A “AVGS” or “Aktivierungs- and Vermittlungsgutschein” is a financial sponsorship to help people get back into the job market through job coaching. Everyone who is listed as “job seeking” can apply for a “AVGS” at their job center. The number of coaching sessions is based on each individual case.
Business coaching describes a coaching process that is centred on questions and conflicts a coachee has on all things related to work. See also Job Coaching. Other forms of coaching could be focused on other topics like Personal Coaching or Life Coaching, Leadership Coaching or Team Coaching.
A (systemic) “coach” is the person in the coaching sessions that guides and facilitates the coaching process by using specific coaching methods e.g. the iceberg method to help the coachee making their thinking, acting and feeling visible and tangible, so they are able to find a solution to a conflict or question themselves. The coach does not diagnose or pathologise and the coach does not give advice because the coach is not the expert of the coachee’s life – the coachee is. The mindset of the coach and their own context and opinion about coaching and about the coachee plays an important role in the outcome of a coaching session and the overall process. In general coaches should know their boundaries and communicate them transparently and give their clients the same courtesy. Not every client is the right client for a coach and vice versa. You as a coach need a benevolent attitude to make the coaching process work.
The “coachee” is the client of a professional coach and the person in the coaching process who wants support gaining professional or personal growth e.g. through finding a solution to solve a (social) conflict the coachee has with someone else or oneself. There is no hierarchy, the coach and coachee are on a par with each other.
The relationship between the coach and the coachee is crucial for a successful coaching process. One of the biggest criteria to make this happening is the mindset or attitude of the coach. Systemic coaches act on the assumption that the client is the expert of her or his life. Respect for this autonomy of the coachee as well as curiosity, active listening, impartiality, appreciation for the existing life strategies and using existing resources and strengths are all great qualities and the right mindset for a professional coach.
A coaching process is always individual and describes a series of coaching sessions. The length of a process depends on the agreement between the coach and the coachee. Our coaching process usually takes 5-10 coaching sessions.
A coaching session usually takes between 60 and 90 minutes. Multiple coaching sessions define a coaching process. Each session as well as the whole process is facilitated by a coach who guides the coachee through each session by using different methods, e.g. we use the iceberg method.
Coaching and (Psycho)Therapy are both individual processes that use psychological methods and interventions to support people who are seeking help. The coachee and her or his thinking, acting and feeling is the focus of the process. One of the most crucial criteria if a process for either of them is successful depends on a working relationship between coach/therapist and client/patient.But there are clear differences: coaching is always willingly and for people who are able to self-manage their daily routines and are clinically “healthy”. If it’s not the case a (psycho)therapy is the right way to (re)establish psychological health. Furthermore coaching focuses on personal and professional growth in the present and actionable strategies for a dedicated goal in the future whereas therapy often focuses on the past and difficulties arising from the past causing emotional dysfunction. More info can be found on the International Coach Federation FAQ page
When we talk about “context” in regards to our coaching process we mean opinions or the belief system a coachee has about something or someone. We distinguish between beneficial and non-beneficial contexts. The coaching process helps the coachee to expand a beneficial context to gain personal or professional growth.
“Coach” is not (yet) a protected profession that has official quality standards. Nevertheless the German Coaching Association (Deutscher Coaching Verband - DCV) tries to close that gap by establishing quality standards, a certification process and a focus on ethical guidelines. The DCV supports coaches as well as coachees with all questions regarding the topic “coaching”.More info can be found on the DCV website (German only)
The Enneagram is a more complex personality model. As a typology, it defines nine interconnected personality types. The historical evolution of the Enneagram is still disputed and its limited psychometric analysis is not entirely accepted among relevant academic studies. Nevertheless it found its place not just among spiritual processes but also as a tool for Business Coaching or Team Coaching. Especially in the work place the Enneagram supports the understanding of interpersonal dynamics within a team and leads to personal growth through strengthened self-awareness.
