original
contract so as to ensure whether it is still valid or needs to be revised. The use of
questioning, reflection and intuition are used to help new insights emerge for the client.
There are no quick fixes for arriving at satisfactory outcomes and in some instances it

4. may take three to four coaching sessions before a breakthrough happens. At that stage,
it is critical for the client to take responsibility for the implementation of his/her actions in
resolving the specific issue.
So why do people seek the services of a coach?
Results from a survey conducted by the ICF and Pricewaterhouse Coopers in 2009
indicate the following reasons; self-esteem / confidence, career opportunities, business
management, relationships, work performance, interpersonal skills, communication
skills, wellbeing, team effectiveness, personal organisation, time management etc. The
areas with which most people identified were self-esteem / confidence, worklife balance,
career opportunities, business management, relationships and work performance. In
deciding on the key attributes that are important in selecting a coach, the coach’s
confidence, personal rapport and personal compatibility were the key requirements. The
effectiveness of the coaching process was also identified as extremely important.
What are people looking for today?
They are seeking meaning and purpose at work. They want to look after their families
and to have hope for the future. They are trying to deal with falling standards of values
and ethics in business and politics. They have no trust in leadership .They are in a state
of fear. Dr Susan Jeffers wrote the book ‘Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway` in 1987. She
outlined in the book how you can turn your fear and indecision into confidence and
action. Her simple but profound techniques are as relevant today in working through
your fears which will always be with you but can be overcome if you choose to do so!
John Condon is a Business & Career Coach & Mentor and is Managing Director of John
Condon & Associates Ltd which specialises in Leadership Development, Human
Resources, Coaching and Communications. Johnfcondon@eircom.net. 087 2842125/
052 6181500.