Summary of My Coaching Experiences

I think it is safe to say that the coach has several roles to perform; with the main objective being to develop the person being coached. This can be achieved by increasing self-confidence, identifying relevant and suitable topics for coaching as well as agreeing the setting of suitable planned tasks to support the learning process.

A coach or mentor can help to give guidance and support as challenges are faced, assisting staff in negotiating challenging situations with increased confidence.

I feel this is the fundamental difference between Coaching on one hand & Mentoring on the other. Coaching has a more structured nature & needs regular planned meetings, (unless engaging in ‘corridor coaching’ which is a different but still an effective & useful approach). Coaching is usually aimed at shorter term development of an individual or in overcoming specific areas of issue. A coach does not always need an in-depth knowledge of the client’s occupation in general coaching practice, however as a Manager / Coach involved in developing

Bluckert, P. (2005). Critical factors in executive coaching- the coaching relationship. Industrial and Commercial Training, 37(7), 336-340. doi:10.1108/00197850510626785

From a very young age, I have loved being involved in sport and fitness. My earliest memories all involve me running around with a ball or a bat of some kind either in my hand or at my feet. My love for physical activity has remained and since then, I have becoming increasingly interested in coaching and the more theoretical side of sport. This has inspired me to pursue a career in physical education and coaching.

Finally, I would use all these examples of coaching in my own coaching. The thing that means the most to me in coaching is this: 1) Be me, listen thoroughly without interruption or daydreaming. 2) Master the art of critical thinking questions that help guide the client to look inwardly to discover the answer that is right for them, not me. 3) Empower them with positive reinforcement. 4) Love them like Jesus

Collins (2009) explains how support is the most distinguishing factor in coaching (Collins, 2009, p. 85). The client needs to feel supported and respected to make strides in coaching (Collins, 2009, p. 85). I believe by welcoming my client and actively listening to the information being shared, as well as, guiding instead of giving advice, my client will be able to see I am committed to the coaching. I believe when these skills are presented and maintained within the coaching process, the client will be more willing to tackle difficult

In regards to my role as the coach and the experiential learning I have practiced so far, it seems viable to become misaligned with an understanding of ones role, potentially detracting from my coaching development. Misunderstanding aspects of coaching and/or practicing in a certain manner has the potential to detract from skills development. For example, I found after multiple practice sessions that my coaching took more of a mentoring approach due to the familiarity and confidence with such friendly environments. Initially my coaching sessions consisted of myself coaching individuals in my social norm, friends and people whom I am familiar. Of which, I have observed a more informal approach to coaching proceedings

The use of coaching by individuals and organizations has increased rapidly in last decade. As role of coaching is growing over the time, so has the need to find ways of assuring quality of the coaching services being provided. Coaching supervision is an essential part for continuous professional development of coaches. It’s the essential link between theory and coaching practice, the main source of assuring quality, to mitigate the risks may inherent in coaching. It can also help to increase the return on an investment in coaching and to provide evidence of that return.

There are a number of definitions to what coaching is; I feel that I can personally relate to the following definition:

For the coaching observation project I observed the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, Urban Meyer. I watched him on TV when Ohio State played Penn State. The reason I selected Urban Meyer to do my coaching observation is because he is the coach I decided to model my coaching philosophy after. The reason I chose this game specifically is because this is a very important game and I want to see how he handles his team in high-pressure situations.

Be an active listener this is when the coach is focused on what you are saying, recording facts and paying attention

Overcoming the fact that one day you will not be able to play your sport is one of the hardest things all athletes must one day go through. It is a fact of the game that one day your eligibility runs out or if you are one of the lucky few who play professionally, your body’s years of health do not last forever. Coaching just to be around the sport and spread the joy that sport gave you for so many years. My coaching philosophy relies extremely heavily on this information. I have always been a person who is passionate about the things I love because I do not believe in not putting your whole heart into something. The most critical component to success in whatever sport you love lies in honoring the game that so many before you loved and excelled at. Excelling and honoring the game means having respect for everyone involved with the sport. Giving respect to your coaches is something I learned from the beginning. Being respectful and having a positive attitude learned at a young age is something completely taken for granted until you have adults who can neither adapt nor be flexible when something does not go their way. Sport is a form of education in that it teaches you similar life lessons that will be useful for far longer than the amount of time that you spend actually playing it.

It becomes a popular byword not only in communities, but companies as well because they believed of the power of coaching to change lives and to obtain the desired goals they want. At present, supervisors and managers no longer criticize their subordinates, but they coach them to motivate them.

Coaching is the art of facilitating another person’s learning, development and performance. Through coaching people are able to find their own solutions, develop their own skills and change their own behaviors and attitudes.