Over the last few years, we’ve been asked HUNDREDS of questions regarding the significant and sustainable growth of both business and business owner.
Here, we’ve tried to catalogue as many of those questions as possible, as we believe that for everyone that has asked, there must be at least a dozen more than have thought, but not asked, and many more who haven’t even yet stopped to think!
General Questions (8)
We are frequently asked about the phrase “The ETHICAL coaching company” as to exactly what we are referring to as ethical. After all, surely every business operates ethically?
I’m not one idle gossip, but in my experience, people have a very different view on the term ethics, and I’ve certainly come across some business owners who by no means match our perception of the term ethical.
Whilst I know there are many kinds of coaching available, I’d like to share with you our thoughts on the term ethical. For me, that means understanding that as a coach, my role is to support you and your journey of development, and not simply expect you to purchase one of my programs, follow me and tell you all about what I’ve done in the hope that might work for you too!
I’ve had, (and continue to have) a number of coaches with whom I’ve worked throughout my own business development, and the ones I’ve valued the most, the ones I’ve benefitted from the most, are the ones who have worked WITH me, not me being in some way subservient to their superior wisdom!
My TrueNORTH, prides itself on having some award-winning programs of coaching, which we bespoke to aid the individual client, rather than expecting everyone to buy an off the shelf package and hope it fits! After all:
“One size fits nobody!
I often find it interesting when this question is asked, as to what they are REALLY asking! Within my career, I’ve worked in various organisations managing teams of people and responsibilities. Within my military career, I managed almost 100 people, within my corporate (post-military) career a few thousand people. My largest business 22 people on the team.
However more recently we have moved to a small in-house team with a series of trusted partnerships, Joint Ventures, and outsourced professionals. Gemma is my PA / Events Coordinator and looks after everything to do with my diary! Bailey is our latest addition to the fold and is exceptional and research and development for the company. Stuart is my accounts manager and looks after everything with a £ sign! Amanda heads up our marketing and looks after our brand and company message! and I’m the fee earner! Providing coaching and consulting to our many clients. Aside from that, we work closely with a large number of associates with whom we work on a project by project basis.
Personally, I live in Warrington, Cheshire – UK. The My TrueNORTH offices are in both York and close to my home in Warrington, which is where we host our Pathfinder Masterclasses.
Our Explorer Mastermind groups currently run across Northern England.
As a 1:1 consultant, I operate across the world. and for everything else,…….there’s www.zoom.us
I guess my initial answer would be, like what?
I’m not saying we can’t or won’t offer bespoke, I just know that from the years of experience in both business for myself and as an award-winning coach, we do tend to have a program that caters for the mass majority of business owners.
The best thing to do, would be to talk to us, so we can determine together as to whether My TrueNORTH is the right provider for you?
This has to be a two way street right, and so its important to also know what you can expect from me. Firstly my discretion. Coaching is an exceptionally honoured, humbling and trusted career. To gain the trust of a business owner to share their business with you is something I value beyond words. Once this trust has been gained, it must be maintained, and so you can remain assured, I take nothing more seriously that the information to which we share. Secondly, you can be assured of my honesty. I simply wouldn’t be a coach if I ‘sugar coated’ the truth. Therefore, there may be times when your not so happy with the tact I take, don’t feel comfortable answering my questions, feel challenged by my approach. The fact is; I’ll be asking the questions nobody else is asking, so you can find the answers nobody else has considered. If I’m not pushing you to achieve more, then I’m not fully achieving everything we have set out to achieve. My role is to stretch you, and sometimes that may feel uncomfortable, but without it you simply wouldn’t get to where I’m going to help you achieve.
In order to get the very best from your coaching, there are a few things I need from you. Firstly a signed agreement to confirm we are both in agreement as to what shall be covered throughout our time together. It’s hugely important both of us are fully aware and in agreement as to the nature of, and parameters in which we are both working together. I also need you to be honest with me and share everything there is to know about you and the business. I can only work with what you present, so failing to admit or share certain aspects will only skew the help, guidance, the support I can provide. Remember, I’m here to support you to achieve YOUR success summit, it’s not going to be possible to do that if I’m not aware of everything which could affect either you, the business or the outcome. I’ll be signing an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) when we start working together but do need you to share with me everything that’s relevant and not just the ‘good bits!’.
Well, that depends on the coaching program you have chosen, coupled with your own requirements.
Our JSOV program runs monthly for 11 months a year for 60mins each time.
Our Pathfinder program also runs monthly for 11 months a year and is for one full day (9.30am – 5.15pm)
Our Explorer program runs Bi-Monthly and is for 23Hrs! (Tuesday at 7pm – Wednesday at 6pm) Explorer also includes a Bi-Monthly 1:1 meeting which lasts 90mins each.
My 1:1 coaching is usually offered by either Telephone/Skype/Zoom or Face to Face. Telephone/Skype/Zoom coaching is often 30min sessions. Face to Face are either 60 or 90min sessions.
Whilst these give you a rough breakdown of the various different options, as an ethical coaching company, these have to be able to be mutually beneficial and so can be tailored by mutual consent to each client’s requirements rather than a strict off the shelf solution. In this sense, I have some clients who prefer fortnightly coaching, whereas others require 5-6 weeks to implement everything we have discussed and agreed.
GREAT question. I find the best way to work with a new client is by first offering a complimentary 30min consultation. From this we can get to know a little of each other, answer any questions you may have (If they are not already answered here) and discuss what you are aiming to achieve through our time together. I’ve got a few questions I’d like to ask myself about you, the journey you have taken to date to get you to where you are right now, and where you’d like to be. From this, and if we have decided we are both a ‘good fit’ I’ll send you our FIRST THINGS FIRST workbook. It’s quite a detailed workbook, and something it may take you a little time to complete. But, it’s been put together to help both of us to determine WHAT is required to ensure every session we have together is highly valuable and beneficial to us both. Once you’ve had the chance to work through the booklet, you simply return a copy to me, and in return, we’ll use this to determine the terms on which we’ll be working together, and send over a confirmation document for you to look through. Within it, we’ll clearly lay out what you can expect from working with me, and in return what I’ll be asking for from you whilst we work together. Sign and return the form and we can get your coaching sessions booked in, it’s as simple as that.