What is coaching? A) Definition of the word Coaching: Where does the term Coaching come from? The word Coach in English stands for the horse-drawn variety and, just as a coach enables people to get from one place to another, so, in the figurative sense, Coaching facilitates the development of people from one point to another. The coach as driver points out the destination, the vehicle accompanies him along the way. B) Individual coaching approach of Battenberg Coaching: For me, coaching means a uniquely individual counseling process for people, often top managers, who wish to improve their professional situation. The aim here is for the client to harmonise the demands of his/her profession with his/her own personality, at the same time broadening personal and professional competence. However, I am not there to take the client’s work or responsibility off his/her hands. My job is to coach at process level. In order to do this I look at the person Coachee on the one hand, understand this person’s uniqueness and needs, specify my findings and address these to the client. On the other hand, I analyse and examine the immediate client context (superiors, employees, colleagues, tasks, interfaces) as well as the broader context (company, structure, culture, market, objectives, strategy. Finally, I look at whether the persons involved perceive and carry out their roles within an organization in a suitable way. As discreet counselor I am not subject to any third-party restrictions. I am not a therapist, I offer well-founded and unadorned feedback which, due to a lack of emotional distance to the client or the context in question cannot be given by colleagues, employees or friends. Coaching helps to recognise and use opportunities. The client’s abilities and skills, whether already existing or sometimes newly discovered will be mobilized and enhanced. The client’s perception, experience and behaviour will be improved and broadened. At the end of the day I make myself redundant as feedback „transmitter“. The process of systemic coaching: C - Come together - "It’s all a question of personal chemistry!“ Harmonising mutual expectations and perceptions O - Orientation Defining coaching objectives and period in the coaching agreement A - Analysis Examining concerns and environment C - Change Developing solutions for change H - Harbour Achieving objectives and subsequent evaluation After the first telephone contact there follows an individual one-hour preliminary interview, free-of-charge and without obligation, in which your wishes and also the fundamental cooperation between coach and client are discussed in detail. Subsequently, both coach and client can decide whether they wish to work together – if so, they enter into an agreement. In most cases a fortnightly session is arranged, usually lasting two hours. However, as coaching is a very individual process and is intended to fulfill your requirements exclusively, the length of time and frequency of sessions can vary according to individual needs. When all sessions have been completed the results will be evaluated together.