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How to prepare a new coachee for successful coaching.

Ideally there will be a clear brief to me and the prospective coachee about why the organisation has suggested that they might benefit from my coaching. However this is not always the case. So for me it all starts with a clear initial briefing from me as the coach to the new coachee explaining what this coaching is all about, what roles we are both to play and how I will coach them and the COACH model and the approaches that I will be taking. I don’t expect them to remember all of this, nor for them to be checking off each stage of the process but I do give them a brief document explaining it. I do expect them to understand the overall process and to feel relatively comfortable with what we will be discussing and clear about their role and responsibility in this process.
I am happy for them to question any part of the process and to be feeling a bit nervous or apprehensive at the start – this is only natural. They may be quite uncertain about the eventual outcomes and value of the coaching process at this stage. However what I do want is for them to be willing to try out the process for two or three sessions before starting to judge its value and effect for them and to be assessing whether or not they trust and respect me enough to feel able to continue. If they don’t want to do this, or feel that they are being pushed to do this against their better judgement, don’t buy in to me as their coach then it is better that they withdraw at an early stage.
This is particularly a challenge when it comes to people who are recommended to me for “remedial coaching” because their willingness, thoughts and feelings about this process are often coloured by the performance or behaviour change pressures being placed on them by their management.
This leads me on the question of line manager or organisational sponsorship and support for the coachee. Obviously it is better if there is a positive and informed interest being taken by key people in the organisation over the learning, development and performance outcomes of the coachee that could arise from successful coaching. If the coachee’s direct line manager is actively involved in this process and plays their support and feedback role well then the chances of successful outcomes being achieved by the coachee are that much greater. Coaching can be successful for the individual coachee, without this organisational support but clearly it will be better for the organisation if they play their part effectively.
So I am working to ensure that the coachee is well informed, willing to take responsibility, prepared to be open minded and honest with themselves and with me and disciplined to attend and focus on the coaching sessions that we set up. I am then looking to establish a trusted relationship with me and for a thoughtful and action orientated response to the COACH process. If I help the coachee to achieve this state of preparation then we can both expect successful outcomes to the sessions.