Preparing for your next coaching session in three minutes

Each coaching conversation is special. It’s a unique exchange of ideas, thoughts, questions, observations and reflections between you and your coach.

Here is a quick three-minute practice to have you ready for your next coaching session, and ensure you make the most of your time with your coach.

1. Check-in with yourself. Taking a deep breath is a great place to start. Simply taking a few deep breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth, will help you to gain some focus.
   
   
2. Change your surroundings. Whether your session is in person or virtual, you can go somewhere new. Consider a change of location for the session, or shift your position – adjust to a stand-up position, if you usually sit down. Sometimes disconnecting from the office and changing your scenery can stimulate fresh energy and ideas. You don’t have to go far–it can be as simple as finding a new window to face. Just ensure you feel safe and can speak openly, and reduce any distractions you may have.
   
   
3. Enjoy the moment. Remind yourself that your coaching session is an opportunity to develop or improve yourself. You don’t have to ‘DO’ anything in particular with it. Give yourself permission to just ‘BE’ at the moment.
   
   
4. Practice celebrating success or gratitude. If you don’t have any pressing topics in mind for your session, it might mean that everything in your life and at work is going pretty well! Bring to mind three things you’re grateful for. Celebrating your wins and appreciating all that is good in your life and work creates an opportunity to continue building upon your current successes.
   
   
5. Be consciously open to new ideas. You’ve taken these three minutes to enter your session grounded, grateful, in a fresh state of mind, and without any prior agenda. This is a great place to be! Tell your coach where you’re at. If you’re open to it, they can help by making suggestions and asking you questions to take you outside your usual habits or comfort zone. Enjoy your conversation!
   
   

Need more support? Discover ‘20 Questions to Prepare for Your Coaching Session’ by visiting this link and identify a quiet moment before your coaching session to develop your responses to these questions. These ‘pondering’ questions are designed to stimulate your thinking and to make working together with your coach more productive.

Karl Grech coaches leaders to inspire, motivate & engage their team. He supports people to gain confidence in their leadership roles and helps them overcome challenging situations. Karl is an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coaching Federation (ICF). He can be reached at [email protected] or visit www.karlgrech.com to learn more.