The Forum is a method used in a group setting e.g. for Team Coaching. The group or team usually has a common goal (e.g. to start a project together). This method makes feelings and thoughts of each participant visible. It creates a safe space that allows vulnerability and trust and supports connection between the participants if there is no judgement but rather benevolance towards everyone. For making this happen some rules needs to be established beforehand (e.g. no gossiping or sharing externally). Furthermore it’s process oriented, based on the present (”what is happening now?”) and it’s voluntarily. There are different ways to execute it, e.g. you can sit on chairs in a circle and the one person that wants to start, goes into the middle of the circle and just starts talking based on the question “How are you?”. We usually time-box the sharing in our coaching sessions depending on the group size.
Goal setting is a crucial part of the coaching process. Usually in the first coaching session the coach and coachee determine a goal together (what would the coachee like to “achieve” in terms of feel, think and/or act (differently) after the coaching is done). This is the directory for the whole process. Other goals that play an important role during systemic coaching are the ones that support the coachee in establishing new context(s) in one’s routine. The goals or action items should be formulated as a constructive and clear full sentence (beginning with “I”), in active language (”I will… instead of I could…”), in presence tense and with a specific date/time.
We use hypnotherapeutic processes (quite often in combination with meditation processes) in our coaching sessions to support the coachee to find an answer for a question one has. The coachee is not hypnotised but rather guided into a trans-like state or relaxed flow. It heightens the awareness and helps with the focus of the mind and activation of the subconscious. The coach usually writes a hypnotherapeutic process for the coachee so it’s tailored to his individual coaching process. Ideally the coach uses the minimum of descriptions so the coachee can easily get into the process and scene but at the same time has enough “space” to create one’s own “additions”. It’s helpful to activate the body and senses through questioning (what do you see then? what can you taste? etc.).
The Iceberg Method or Model is a tool that helps making rooted opinions or contexts you have about yourself visible as well as making you understand why you act in some situations the way you do. The tool works with different levels. There is an event level that describes in an objective way a situation with a conflict. The second level is the “context or root level”, the deeper level below the surface that shows your opinions about yourself. For better understanding of your acting, feeling and thinking in this and other similar situations gains and pains will be made visible. The coach helps the coachee work through the levels by using systemic questioning.
Identities are simply put self images we as human beings have about ourselves. When we talk about identities in our coaching process we usually refer to contexts the coachee has about her- or himself that were beneficial at a certain point but are not necessarily as supportive for the personal growth of the coachee today. A welcoming discovery, understanding and expansion of your self image offers the deepest self-awareness.
Job coaching describes a coaching process that is centred on questions and conflicts a coachee has on all things related to his or her current, past or future job. See also Business Coaching. Other forms of coaching could be focused on other topics like Personal Coaching or Life Coaching, Leadership Coaching or Team Coaching.
When we talk about knowledge ownership in our coaching process we talk about the coachee being the expert of her or his life. The coach is not. The coach can’t be. Only the coachee knows the answers – sometimes deep down. The coach can only support the coachee to find them, e.g. by using hypnotherapeutic processes or the iceberg method.
Leadership coaching describes a coaching process that supports coachees in their leadership role. Other forms of coaching could be focused on other topics like Business Coaching or Job Coaching, Personal Coaching or Life Coaching or Team Coaching.
Life coaching describes a coaching process that is centred on the coachees personal self reflection and personal growth. See also Personal Coaching. Other forms of coaching could be focused on other topics like Business Coaching or Job Coaching, Leadership Coaching or Team Coaching.
According to the Oxford Dictionary a metaphor is “a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable”. In our coaching process we use metaphors or tropes to support the coachee with understanding and grasping dynamics and contexts more easily.
Mirror exercises describe a method where a person stands in front of a mirror and repeats a kind of mantra (sometimes in combination with gestures) to oneself. In our coaching process we use mirror exercises to strengthen the body-mind connection for establishing new ways of acting, feeling and thinking. Standing in front of a mirror and e.g. repeating a new beneficial context about something or someone supports the coachee to consciously decide to act on the new context.
Nonviolent communication is a (communication) method that boosts empathy in a conversation and was developed by clinical psychologist Marshall Rosenberg in the 1960s. It focuses on clarifying your perceptions, feelings, needs and requests – especially in a conflict situation (or after one). It’s often used in Couple Coaching or Team Coaching.
