Curious about coaching? Discover what coaching is, how it works, and what you can expect from your sessions. I’ll break it down in simple terms, provide easy-to-understand examples, and share a case study to bring the coaching experience to life.

I remember the first time I felt truly stuck in my career. I had all the skills and knowledge, but something was missing. That’s when I discovered coaching, and it changed everything.

By engaging with a life coach near me, I was suddenly much more able to see who I was, what my value was, and where I wanted to go. In the short term, it helped me find a new job, which in turn led to much improved progression, and ultimately, it led to me building up the skills and expertise I needed to make a career shift to coaching many years later. Without coaching, I don’t know that I’d be where I am today. I am truly grateful for that experience, and I know for a fact I’m not the only one to have had this kind of life-changing experience.

So, what exactly is coaching, and why is it such a well-kept secret?

For such a transformational exercise, many are still unclear on what coaching is and how it can help them. That’s why I’ve put together this article to help break down what it is, how it works in practice, and why it can be so beneficial.

In this article, we’ll cover:

• What is coaching?

• How does it work?

• What forms of coaching might you already be familiar with?

• What do life coaching sessions look like?

• What is the role of a coach?

• What is the role of you, the client?

• A case study to show you coaching in practice

What is coaching?

As stated on my summarised What Is Coaching? page, “Coaching is a powerful tool for personal and professional growth, helping individuals achieve their goals, fulfil their potential, and improve their overall well-being. Whether you’re looking to manage stress more effectively, build resilience, or explore other areas of personal development, coaching provides the structure and support you need to succeed.”

I’ve often referred to coaching as the bridge between where you are and where you want to be. I’ve heard others call it the streetlights that illuminate your journey. In the very simplest terms, coaching is a tool that helps you identify what you want to change and helps you make that change.

How does it work?

Coaching is usually about the relationship between two people: you (the client) and the coach.

Together, you will explore what areas of your life you would most like to change, firstly by identifying where you are right now, then where you’d like to be, what strengths will help you make that change, and what barriers will prevent it. The coach, in essence, works as a mirror, reflecting back whatever they see and hear. This helps you to step out of yourself, step away from your existing beliefs and thought patterns, and identify what you need to do differently to reach your goal.

The coach then helps you to put together a plan to achieve that goal. They will help make sure that your plans and next steps are motivating and exciting, but also realistic. It’s pointless having a plan that you don’t want to follow through on, or one that you won’t be able to give attention to when life gets in the way. From experience, a failed plan can be more demotivating than not having one at all. Together, you and the coach will find your way to a plan you want to follow through on, and will follow through on, with the coach helping to keep you accountable along the way.

Sound like something you’d be interested in? Check out my Services page to see my offering.

What forms of coaching might you already be familiar with?

The most well-known form of coaching is sports coaching, and the general principles apply to both that and life coaching.

Take Pep Guardiola. As of October 2024, he is the Head Coach of the Manchester City football (soccer) team. In the 8 years before Guardiola joined, the team won 6 trophies, including 2 Premier League titles. In the 8 years since Guardiola joined, he has won 15 trophies, including 5 Premier League titles and their first-ever Champions League. His City side has broken all kinds of records, including most points for a Premier League side and breaking the record for most goals in a season three times.

In that period, Guardiola didn’t kick a single football on the pitch. He also did not teach his Man City players how to kick a football; they’d have been “taught” that at a young age, before he ever met them. What Guardiola does is create an environment for success. He helps his players to maximize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. He creates routines and clarity so everyone knows what is expected of them and how to get to the next level. He challenges them when he feels they have something holding them back, encourages them when they need a lift, and calls out things he sees them do well.

That is the same as in life coaching. A coach isn’t going to live your life for you; that’s all on you. They also won’t be able to “teach” you anything. If you want to learn a new language, they won’t start educating you on how to speak Mandarin. But what they will do is understand you, help you to understand yourself, and help create an environment where you can be the best version of yourself.

What do life coaching sessions look like?

Coaching sessions vary depending on the coach, but I will focus on the most common experience you will have as a client. This will also match my own approach to coaching sessions, which I explore further on my Services page.

Coaching starts with a one-on-one Discovery Call. This is rarely charged for (I offer free Discovery Calls, for instance) and is your chance to get to know the coach, and vice versa. This time helps you to identify if this is the right coach for you, and for the coach to understand how they might best support you.

Once you’re ready to begin, coaching can take place in a group setting, but usually is one-on-one. Coaching sessions can last between 30-60 minutes, and personally, I offer them for a full hour. They can be face-to-face or online coaching sessions, but I primarily offer virtual coaching sessions. I find that any rapport lost by not being in person (and from experience, that is minimal) is more than offset by the convenience to the client of not having to travel, as well as having access to a greater range of coaches. (Interested in how to find the right coach? Read more: How To Find The Right Coach).

Sessions between coach and client are confidential and focused on you. The coach will ask questions to help you better understand where you are and where you want to go. If they hear something that could be holding you back, they’ll address it in a sensitive manner. If they hear something that will help you reach your goal, they’ll call it out to make sure you see it as well. Together, you will build a plan that will have simple yet motivating steps to gradually take you towards your ultimate goal without ever overwhelming you.

If we return to the previously mentioned GPS analogy, the coach is Google Maps. Google helps you to understand where you are, and if you tell it where you want to go, it can help you find the best route. What it can’t do is drive the car for you. You are the driver.

Ready to book your free, no-obligation Discovery Call? Get in touch now to start your coaching journey!

What is the role of a coach?

The coach is there to be neutral. They aren’t a friend or family member who has a stake in your actions; a coach won’t benefit or suffer from whatever you do. That’s a good thing. It means they are there exclusively for you without having their own opinions or biases.

