“If you know what you want out of life, but want to achieve your goals faster than you would if you were working on them alone, enlisting the help of a life coach is a great way to move forward your way,” says Tim La Haye, change management consultant of Future Perfect Coaching.

A coach won’t give you advice, but will ask you the right questions to help you confirm that the goals you set yourself are right for you, and help you work out the best way forward for you. “Your life coach will help you trust in your own ability and draw on your own powerful inner resources to find your own answers,” explains Tim. Coaches are impartial, independent motivators and supporters; they work to your agenda, and will help you overcome any barriers or obstacles that might get in the way of your goals becoming reality.

You don’t need to have set goals in mind to take on a coach; they can help with any of the scenarios below:

• I’m in a rut and just can’t get out of it
• There must be more to life than this!
• Surely there must be another way to look at this problem.
• I could never do that. Could I?
• My work-life balance is really out of line. I need to change it.
• I’ve got this dream and I’d love to make it happen. But how?

What other scenarios could a coach work on with you?

Anything at all! A coach can work with you as an individual on a niche or specialist area of your life, such as:

Weight loss management	Career coaching
Parent coaching	Stopping smoking
Wealth creation coaching	Flirt coaching

Many coaches work with people in organisations as executive, team, or corporate coaches. Corporate and executive coach Jaqui Perry explains: “Corporate coaching ranges from dealing directly with individuals within an organisation to dealing with the overall structure. In successful companies, the dynamics between all concerned, from reception to top management, are interdependent. They allow for freedom and personal responsibility within each role.

“Corporate coaches enable individuals to maximise their effectiveness and achieve their true potential within each role. For the PA, a coach will help clarify and strengthen the relationship between the PA and boss; for example, where does the PA’s responsibility begin and end?” says Jaqui.

You could also ask your boss to enlist the services of a coach for you to help:

1. improve your time management,
2. boost your confidence
3. rocket your creativity to help you look at situations from a new light
4. enhance the way you cope with difficult situations
5. take a new look at your career prospects

What should you look for when enlisting the services of a coach?

1. What training the coach has received – have they gone through training and acquired a qualification in coaching?
2. What experience do they have?
3. Is the coach right for you – are you ready and willing to make changes in your life, and make the changes you want, if that’s what you need to do?
4. What style of coaching is right for you? Talk to two or three coaches to ensure you work with the best one for you. Different coaches all have their own styles.

How does coaching take place?

90% of coaching takes place over the telephone, but it can also take place face-to-face or even by email. Research shows that people actually reveal more about themselves over the phone than they do face to face, and trained coaches are given special techniques to help them build a rapport and trust with their clients. Executive and corporate coaches usually work at their clients’ workplace.

What will a coach charge?

This varies from around £40 - £60 a session upwards, depending on the experience of the coach. Corporate coaches charge more. Talk to a number of coaches to find the one that’s right for you, your approach and your pocket. Many coaches give a discount if you sign up for several sessions.

How long will I need coaching for?

That depends on what you want to be coached on – it can be anywhere from one session to several months. Much depends on what you want to achieve, how quickly you progress and whether you’re willing to do homework between sessions.

I’m hooked! Where can I find out more?

There are a number of coaches in the UK. You’ll see a number of life coaches advertising their services in our Lifestyle Clinic. If you want to become a coach, why not talk to one or two of them about where they trained, what the life of a coach is like?

For Further Information:

Jaqui Perry: Call 01342 713232 or 07950 084 623 (24 hour answering service)

Tim La Haye, Future Perfect Coaching; Call 020 8942 9059 or 020 8942 9059 (answer phone service) or visit www.futureperfectcoaching.co.uk.