Hiring a life coach is investing in personal growth for long-term sustainable benefits. It is a professional one-on-one relationship that focuses on the specific kind of support needed to create the specific results desired. Professional Life Coaching assists executives and management teams to become more successful, effective, and fulfilled in the performance of their jobs. Coaching is a relationship of trust and commitment to the objectives of the client. The Coach will recommend ways in which the coaching relationship can be most effectively implemented. The client maintains control over the process.

Be like a tree in pursuit of your cause: Stand firm, grip hard, thrust upward,
bend to the winds of heaven, and learn tranquility.

~ Edward Abbey, contemporary US writer.

Who uses a Life Coach?

People who are committed to being the best they can be; who are seeking successful, balanced, and fulfilling lives. Professionals who want to be supported, motivated and guided to increase their effectiveness at work and at home; to increase their leverage, to grow in confidence and productivity and to enjoy an enhanced quality of life. Professional people who wish to enjoy gratifying relationships, negotiate successfully, find balance and a sense of holistic connectedness in their lives.

How can a Life Coach benefit you professionally in your workplace?

• Provide feedback and guidance to improve performance, increase interpersonal effectiveness and enhance communication skills.
• Provide an objective sounding board for issues not appropriate to discuss openly with the organizational team or that require a confidential one-to one relationship where a wide range of issues can be more confidentially explored and resolved.
• Develop an individualized program that provides specific tools and techniques to effectively manage personal and organizational challenges.

You must be the change you wish to see in the world

~ MK Gandhi (1869-1948) Indian nationalist leader

Keep focused and on track with the “big picture”.

We must dare to invent the future

~ Thomas Sankara (1950-1987) president of Burkina Faso

Specifically - A Life Coach can also:

• Identify core strengths and how to best leverage them
• Develop effective communication skills
  • Identify personal processing style
  • Identify personal programming that influences your communication style.
  • Develop flexibility in various communication styles
  • Learn how to build rapport quickly and easily
  • Give and receive feedback effectively.
  • Learn to help others overcome communication challenges.
  
  Effective communication skills enhance all areas of life … from work in administration, sales, to negotiations to increased satisfaction in personal relationships.
• Challenge assumptions
• Provide support, pinpoint limitations and assist in eliminating them
• Identify ineffective thinking patterns and question decisions that may warrant revisiting.
• Ensure accountability…. being accountable to systematically optimize each area of your personal and professional life so that you can move ahead to where you want to be.
• Help remove blocks and increase self-confidence
• Provide a consistent weekly time and focus on meeting personal and professional challenges.

The Conference Board of Canada lists the skills required of the Canadian workforce, including the ability to communicate, think critically and solve problems, show a positive attitude, plan and manage time and other resources to achieve goals, and the ability to work in a team and show leadership.* Professional Life Coaching with Knighton covers all of these areas and more.

* Employability Skills Profile, www.conferenceboard.ca

The initial consultation – the discovery session is free.

We will discuss your reasons for seeking coaching, your goals, concerns, and initial objectives of the coaching process and determine if we wish to establish a working relationship.

The Coaching Process

Central to a coaching program is a contract between coach and client covering their mutual commitment, the objectives for the relationship, its duration, scheduled coaching times, and dates to review progress. Although the coach recommends ways in which the coaching relationship can be most effectively implemented, the client maintains control over the process by setting the initial parameters.

Each coaching program is tailored to the specific needs of the client. Following is an example of an effective approach to the coaching process.

Background and information gathering meetings – To provide further detail regarding the initial consultation as well as determining personal communication and processing style. If possible, the coach will accompany you during typical parts of your day allowing for the development of an operational perspective regarding communication styles, interpersonal relations, challenges and opportunities.

Assessment - A review of the information gathered in a framework of personal dynamics, strengths and challenges. Discussions regarding possible areas of focus to improve performance.

Goal Setting – Specific goals are established that are measurable and realistically achievable with a method of measuring progress. Sub-goals are determined at each meeting.

Follow-up Meetings – Weekly, by-weekly, monthly or on a quarterly basis as required. Ideally, follow-up meetings are conducted weekly, face-to-face, at least initially. Sessions are one hour long and are conducted face-to-face or by telephone. Discussions are client led and can include issues related to job performance, role and responsibilities, problems, opportunities, etc. These conversations provide an outside perspective for the client on choices and options, as well as a safe sounding board to explore areas of concern. Generally, coaching sessions are scheduled for an initial period of 3 to 6 months or longer, depending on the objectives for the coaching.

Review with Client – To revisit performance expectations, monitor results achieved and to determine if new goals are required or present goals are in need of modification.

How can Knighton further benefit your organization?

Through workshops and training to:

• Promote effective collaboration
• Build trust and morale
• Increase productivity by decreasing internal conflict
• Foster teamwork and confidence
• Build on communication skills to enhance effectiveness of negotiation teams.
• Improve public relations
• Teach creative problem solving
• Provides the tools, structure and support to orient and harmonize personal life and business around true beliefs, values and sense of purpose.
• Revisit the organizational strategic plan in light of team strengths, organizational values, goals, objectives, strategies, relationships, roles, vision and mission. Create clarity, action planning, scheduling and effective meetings to stimulate quality, productivity and morale.
• Promote understanding around the link between effective communications and quality relationships.
• Recognizing that employees who do what they love are more effective, productive and satisfied – Hire a Life Coach to facilitate this goal.

Click here to see Events/Workshops for further information

Click here to see the workshop/event page for Be@Cause workshops

Some Past Experiences

Community & Organizational Development Clients

• Pacific Gardens Cohousing Community: Team building, visioning process, organizational alignment and growth re-alignment workshops

• Organizational training with associate Paul Willie of Gilakasla Community Development Services
  Tla’min Health Society: Board & Staff training, team building
  Kwakiutl District Council: Interim Health management & organizational development – development of info-structure; job descriptions; staff training; program development; communication strategies, etc. (over 1 year)
  KDC Tribal Council: Facilitated organizational restructuring
  Kwakiutl Territories Fisheries Commission: Realignment to KTFC organizational goals; leadership; communication strategies
  Sh’ulh-etun Health Society: Development of volunteer Community Health Committees in Halalt, Chemainus, Penelakut & Malahat First Nations 1998/99
  Haisla Nation: Board & Staff training of new Support Centre 1996/97
  Kwakiutl District Council 97/98 & Haisla Nation 96/97: Needs Assessment; Development of Health Plan; Board training with respect to Health Transfer included team building; leadership; strategic planning; developing community vision & mission

Past Community Projects

• Wuikinuwv Nation: “Building a Vibrant Community” Community development over a two year period including: delivery of Be@Cause* workshops at organizational and community levels as well as team building for staff and for a specific project, facilitation of Wellness & Cultural Integration discussions & workshop; Lifeskills program for youth and Prosperity Mindset Economic development workshop
• Sh’ulh-etun Health Society (in partnership with Chemainus & Cowichan First Nations) “Mould Awareness” project. Project included Life Skills coaching; research & presentation skill development; video training & development in partnership with Frances Kelsey High School; intensive community involvement at all levels. Outcome: Development of teaching video
• Chemainus First Nations: “Community Recycling Program” Research & presentation skill development, Life Skills coaching; education/awareness/experience regarding recycling; community involvement; on the job education and the delivery of presentations to community. Outcome: Closed community dump with new recycling program operational with full community participation.