The coach will use this neutrality to actively listen to what you say and ask questions around what they are hearing. They won’t tell you the answers or guide the conversation to where they want it to go; they will focus on you; your needs, your goals, your progress.

A coach will challenge when required, particularly around what we call “limiting beliefs.” These are things you may not realise you have, but by truly listening to what you are saying, a coach can help you unpick them. A good coach will always be sensitive to your experiences and respectful of your beliefs, but also unafraid to let you know when they see something that might be holding you back.

Similarly, a coach will listen out for your strengths, particularly ones you may not have noticed or that fit within your value system. It’s easy for us as individuals to hyper-focus on our limitations, but a coach can help you see what skills and experiences you have that will serve you well on your journey.

But above all else, a coach is there for you. They will adapt to your needs and support you in the way you need to go. Coaching is about you, not about the coach.

What is the role of you, the client?

To be you.

That sounds simple, but it’s harder than it seems. Society, our loved ones, the media, they all have a way of telling us what they expect of us. But coaching isn’t about what others expect of you. Coaching is about you, so be you. That means your goals, but also your anxieties. Share when you have concerns or if something is getting in the way. Help the coach to help you by being open, both in terms of where you’re going, but also if you’re feeling stuck where you are.

Although coaching is about you, you won’t be expected to have all the answers. You don’t have to enter a coaching session with an agenda or a fixed idea of what needs to be discussed. You can prep as much or as little as you want for each session. Share where you are and what you are looking for, and the coach can help you along the way. This is your journey, and no one can walk it for you, but a coach can walk alongside you, lighting up the path as you go.

Sound exciting? Check out what I offer at my Services page and get started today.

How many sessions will it take?

It depends. Some clients come to me with a very clear idea of where they want to go, and the goal is very achievable. They don’t waver on their plans, they follow through, and life doesn’t slow them down. Those clients can conclude their coaching journey in a few sessions.

For most, it takes a bit longer than that. Some clients come to me not knowing what they want to work on, just that they want to work on something. Others have a clearer idea, but when they begin, they want to focus on something else. Some will achieve their original goal, but then choose to start on a new one. As your coaching experience is unique to you, how long it takes to get to your goal will depend on you.

I appreciate that is a vague answer, but what I can say is that from experience, it can often take around 12 sessions to conclude a coaching journey. That allows space to build rapport, to understand where you want to go, why that goal is important to you, to create the plan, and then to gradually work through the plan over a period of time. It also allows for goals or circumstances to change. 12 sessions won’t be the answer for everyone, but by around 12 sessions, the value of the initial coaching sessions will likely have begun to evolve to how you can continue towards your goals without the need for coaching.

That is an important point; coaching isn’t meant to last forever. A good coach will never want their client to become reliant on them. It’s about creating an environment for the client to succeed, but also the tools to continue succeeding after the initial purpose of the coaching journey has waned.

Coaching in practice: A case study

By now you should be getting a sense of what the coaching experience is like, but let me share a case study with you to help bring it to life.

Alex (not their real name) came to me after being made redundant and struggling to find a new job. They felt overwhelmed and didn’t know where to start.

We began by understanding their situation and identifying what they wanted in their next role. This included their values, desired salary, and preferred job types. We also explored their past experiences to highlight their skills and suitability for new roles. This shifted their mindset from “I need a job” to “I need this type of job, and this is why I’m suitable for it.”

Next, we broke down the job application process into manageable steps: building a base CV, researching roles, evaluating opportunities, prioritising applications, and submitting them. This made the task less daunting.

Alex also struggled with anxiety and low self-esteem due to their redundancy and job search, and found it was impacting their mood, their relationships, and the quality of their applications. We began working on a plan for how they would build “relaxation time” into their daily routine, allowing them the space to recharge and minimise stress. They went from feeling “all of my energy is taken up by my failing attempts to find a job” to “I spend time during the day looking for a job, but I also spend time enjoying my life as well.” That felt more empowering and calming.

In the end, Alex found a new job.

Not every coaching experience will be like this one. Some will be simpler, easier, or more linear. Some will start from a more confused starting point, but gain focus over time.

But what this example shows is how coaching evolved depending on their needs, and ultimately had greater impact than just their original plan of finding a new job. They didn’t just get any job, they got one they wanted and were well-suited for. They also limited the impact of this journey on their mental health, invested time in themselves and not just their pursuit of a new job, created routines that they continued into other forms of their life, and improved their self-esteem.

And most importantly, they did it. I didn’t tell them how to find a new job, because my way of finding a job might not work for them. I created the environment for them to succeed, I helped them find the tools that were already within themselves, but they found their new job themselves.

Maybe you aren’t looking for a new job. Maybe you are looking for a Stress Management Coach. Maybe you’re looking for a Career Development Coach, or a Personal Development Coach. Maybe you don’t know what you want to be different, just that you need it to be different. For a coach, the destination doesn’t matter. It’s your destination after all. But we’re here to help you get there, supporting you in whatever way we can.

Top three takeaways:

1.     Coaching is a powerful tool for personal and professional growth: It helps individuals achieve their goals, fulfil their potential, and improve their overall well-being by providing structure and support tailored to their needs.

2.     The coaching process is collaborative and personalised: It involves a relationship between the coach and the client, where the coach helps the client identify their goals, create actionable plans, and stay accountable, all while maintaining a neutral and supportive stance.

3.     Coaching adapts to individual needs and evolves over time: Whether you’re looking for a new job, wanting to overcome stress, or aiming for personal development, coaching can help you navigate your journey, overcome challenges, and achieve your desired outcomes.

Ready to transform your life? Book your free Discovery Call today!