The Mangrove

What is coaching?

Coaching challenges and supports you, taking the time to find out what fulfilment in life means to you. A coach is your partner in living the life you know you can accomplish - personally and professionally. A coach is someone who can hold you accountable for your life, to make sure you really do live up to your potential.

Our feeling is that coaching is a partnership between you and a coach - a relationship that is co-created for the betterment of you. As we see it, coaching seeks to provide you with confidence and clarity founded on forward moving, action based, awareness and ultimately learning - emphasising strengths and achievements rather than weaknesses and problems.

What are the key ingredients to a coaching-client relationship?

your coach assists and accompanies you with your chosen route to goals - keeping you focused and at times challenging with non-judgmental questions

your coach will support and be there for you, offering encouragement and belief

your coach will hold your vision or keep your goals in focus - even at times when you may ‘blow’ off course or lose direction.

honesty and trust!!

What should I look for in a personal coach?
This as a very personal and individual question, and our best advice is to weigh up the market and ask yourself:

What do I want in a coach?

How do I wish the coaching to be conducted? Face-to-face, phone, email?

Be clear about what you want in the short and long term

Be realistic

Lastly, make sure you feel congruent - "is this really YOU?"

Today there are many coaches, some “general” and others specialising in areas such as style, maternity, dating, business - all manner of offerings. The coaching industry is currently not regulated therefore anyone may call themselves a coach - sometimes without any prior theory or institutional training. Therefore it is in your best interests to find out the coach’s background and if he/she has had any formal accredited training and what ongoing professional development he/she is undertaking.

Most importantly and underlying your decision should be that the coach of your choice gives you a feeling or sense that fits! You should feel comfortable as you will be sharing some of your innermost thoughts and feelings with this individual.

What’s the difference between coaching and other 'self-help' professions?
Tim Gallwey author of the Inner Game series, uses a simple analogy - driving a car - to explain the difference:

A therapist will explore what is stopping you driving your car

A counsellor will listen to your anxieties about the car

A mentor will share tips from his experience of driving a car

A consultant will advise you how to drive the car

A coach will encourage and support you in driving the car

Am I alone, wanting a personal coach?
You certainly are not. These days people worldwide are turning to the services of personal coaching. It was reported that Patricia Hewitt and other cabinet ministers use £250/hr life coaches “to cope with the pressures of Government”. No 10, the Home Office, the Foreign Office, the Cabinet Office, DfTransport and Treasury have all used coaches or “critical friends”.

In today’s fast-paced day and age individuals are not satisfied with the status quo or want to feel differently about their future. They might be seeking clarity and resolution, evaluating their career options or facing difficult choices. Almost all will have some sort of anxieties or relationship concerns. Most will want to gain deeper self-understanding and acceptance. So, that’s pretty much everyone - in one way or another.

What if I am already doing really well in my life? Why would I need a coach?
You may not need a coach. But we would be interested in finding out:

Are you doing what you most enjoy?

Are you tolerating anything?

Is life easy?

Are you going to be financially independent within the next 12 - 15 years?

Do you have what you most want?

Is there something missing?

It has often been found that people need to expect more out of their lives - a coach can help in this process.

...read our coaching testimonials