Life Coaching is one of the fastest growing areas in the UK today. Some estimates suggest that, after IT, Life Coaching will be the second biggest growth area in the UK in 2003. Clearly, something important is going on, yet many people still don't know what Life Coaching is.
"Some people in the UK may see Life Coaching as just a fad from the USA or as something for the rich and leisured classes. Neither of these assumptions are correct," states David.
In fact, far from being American, the style of Life Coaching that he practices was developed in Australia; David trained with Results Life Coaching of Sydney.
"I was attracted by their typically Australian common-sense and positive approach," he explains.
At its simplest, Life Coaching is about helping people figure out where they want to be in their lives and helping them get there. It works in all areas of life - from career, income or business to family, relationships to education, creativity or beliefs and sport, health or fitness.
"Essentially I provide my clients with a model they can follow and then adopt for themselves and 'self-coach,' " says David. "It's about enabling clients to have power over their own lives." That David's approach works on a series of just twelve sessions supports this claim.
The best way for people to find out more about Life Coaching, David believes, is for them to experience it. He offers a free one-hour trial session to anyone who wants one. "During that session we set inspiring goals in three areas of the client's life" he explains, "so even if they decide not to continue they have something valuable to take away."
For many, the trial session opens up possibilities they had only previously dreamed of and they decide to go on, making that session the first of a series.
David has a novel approach to pricing too - he asks his clients to pick their own price! "I believe my clients are the best people to decide the value of coaching to them. So, I offer a price range and invite them to choose the figure that suits."
Many coaching clients are busy successful people for whom time is precious so most of David's work is done by telephone. "Coaching on the 'phone works well, it is direct, immediate and flexible. For some clients the relative anonymity of the telephone makes the process easier."
Business Coaching is aimed at individuals or teams working within organisations. Coaching may be around specific areas at work or may consider any areas of the client's life. After all, everything else doesn't disappear when we start work!
Constant change is the reality of working life for many now; this is an area where coaching has great benefit, making the transition from old to new as smooth and effective as possible. Coaching focuses on the emotional cycle of change, ensuring that the client's often difficult feelings about what is happening are acknowledged and respected.
Whatever the content of the coaching, confidentiality between coach and client is still assured.
Facilitation helps build teams and enables those teams to achieve their goals in a highly participative way. Using a variety of proven workshop and meta-planning techniques, groups of individuals are transformed into close knit teams with a shared vision and sense of purpose. Using simple yet highly powerful tools the goals of the team are rapidly established. Roles and responsibilities are clear, action plans are developed and problems solved in a fraction of the time that conventional approaches take.
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