A coach assists individuals and teams to reach their goals in a confidential, supportive and structured environment, in a process that highlights the individual's unique experiences and potential.  It is based on trust and the art of improving performance, while taking a holistic approach - the individual, the situation, their goal.  The coach, via active listening, questioning and self-accountability, along with honest and supportive feedback, helps the client gain new insights, set goals, identify barriers and articulate their own solutions.

By providing mechanisms for increased self-knowledge and self-awareness, this leads to simple and sustainable solutions.  The coaching relationship is presented as an investment in themselves, and about owning and being proactive about their careers and lives.  To support our work, Michael J. Negrσn has also developed an 8-stage coaching tool, The Octagon COACHING Model, which begins with the Communication stage and is aimed at the Growth stage - both personal and professional growth.

•  Business Coaching:  Typically involves entrepreneurs, start-ups

•  Career Coaching:  Review / Assistance with rιsumιs, career options, skills assessment

•  Executive Coaching:  Focuses on senior leaders, factors for success, career derailleurs, 

     improve individual and organizational effectiveness

•  Performance Coaching:  Addresses behaviors, gaps in current competencies

•  Skills Based:  Focused on specific areas (e.g., presentation skills, coaching others)

•  Team Coaching:  Ensures commitment from each team member, establishes baseline or the            "current realities", agreement on goals, review of options, etc.

Builds on the individual's cross-disciplinary skills

Helps clients apply themselves in new ways

Involves a give and take approach to learning; requires a lot of listening

Involves more job-speciic, person-to-person teaching

Helps clients learn functions they've never used before

Involves the passing along of one person's knowledge to another

•  The administration of 360-degree feedback

•  Identifying and addressing blind spots

•  Improving performance and / or targeted skill sets

•  Navigating leadership transitions

•  Closing gaps in your leadership effectiveness

•  Ensuring readiness to assume additional responsibilities

•  Facilitating your thinking on mission critical projects

•  Holding you accountable to achieving strategic / stretch goals

•  Addressing issues of perception, power and politics

•  Aligning individual and organizational culture

Is Coaching an Expense or an Investment?

The following are some perspectives based on past NEGRON Consulting projects:

• Entrepreneurs Perspective

Successful entrepreneurs continually evaluate the next level of education or training, the purchase of new equipment, or a software upgrade, as a productivity enhancer and an opportunity - is it a strategic investment or is it an expense?

• Fortune 50 Company Perspective

A Senior Female Leader shared during meeting with a direct report (during a joint, facilitated coaching session) that she was paying for her own coach.  The reasons given were:

•  Viewed getting a coach as "an investment in myself, my career"  

•  Used during periods of professional transition / change – a new promotion, or 

    additional responsibilities

•  Did not want others to know feelings or concerns (which are okay and normal)  

•  Others in the company, could use any anxieties I might have, against me

• Nonprofit Perspective

In the Nonprofit World, foundations, corporate funders, as well as individuals view their giving to community organizations as an investment.  Through measurable outcomes / improvements in the community, the agencies will generate a Return on Investment. 

• The Coach's Perspective 

When an individual client is paying for their own coaching services, it is usually a barometer of their future success.  They are motivated, "own their careers", have a higher level of self-accountability and expectations - of themselves and their coaches.

Emotional Intelligence and Coaching - Why Does it Matter?

If any of the following interests you and your organization, then an understanding of emotional competencies will help:

• Improve Team Collaboration

• Improve Communication

• Deal with Conflict

• Have More Energy

• Improve Bench Strength

• Improve Self-Confidence

• Building Resiliency Factors