We use the Origination Disruption Method in our coaching process to get to the roots of a certain non-benevolent context the coachee has and that is now causing psychological strain. It describes an incident that was unexpected and surprising to the coachee and caused a certain “negative” thinking, feeling and acting afterwards. Quite often it happens in early childhood or teens. Even if two children are having exactly the same disruption the experience can be totally different and they can develop totally different belief systems or one none.
Personal coaching describes a coaching process that is centred on the coachees personal self reflection and personal growth. See also Life Coaching. Other forms of coaching could be focused on other topics like Business Coaching or Job Coaching, Leadership Coaching or Team Coaching.
Personal growth describes the process of reflection and inner work done by an individual to expand one’s context and belief system by understanding one’s own thinking, feeling and acting better.
When people put in the minimum of effort (and hours) to keep their jobs we talk about “quiet quitting”. A common theme in our coaching sessions or in job coaching or business coaching in general because some people realise they feel and act like that but don’t want to and also don’t know what do to about it, what they want etc. Or some people do it willingly, are happy with it but have conflicts with other colleagues or senior management they need help with solving.
Rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT) is a type of action-based cognitive behavioural therapy developed by psychologist Albert Ellis that helps people learn how to manage their thoughts, emotions and behaviours in a healthier way. In our coaching process we use REBT to help our coachees to deal with irrational beliefs by exploring together the end of the thought process of these beliefs. Quite often all the terrible things we think are going to happen (especially in the work place) hardly ever come true. Understanding that offers relief and opens the door for new ways of acting, feeling and thinking. Even though we can’t always influence the incidents and events happening in our lives we can decide how to asses them.
When we talk about resource focus in our coaching process we mean the focus on the strengths and qualities the coachee already has but sometimes can’t see or feel because e.g. a non-beneficial context about her- or himself blocks her or him from seeing the potential she or he already has. Inner work sets the coachees resources free and opens up new choices of acting, feeling and thinking and in conclusion leads to personal growth.
Systemic Coaching is rooted in Systems Theory. Compared to “traditional coaching” a systemic approach to coaching supports the coachee to understand the dynamics of the system she or he is embedded in. It adds an additional level that not only focuses on individual self awareness but the potential of the whole system by considering the interconnections between the members of the system. Furthermore it focuses on how members of social systems create realities through their actions and language as well as keeping these realities alive by manifesting dynamics (life strategies) and interaction processes. When we talk about systems we mean social ones like a family, an organisation or a team. Systemic coaching creates positive interventions on the dynamics and trigger transformation that helps providing individual solutions for the coachees problems.
Team coaching describes a coaching process that is centred on questions and conflicts a team has on all things related to their work. Other forms of coaching could be focused on other topics like Business Coaching or Job Coaching, Personal Coaching or Life Coaching or Leadership Coaching.
When we talk about „utilisation“ in a coaching process we mean the activation of the resources a coachee has and the transfer of them into useful tools, helping clients „utilise“ their resources to create a different problem-solving acting and thinking.
Depending on the coachee’s need and matter working with visions can be supportive in gaining new perspectives and guidelines, an orientation for the future. There are different methods for different stages of the vision work, e.g. a hypnotherapeutic process could be helpful for the client if their aspirations are not clear for them or a vision board for manifesting them.
When we talk about “wealth” in our coaching process we don’t mean monetary wealth but rather emotional wealth. The state of heart and mind that most of us aspire to and long for. To put it simple: we want to be us, authentically and be loved, without conditions. We want to live in the fullness of all things benevolent for us. People who are willingly start a coaching process usually want to come a little closer to this state of fullness. If the coaching process is done right, they usually do.
The Theory X and Theory Y was established by the social psychologist Douglas McGregor in the 1960s. It’s two contrasting theories are based on the assumption that the style of a manager is affected by their beliefs of what motivates their team members.
“Young Professional Coaching” is a focused job or business coaching offer for young people who e.g. start a manager position and suddenly have the challenge to manage other, maybe even older people where conflicts or insecurities may arise. See also Business Coaching, Team Coaching, Personal Coaching or Leadership Coaching.
“Zen” is a Japanese school of Mahayana Buddhism emphasizing the value of meditation and intuition rather than ritual worship or study of scriptures. It can also be a description of a calm and peaceful state of mind (”I’m feeling zen today”).
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