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Business �coaches� help define goals Can accelerate decision-making process By TONY BOOM ASHLAND � If you could find someone to help pin down your goals and the steps needed to accomplish them, it could be useful in business, sports or life in general. An emerging discipline � personal coaching � provides such support to guide professionals in their private and corporate lives. Coaching aims to improve learning and performance and to enhance life qualities. Like an athletic coach or music teacher, a personal coach challenges clients to find out what winning in life means to them. This information is used to promote awareness and choice of action. Coaches hold their clients accountable to make sure they live up to their potential. "Having a person in your life that you know you�re going to talk to and that person will help you clarify and focus and support your goals � it�s a powerful thing," said coach Elizabeth Austin. Austin coaches both businesses and individuals. Executive coach Hunter Stuart works primarily with business clients, including American Express leaders. Denise Byron works mostly as a personal coach, frequently with artists. All live in Ashland, but have clients across the country. The coaches and coaching organization Web sites emphasize that coaching is not therapy or counseling. Rather than exploring the past, coaching strives to set and attain future goals. "We have to be very careful to stay within the boundary of what we know," said Stuart. "We are not psychologists and therapists." "A coach sees the client as already healthy and complete," said Byron. She also believes clients have the answers to their concerns within themselves. "The coach accelerates the process." All three coaches rely on various assessment techniques to learn about their clients and help them set goals. "I listen a lot," said Byron. "A lot of what a coach does is reflect back to a person what they are saying." Byron also asks questions and uses visualization, collage creation, journal writing and her own intuition and that of her clients. Stuart uses assessment tools to help clients understand behavior, thinking habits, attitudes, values and emotions. Austin�s clients start with value lists and charts that indicate their sense of fulfillment. She wants clients to set five goals. At this stage, a structure to help a client achieve a goal is developed, said Austin. A follow-up sheet from the previous session allows Austin to determine how clients are advancing toward the goals they�ve chosen. "I won�t browbeat them or nag them. They made a choice, and if they don�t follow through, that�s their decision too," said Austin. San Luis Obispo, Calif., photographer Kari Aberthal coached with Byron for more than a year. She credits coaching with helping her develop a way to support her fine arts interests. "Self-awareness is the biggest thing (coaching gave me). Many things lie dormant. When you wake them up, it�s positive," said Aberthal. "Basically, she held up a mirror." Coaching usually involves weekly sessions that range from 30 minutes to an hour. Sessions can be done over the phone or in person. Austin conducts more of her session in person, but Byron and Stuart use the phone because most of their clients are far-flung. Austin completed basic and advanced courses and obtained certification at the Coaches Training Institute in San Rafael, Calif. Byron is certified by the Academy for Coach Training in Seattle. Stuart says certification for executive coaches is just beginning to appear. Byron and Austin were educators. Stuart taught management seminars before he started to coach nine years ago. Costs vary depending on arrangements. Austin charges from $150 to $1,000 per month. Byron�s fees, which she says are probably in the middle of national rates, average $150 to $400 per month. Stuart charges from $400 to $700 per month to his business clients. A Southern Oregon Coaches Association meets every third Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at the Hidden Spring Wellness Center, 1651 Siskiyou Blvd. For information, call Austin at 482-4132. Reach Ashland bureau reporter Tony Boom at 482-4651, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.