Cathy Liska This blog series continues with the client in the story preparing for her new job. In preparation for this, I reflected on the balance between being a subject matter expert and a process expert as discussed in the very first coach training class. This meant I was ready to use subject matter expertise to inform questions while truly empowering the client to explore and decide. 
In talking through how to work on this together, Katrina decided that identifying the stages for starting and engaging was the first step. Next was to think through what each stage meant to her and what she wanted to be aware of as she was in that stage. Finally, Katrina wanted to define specific actions for each stage. The stages and points of awareness she developed during the coaching included:
- Preparation – in preparing for work, Katrina wanted to identify who she was going to interact with and plan her logistics such as office and schedule.
- Clarity about Role and Expectations – Katrina wanted to review her job description, make notes on anything that was unclear to plan to learn more, and get the specifics on expectations.
- Designing Impact – once she knew the expectations, Katrina wanted to figure out how to meet and exceed them. She wanted to identify where she was going to make the greatest impact.
- Reflecting – Katrina wanted to plan time to intentionally reflect on the people, culture, and work to identify what was going well and where she wanted to adjust.
- Understanding the Company – Katrina wanted to take the time to talk to colleagues about the company history, the culture, the vision for the future, company values, and how everyone fit in the big picture.
- Questions – Katrina planned to make a list of questions to ask her boss, her colleagues, and her direct reports.
- Priorities – Katrina wanted to plan time after a month on the job to evaluate her priorities.
- Leadership Style – Katrina wanted to plan a review of her leadership style plus strategize how she wanted to enhance her effectiveness.
- Building the Team – Katrina wanted to chart her team including their personalities, strengths, goals, and how to most effectively empower each of them.
- Getting Results – Katrina wanted to plan regular reviews of her work, evaluate her results, and to set goals plus design strategies moving forward.
Applying what is taught during coaching certification meant using my knowledge to ask open questions that helped Katrina consider various factors and develop strategies for herself.
