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Coaching can be a transformational experience for leaders in the Education sector. According to data collected during the two-year partnership between Know You More and Education Scotland, 96% of education practitioners accessing coaching would highly recommend the experience to a friend or colleague.

Not all coaching programmes, however, are designed to achieve the same result. To maximise the impact of your learning experience it is important to understand what areas are you seeking to develop and which coaching setting will be best suited for you.

One-to-one coaching

One-to-one coaching is the most personalised form of coaching. It is a thinking partnership between yourself and an experienced accredited coach, where you will focus on the specific areas of your personal development that you wish to address. A 1:1 format provides more time for you and your coach to work on your goals, dig deeper into any challenges you might be facing and devise creative solutions. In this setting, your coach will hold a safe, confidential and enabling space where you feel empowered to do your best thinking.

A one-to-one programme is best suited for those seeking to develop greater self-awareness, hone leadership abilities and build resilience, working with an external, impartial thinking partner.

Each coaching programme will give you access to four hours of coaching, that you and your coach can divide into sessions to suit your preference and schedule. Your coach will first work with you to clarify what you want to focus on and the difference you intend to make for yourself through coaching. They will work alongside you for the agreed number of sessions to help you achieve your goal, tailoring the journey to suit you by using the process, skills and tools that will support you best.

When signing up for a one-to-one coaching programme, we ask you to complete a short profile where you can share a bit about yourself and what you seek to achieve from the coaching experience. This is an essential step in ensuring we match you with the best coach, and it will help them prepare for your first coaching session.  

Group Coaching

In a group coaching programme, a small group of peers work together in a space held and facilitated by an accredited professional coach. In this setting, the group meets digitally (over Zoom or a similar video conferencing platform) for a set number of sessions. A group setting is an ideal place to connect with individuals who might work in a different area or department, but are faced with similar challenges or are working towards the same goals.

Group coaching sessions are highly effective because they allow people to learn from each other's experiences, break any sense of isolation they might be experiencing in their work and share ideas, while also providing peer support opportunities. When you work in a group coaching environment, your group will be responsible for finding new ways to solve problems, generate learning opportunities, build knowledge and develop skills.

As part of the signup process, we ask participants to fill in a short profile to help us select the right coach for your group and ensure an insightful, rich experience for all participants.

What both coaching formats have in common

"Coaching" literally means to transport someone from a place to another. In both settings, the coaching relationship focuses on moving forward and identifying solutions by thinking about challenges in a different way. By establishing a safe, non-judgmental space, a professional coach helps the group or individual to question assumptions and discover new angles and perspectives. Accountability is a key ingredient for the success of any coaching relationship. Unlike mentoring, coaching is non-directive. Rather than providing you with the answers, your coach will help you find new ways that lead to the answers you need.

For education professionals, the coaching partnership offers a supportive space to build resilience in navigating change, leading others and proactively approaching the challenges and opportunities of your role.

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