How to Get the Most From Your Coaching Session 

Yearly, billions of dollars are spent around the world on coaching. It makes sense that such a large investment demands a substantial return. Studies have shown that if you really work at getting the best out of your coaching sessions, you will yield the highest returns from your coaching experience. So in this post, we'll show you how to get the most from your coaching session with Modo. 

This post lists 6 things you can do to optimise your experience of your coaching session with Modo. The way in which you approach your coaching session will make a huge difference to what you get out of them, and how much you achieve. Listed below are ways that you can optimise your coaching with Modo. Moreover, how to yield the best returns on your investment in YOU.

Firstly, choose your style of coaching and your coach wisely. Coaching is not counselling or therapy and it is important to be clear about the distinctions. Coaching is a collaborative relationship designed to facilitate higher-level performance in people. So this means it is personal and relational, facilitative and supportive, and solution and goal focused. 

A good place to start is to get recommendations from friends and colleagues who have had a direct experience with a good coach. Generally, good coaches will offer a free coaching session. This gives you the client the opportunity to find out who the coach is and how they work. You'll also get to discuss if you will be a good "fit" together. Don't be afraid to ask questions and to review the coaches testimonials before you commit to your coach.

If your fit is not optimal, or if your needs are beyond their scope - a good coach will suggest a referral to a more appropriate professional. At the end of the day, a good coach will be ethical in their behaviour towards you and if the relationship is not benefiting you the client, they will address this with you, as it arises.

Prior to each coaching session spend some time in quiet contemplation. Think about what is important for you to discuss with your coach. Remember it is your responsibility as the client to bring your important and challenging issues to the coaching session. What is really critical that you need to address in this coaching session? How can you best utilise your time with your coach?

Be sure to book your coaching session at a time when you will be alert. To be sure you can be fully present in the session. Making a session for late at night after a long day at work, probably won't yield the best results for most of us. Also, ensure you have privacy and time to fully commit to your coaching session. The goal here is to be present and focused not just in attendance. Leave time after your coaching session, so that you can again contemplate the session. At this time, write any relevant notes or simply process the new awareness before you rush off to the next thing. This will enable you to fully embody your new learning's.

A good coach will explore all possibilities with you and co-create new ways of thinking, processing, communicating, behaving and relating to others. It is a normal human response to want to resist change. However, keeping an open mind towards change and new ideas will accelerate your learning. It will also allow other possibilities and potentials to arise. In effect this can be the difference that makes the difference, for you in your success.

There is no failure, only feedback. It seems like a 'no-brainer' however most of us have never been trained in how to receive feedback effectively. This does not only apply to the feedback you will be receiving from your coach, but just as importantly the feedback you will be receiving on a daily basis from your colleagues, friends and family as you evolve to your next level of development.

It is important to remember that without feedback we do not get a full picture of how we are perceived in the world by others. Whilst feedback can be evaluative and subjective it can also be objective and sensory, based in facts. Clients who are hungry for change explore with a curious and non-defensive attitude any feedback that they receive. It can be valuable to discuss this feedback with your coach in your coaching session so you can ensure this feedback is valuable and high-quality information that will propel you forward.

When coaching with Modo, we will often suggest practices or exercises for you to undertake in between each coaching session so that you can "try on" new ideas, approaches and strategies to facilitate you getting your outcomes. If you do not make the time to do these things then you are missing out on very important processes in coaching.

It is important to take note of what worked for you and what didn't, then take this feedback to your coach to discuss. This is about accountability, not to your coach but to yourself. Investing in coaching and not taking action on what your coach is suggesting is essentially like paying your doctors bill and not taking the medication that was prescribed. You will have a bill to pay whilst you still continue to suffer the symptoms. It's counter productive!

This applies to all aspects of coaching. Be responsible for your own actions and outcomes. If you are not happy with a coaching process or your coaching relationship, raise this with your coach - without delay! Do not relinquish all the power to your coach. Coaching is a partnership and you need to be responsible for your own communication and actions within it. Coaching is about empowering you to becoming self-mastering, coaching is not about creating dependency. 

The returns you can receive when you fully optimise your experience when coaching with Modo can be impressive and beyond measurable, and are mostly in your power and control. Its like the old saying goes, what you put in you will get back out. Utilise and optimise your coaches presence in your life but ultimately, your next level of development comes from being able to sail your own ship. 

Getting real bang for your buck when engaging in coaching depends a lot on what you are willing to give to your coaching session. It's a bit like going to the gym and having a personal trainer. Whilst your success to some degree depends on the knowledge and expertise of the personal trainer, ultimately they are not going to lift the weights for you. You, the client must lift the weights and do the work. It's the same with coaching.

Your coach will bring their individual knowledge, skills and expertise to the coaching session, however, you the client must take responsibility for your own outcomes if you wish to see a measurable return.