THE FOUNDHER APPROACH TO COACHING.
All coaching can be divided into two types, performance coaching and developmental coaching, whether we’re talking about business, life or executive coaching - they all fall into one of two categories.
Coaching is unlocking a person’s potential through self discovery that maximises their capacity, performance and results.We’ve developed a framework specifically for leaders of change, here’s a peek into our coaching approach.
Performance Coaching
This is the category that most coaching falls under. Performance coaching focuses predominantly on actions and behaviours. The coaching session will revolve around the client’s goals and what they want to achieve. The coach and the client will then work together to agree a time frame and an action plan. The coach is responsible for holding their clients accountable. This kind of coaching very much views change through the lens of behaviours and action. This is helpful for simple, sometimes complicated challenges.
Developmental Coaching
At foundher we specialise in an advanced alternative to performance coaching, known as developmental coaching. With this type of coaching, change is brought about by the client re-writing or powerfully choosing to evolve their actions and behaviours by focusing on the client’s mindset, emotions and beliefs. Looking beyond the external actions and behaviours, we examine the framework of personality governing those things. Developmental coaching affects change from the inside, as opposed to performance coaching which focuses on changes on the outside only. Incredibly helpful in navigating complex, uncertain and creative systems and challenges.
Constraints of Performance Coaching
At foundher we see the performance coaching model as one part to achieving incredible results - destined to be short term focussed unless the change you want to make is purely technical, i.e. the change is clearly defined, you know what you need to do, you make a plan, and you see it through. Most of our clients need to make adaptive and constant change, with many variables and unknown outcomes. These kinds of changes are not technical changes. Adaptive changes require you to adapt to a new way of thinking in order for the change to be sustainable.
Take a simple example, someone who wants to lose weight. If thoughts of exercising and going to a gym cause discomfort, these negative associations could prevent the person from sticking to an exercise regime. At the same time, the person may have a very comforting relationship with food. Technical change in this situation involves a workout plan and a diet. The change will only last only for as long as there is someone holding the person accountable. As soon as the accountability is removed, the person will revert back to old habits and behaviours because the relationships with the gym and food have not been changed. These types of relationships prevent lasting change and sabotage people as they work to achieve their goals.
Developmental Coaching is the new normal tool for success
Our coaching style is about changing your beliefs and the framework of personality that governs the thoughts, feelings, and behaviours that are restricting you. Developmental coaching can break through the stories or limiting beliefs that are holding you back and may never have been self examined. Meaning, you accepted them as fact, rather than realising they may have been a rule or story.. that can easily be changed. If you want to create lasting change, you need to change your inner game because it is your inner game that drives your outer game.
An example that people often seek coaching for, which is the fear of public speaking. If your own relationship to others is one that is based on fear of judgment and a fear of speaking up, your inner game is going to affect your outer game, preventing you from giving your best when delivering a speech. Your internal framework will be looking for judgments that are not there, and no amount of action taking or ‘just do it’ will change this. You may very well have all of the skills necessary to deliver an incredible speech, but you are so frightened that you cannot perform. The issue, in this case, is not the ability to speak in public; it is your relationship (being subject) to it.
Adapting for Lasting Change?
We believe that developmental coaching when coupled with performance is the only way to effect truly sustainable change and great results.
This requires awareness, understanding and changing your internal framework, which cannot be done alone. You need a coach that can support your in evolving awareness, creating a sense of self identity and strong self-authorship to help you see your blind spots. Developmental coaching is the best way to identify and change your framework to free yourself from what has been holding you back. The ultimate objective of developmental coaching is to change behaviours in order to bring about greater results and lasting change.
Elana Robertson is an ICF certified coach. ICF is the International Coach Federation. They are the largest organisation devoted to developing the coaching industry by setting high coaching standards, ethical boundaries and creating a global network of highly trained coaches and offering independent certification. ICF accreditation is the gold standard for professionally trained coaches around the world. It is also the only internationally recognised professional coaching accreditation.
