Coaching Appointment Preparation Instructions
Before each coaching appointment, it is a good idea to take time to reflect on what you have done since the last appointment, how you would like to use this time, the results you want to obtain out of our meeting, and how I may serve you best. Using the “prep form” to prepare for your coaching meeting will allow you to optimize your results and our time together. This preparation will help you stay focused and help me best serve you. On this page are some thoughts and ideas about the preparation that have proven useful. The prep form is attached as a separate document.
Preparation for your coaching appointments
Prepare your thoughts, ideas, wishes, and requests. Consider what you want to cover before your coaching appointment begins. Most coaching meetings are brief 30-60 minutes, and you can make every minute count. The best use of this form is to schedule time to fill it out 48 hours prior to our meeting. This gives you time to review your prior commitments for completion and still give you time to complete any that may have “fallen through the cracks.”
Prepare to think in terms of abundance. Make a list of several things that you want to discuss. While realizing that some matters take time and that it is important to take the time you need, and not to rush through, past, or over something significant and or important, allow yourself to include more than you think you can possibly cover – it is sometimes surprising how different and or interrelated topics work together.
Prepare your priorities. What is it that matters to you most? What do you really want to talk about? What would you like to explore? Do you want to discuss your goals, your needs, something that is concerning you, something that may be bothering you, an idea, or what you want most in your life or work…? Focus on what you really want to talk about, not what you think you ‘should’ discuss even if it seems to you at the time to be insignificant, not particularly ‘useful’ or perhaps even silly. It will make a positive difference in getting the most value from your coaching experience.
Prepare your State of Mind. Take some time immediately prior to your appointment to mentally prepare yourself, rather than squeezing your coaching into an already full day. Many clients schedule a 10 – 20 minute appointment with themselves – marked with high priority in their calendars immediately before their coaching appointment to take a short walk, look over their preparation form, or do whatever they need to mentally shift gears. It is an excellent way to leverage value.
Prepare your coach. Prepare your coach with as much background information as possible before your coaching appointment. The Meeting Prep Form is an excellent way to optimize your coaching experience in several ways. Not only does it help in sorting through, prioritizing, and gaining clarity but you also reduce the necessary explanation time during your coaching appointment. Also ask yourself, “How can my coach serve me best … do I want to brainstorm, create new ideas, think through an idea, create a strategy, discuss where to look for resource information, or create an action plan …?” Now you are ready to make a clear request. When you complete the preparation form and email it to your coach 24 hours before your appointment, your coach will have the necessary background information before you start. And remember: “Life is what happens while you’re making other plans.” (John Lennon). So feel free to modify and change your agenda – yes, even at the very last minute.
Prepare yourself to use the time you’ve spent with your coach. Schedule an appointment with yourself to debrief. Some clients jot down notes during the meeting then take a few minutes directly afterward to flesh them out and or type them up. Sometimes note taking may get in the way of being fully present. In that case, spending a few minutes to recap for yourself what you’ve discussed whether insights, action plans, ideas, discoveries, your commitments, or whatever you explored that you’d like to capture in writing is a good idea. Directly after the meeting is often a good time to do that because things are fresh in your mind. Then feel free to go back to your notes and add to them. This step is one way of keeping your coaching going throughout the time between appointments with your coach and keeping your preparation time for your next coaching appointment to a minimum.
Please complete the Coaching appointment prep form below
Use this form to prepare for your coaching call and if possible send it to your coach 24 hours in advance.