Client: I would like to know what coaches do and how you might be able to help me.

Coach: Of course I cannot speak for all coaches, just for myself. I am a Transformational Leadership Coach. I help people to develop charismatic visions and to communicate those visions to their teams in a way that is inspirational.

Typically people consult me when they are faced with change of some sort and they want to develop a charismatic vision and master the art of communicating in ways that electrify teams.

Employers and large organisations call me in when their managers have issues with changing situations that are causing loss of direction, morale problems, leadership issues managers not performing to their true potential.

Client: What would you do in situations such as you have outlined above?

Coach: First I should say that I mainly work one-to-one with my clients; only on rare occasions do I do any group work. So I would start by doing an analysis of the prospective client. This is to clarify the issues with which we need to deal, to set objectives and measurement criteria for the coaching, and to explain how the coaching process works. This meeting also ensures that we can work together. See the Transformational Leadership Coaching Methodology heading on the Transformational Leadership page.

Once we have established a working relationship, I meet about once a week; with private clients this will be on the phone or Skype, and with corporate clients mainly at their place of work. These meetings last for 50 minutes.

What happens at the coaching meetings?

Coach: smiles: The client becomes the centre of the coaching session. The main issue that the client presents and the character of the client dictate the working method. I take my lead from the client; they are what the coaching is all about. I don’t have any instant out-of-the-box solutions or any preset coaching programmes although I am guided by the Transformational Leadership Coaching Fundamentals

Transformational Leadership Fundamentals Module © David Ferrers - Click on image to view full size

Client: I don’t fully understand how that works. Can you explain a little more?

Coach: Yes, certainly, human beings are creatures of habit. All leaders tend to develop their own ways of doing things. Once a particular behaviour becomes ingrained the leader is likely to continue to behave in that way until something happens to cause a change. Think for a moment about the number of different ways that people hold a biro or pencil when they write. There are lots of different ways to do the same thing, but each person will develop their own way.

So, when a client presents an issue that is hindering them we have to find a way of changing that behaviour that will work for that client. It is no good trying to force someone to change a habit to a different behaviour if that other behaviour makes them feel uncomfortable. They will not repeat an uncomfortable behaviour sufficiently frequently for it to become a new habit.

Client: Are you saying that you invent a new solution to a problem like ‘nervousness about speaking in public’ for every new client?

Coach: It may not be a totally new solution, but we have to find a solution for each client that will work well for them and enable them to make progress as a leader.

Client: Why can’t I work out solutions for myself?

Coach: The answer lies in the way that your brain works. When you ask yourself a question about any new problem, perhaps it could be: “how can I motivate my team and get them to behave more enthusiastically?” The question can only go to two places. First, it will visit your memory to check if you have done something similar before. If there is no answer there, because you have not previously found a solution to the issue, the question will visit the creative part of your brain which will try to invent an answer. If creativity does not succeed you will keep on asking yourself the same question which will keep visiting your memory and creativity and never find an answer.

How to Turn Problems into Successes

The only way to break out of this circle of “question and no answer” is to put some new information, that has an answer, into your memory.

However, it is never enough to simply know the answer, (that is why finding answers in books is rarely as helpful as you hope it will be), you have to make yourself use the answer, and then ensure that you make it work, so that you come to believe in it. You usually have to make it work several times before it will become a new habit powerful enough to overcome your problem. That is why it is important to have a number of coaching sessions where you rehearse your new behaviour. It is only by constant checking, review, refinement, practice and feedback that you will come to develop a new and better behaviour pattern.

The Best Answers

The best answers are always the ones that you believe in and which you find work for you.

That is why a good coach can be so helpful. A good coach will often have several solutions to any problem. They will help you work out which type of solution is likely to be best for you. Then they will train you and motivate you to use the solution.

Changing a behaviour habit is never easy and it rarely happens quickly – ask anyone who has tried to lose weight or give up smoking. however, the good news is that habits can be changed with the help of a good coach. A good coach will stay with you for the duration, until it is certain that you have reached your destination.

Client: What qualities should I look for in a coach?

Coach: You need someone who will make you and your problems the centre of the coaching. I would advise you against using a coach who comes with a set programme of coaching. Such a coach may well insist on taking you through their entire programme whether it is relevant to your situation or not. What you need is someone with experience of your type of situation and the environment in which your issues arise see About.

You also need a coach whom you instinctively trust. The relationship between you and your coach is of paramount importance. You must have confidence that your coach knows what he/she is doing and is capable of helping you to find and implement solutions that will work for you. Find someone you enjoy working with.

This has been a brief example of how a coaching session might be conducted. I hope it has given you a taste of how coaching might help you. I would suggest that as a next step you consider having a sampler session with the coach of your choice.

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You Too Can Be a Transformational Leader

Transformational success stories like the few outlined on this page do not come about by accident. They are the result of determined leaders having charismatic visions and communicating those visions inspirationally to electrify the performance of their teams.

If you are leading in a situation that needs to be transformed and want to switch on “the current that inspires and energises the thoughts, ideas and actions of your people to elevate their performance,” please contact me today or freephone 0800 195 1989.

Best wishes,

Then ask for a “free sample” coaching session to find out more about how I can help you and to see how we get on by using the form.

Best wishes,

“Transformational Leadership is the ability to create and transmit a charismatic vision that runs through an organisation like an electric current, inspiring and energising the thoughts, ideas and actions of the people to elevate their performance.”

© David Ferrers