What is coaching?
How does it work?
How does coaching benefit the student?
How does confidentiality work with coaching?
How much do parents have to know about their child’s coaching?
Is coaching very expensive?
How long will it take to see results?
Is there a guarantee?
How do I get started?
What is Coaching? - According to the International Coaching Federation (ICF):
“Coaching is an on-going partnership that helps clients produce fulfilling results in their personal and professional lives. Through the process of coaching, clients deepen their learning, improve their performance, and enhance their quality of life. Beginning with the client’s desires, coaching uses reporting, exploring, and a consistent commitment to move the client forward. Coaching accelerates the clients’ progress by providing greater focus and awareness of choice. Coaching concentrates on where the clients are today and what they are willing to do to get where they want to be tomorrow.”
People usually equate coaching and college with athletics-primarily Football and Basketball. The coach is the guy roaming the sideline wearing a windbreaker, baseball cap and holding a clipboard. But if you think about it, the athletic coach’s job is to develop the individual player into being the best player they can be and to mold a team into a winner. A personal coach has a similar goal-to develop a student into being the best they can be and mold them into a winner. We think Bill McCartney said it best and it pertains to personal coaching as well: “All coaching is, taking a player where he can’t take himself.”
Coaching is not a new phenomenon; it has been around for years in the business world and then developed to cover many personal areas like health/fitness, relationships, and dealing with major life transitions. Now the coaching concept has taken the world of higher education by storm. Combine today’s global perspective and intense competitive environment with high drop out rates, information overload and enormous college expenses, it makes sense that a student who is committed to not just surviving but thriving, turn to a personal coach to gain an advantage over their peers and to provide an impetus to excel.
How does it work?
Each coaching session builds on the last. The coach has sessions with the student over the telephone at an assigned time every week. The student also receives unlimited e-mail and text message support. Further, the student will receive access to educational and self help materials supplied by the coach. Before a coaching session, the student will be asked to complete a short assessment that helps the coach understand what they want to focus on. This assessment will be the foundation for the session, although we can work on any topic the student feels is important. The coach and student will develop an action plan that the student will have to work on before the next session. It is the student’s responsibility to complete the action plan and it is the coach’s responsibility to hold the student accountable for its completion.
How does coaching benefit the student?
The benefits of a student working with a coach are immeasurable! Coaching is a method to reach into the lives of young people and draw out of them their best. It is a way of connecting with them on their level. The student gets undivided attention on their individual needs. Synergy is created during coaching sessions between the coach and student that creates momentum and moves the student forward. Many students have reported a renewed sense of energy and purpose when it comes to their studies. They have learned to manage their course workload better which has resulted in higher grades. Further, they have gained confidence in their ability to deal with problems, make important decisions, and manage the stress that occurs with living away from home. Finally, they have reported feeling more comfortable on campus, are active socially and having fun!
How does confidentiality work with coaching?
What a student discusses with a coach remains between the two of them. However, there are limits to confidentiality, ethically a coach must report illegal activities to the proper authorities and is bound to decline cases beyond his scope of expertise such as diagnosable mental conditions. The coach adheres to the ICF Code of Ethics and supplies a copy to the client.
How much do parents have to know about their child’s coaching?
If a third party such as parents or guardians are paying for the coaching service, they will be provided with monthly progress reports, explaining what is trying to be accomplished, the action plan used and progress made. Other than that, it is up to the student to tell them about their coaching session. Parents often can be a great source of support and the coach may encourage the student to talk to them about their coaching experience. However, strict confidentiality will be observed in terms of private information passed along during a session. Coaching provides a “safe space” or what we call an “inspirational space” where the student can reflect on what is happening in their lives and express their concerns and ambitions.
Is coaching very expensive?
Compared to the overall cost of a college education and the value the student will be receiving-coaching is very affordable! It is an investment in YOU, THE STUDENT. The results of one-on-one coaching have a lasting impact greater than any self-help book, tape or seminar. You and/or your family are (or are about to) spend tens of thousands of dollars investing in a college career, isn’t it wise to enlist the services of something as powerful and cost effective as coaching that will greatly increase a positive return on your investment?
How long will it take to see results?
A typical coaching commitment will last a minimum of three months. It is felt that tangible results can be expected after this time frame, which, coincidently, is about the same as a semester. However, some students and parents have seen significant improvement after the first month. It usually takes 21 to 28 days to form a new habit, which will then need to be constantly reinforced and affirmed. Many students and parents have found the support and structure coaching provides so valuable that they have stayed on for two years or even more!
Is there a guarantee?
It is important to know that the student drives the agenda, sets goals and defines success. Therefore, the student must commit 100% to making coaching work for them. If the student is not determined to put the effort into the coaching partnership, then no amount of help the coach provides will be of any use.
However, we are so confident in our ability to affect a positive and lasting change in a student or young adult that we offer a 30-day unconditional money back guarantee. If a student, who is actively engaged in the coaching process, does not see any change and feels that coaching is not working for them, then we will refund their money- no questions asked.
How do I get started?
It is as simple as filling out the information on our contact page. you can also either call us at 856.776.6295 or email eric@oucoaching.com. We can start immediately. We also offer a 20-minute free “coachable moment” session where you can experience first hand the power of coaching.
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“Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” -Theodore Roosevelt
“ The biggest human temptation is to settle for too little.” - Thomas Merton
Coaching will become the model for leaders in the future."
— Warren Bennis
"The greatest power in coaching is the person coached being fully heard for the first time in his or her life."- Wall Street Journal |
