The Sandy and Dave Show: Coaching Conversations for Coaches

In this episode, we revisit the 30-minute session and what to expect when you are working for one of these big coaching companies that offer only 30-minute coaching sessions.  Dave dives into the research (of course he does) and Sandy has a few rants about profile photos (including her own...). SHOW FLOW and LINKS   (some may be affiliate links) where do we find these 30-minute sessions - and why...

The concept of trust and safety seems soooo simple, and yet... there is a lot to it regarding coaching conversations and how we show up for our clients!  In this episode you'll hear areas of growth to consider when cultivating trust and safety, Dave's joy when it comes to word definitions, and some of Sandy's pet peeves about coaching over video. Enjoy! SHOW FLOW and LINKS   (some may be affiliate...

Wait, leading? Isn't that BAD in coaching sessions? Yes, and no. Leading *without leading* is pretty much in our job descriptions as coaches. We'll discuss this, why it can be good OR bad, and offer our two-point failsafe method to "lead without leading" that we use in our sessions. SHOW FLOW and LINKS (some may be affiliate links) What do we mean by "leading"? What do we mean by "leading without...

Chemistry sessions. What are they? What should they include? What SHOULDN'T they include? And why does Sandy dislike that term, ""chemistry"" (major air quotes there)? These answers and more are discussed in this episode!  Be sure to scroll down if you'd like a copy of Sandy's First Session Road Map if you need some structure to your initial sessions with potential clients. SHOW FLOW and LINKS  (s...

Let's talk LANGUAGE! We're all taught to "use your client's language", but what about the coach's language? And what if you purposefully use language that is *opposite* of the words your client just spoke, what happens then...? What the heck is NLP, anyways, and why are we obsessed with it??  All of this and more in this episode. Enjoy! SHOW FLOW and LINKS (some may be affiliate links) What's impo...

The new ICF Credentialing Exam is on the agenda for today!  Dave is going to interview Sandy about her recent experience taking this exam, and Sandy is going to offer lots of things to consider and think about before, during, and after the exam.  She also has a bright shiny new resource to help YOU prepare for this exam. Enjoy!   SHOW FLOW and LINKS (some may be affiliate links) The new exam vs th...

Let's talk METAPHORS! This was a fun episode as we tried to cram in as many metaphors as we could, lol... we invite you to take a listen and write down the ones that you hear, and visit our website (no peeking!!!) to see if you got them all! SHOW FLOW and LINKS Sandy and Dave discuss why using metaphors can be really useful in coaching conversations Sandy lists a few well-known (at least here in t...

What do you do when a client has a strong emotion in a session? Do you acknowledge? Offer space? Uncomfortably shift in your chair and secretly wish the session would end sooner rather than later? This episode is about how to use, deal with, and/or avoid (ok maybe not avoid) emotions that come up in coaching conversations. SHOW FLOW and LINKS  (some may be affiliate links) The definition of emotio...

This episode is all about gratitude! What it is, how it's different from thankfulness, how to cultivate gratitude, and what toxic gratitude is (who even knew toxic gratitude was a thing??), and more. We'll also offer several gratitude practices that you can share with your clients - or make your own. SHOW FLOW and LINKS (some may be affiliate links) The definition of gratitude Gratitude vs. thankf...

Let's wrap it up! With kittens! This episode is about how to properly and gracefully close a coaching session, and hopefully Sandy's orange boy cats will behave during the recording... This Episode is part of our "Coaching Session Structure" series, where we will lead you through a coaching session's structure .  Check out   Part One, How to Start a Session ,  and the rest of the previous episodes...

Let's make a plan! This episode is all about helping your client plan action steps/goals, accountability, and support with those goals. This Episode is part of our "Coaching Session Structure" series, where we will be leading you through the structure of a coaching session .  Be sure to check out   Part One, How to Start a Session ,  and the following episodes to get all caught up. SHOW FLOW and L...

Evoking awareness is the "meat" of the any coaching session! We got lots to say (as always) about this topic, and here we give our thoughts and tips on how to work on this important skill. This Episode is part of our "Coaching Session Structure" series, where we will be leading you through the structure of a coaching session .  Be sure to check out   Part One, How to Start a Session ,  and the fol...

What is the "topic" or "focus" of a session? Isn't this the same as the "agenda" or "agreement"…? Let's compare the ICF and NB competencies and figure out how to set a good agenda/agreement! This Episode is part of our "Coaching Session Structure" series, where we will be leading you through the structure of a coaching session .  Be sure to check out   Part One, How to Start a Session. SHOW FLOW a...

Welcome to a special episode of The Sandy and Dave Show!  Gather 'round the fire and listen to our tales of "nightmare clients", why some of these clients might actually be uncoachable, and how Dave misses Sandy's reference from 2001: A Space Odyssey  at the top of the episode. Spoiler alert:  We believe that there's no such thing as a "nightmare" client, however, there may be uncoachable clients....

What is the best way to open a session? With breathing exercises, grounding exercises, checking in – or none of the above? We got some pet peeves to share here as well as good practices for keeping a session 100% client-led from the very start. This Episode is part of our "Coaching Session Structure" series, where we will be leading you through the structure of a coaching session. Stay tuned for E...

How do we know when a person is "coachable"? What are the essential traits of a truly coachable client? What is the "coachability index", and who the heck is this Thomas J. Leonard guy, anyways?? These questions and many, many, more are answered in this episode. SHOW FLOW and LINKS What is coachability? Thomas J. Leonard's "Coachability Index" – his 10 questions that he asked all potential clients...

Things every brand new coach should know before embarking on a coaching career, including the "CYA (Cover Your A**) Trifecta", Dave sharing some math fun (much to Sandy's chagrin), and Sandy singing AGAIN (much to David's chagrin). SHOW FLOW and LINKS The essentials that need to be considered if you are a new coach setting up your business Dave shares some thoughts on math(s) and making money as a...

Should you have a coach if you  are a coach? Spoiler alert: Yes. Yes, you should. Every good (and great) coach has at least one mentor, business, or another type of coach to help them work on coaching skills as well as personal issues. SHOW FLOW and LINKS The three types of coaching you can get as a coach What mentoring coach is – and isn't! Some bad habits Sandy and Dave worked through with the h...

Demonstrating all of those coaching competencies in a short amount of time  can be a challenge, but it can be done! We'll walk through just how to do this;  we'll also talk about the 30-minute coaching session in a workplace/corporate environment, share our tips for coaches to feel more comfortable in these short sessions, and more. SHOW FLOW and LINKS Sandy talks about PSAs for health coaches NOT...