What We Do

Coaching... facilitates a person's deeper understanding of self through personal awareness, and supports her/his desire to "move on", more empowered from the experience.

I listen, reflect back, challenge and support you...

The greatest features of coaching are:

Self Reflection - I challenge you to look within yourself to find that which is most important and meaningful to you. What do you value, and what do you need?

Expertise - I provide you with the tools to make intentional choices and set achievable goals in the reshaping of your personal and professional life.

Accountability - I hold you accountable for honouring and following through on the attainment of the life you desire.

"I was stuck in a high place, a critical point in my climbing. The climbing coach said, 'lean back, you're too close to the rock.' I pulled back. Magically, the rock face transformed and I saw the perfect route. Today, that actual movement of pulling back and observing my options often gets me out of trouble."
Karen King – President, Karen King & Associates Inc.

Coaching the Individual... A collaborative synergy of minds.

How Does It Work?

Coaching is delivered through a number of 40 - 60-minute weekly sessions by telephone and / or in person.

A client decides what issues he/she would like to discuss and the coach provides the process to address these challenges. Generally, it takes two or three sessions to provide the framework for real change.

The coaching process begins by having the client observe their current situation and then set the intention for where she/he wants to be.

Together we create a collaborative parnership

Through a series of questions and collaborative brainstorming the coach guides the client to look at, focus on and prioritize potential options, examine possible blocks and map out the plan of action to achieve the desired results.

A coach will provide the support and structure needed to get things done. It is up to the client to take on the challenges in order to actualize and celebrate the wins.

Typical Coaching Questions:

What has occurred since the last call?
What breakthroughs or insights have you had?
What new choices or decisions have you made?
What got in your way of accomplishing a goal?
What needs to change?
What actions can you commit to next?

"The Strategic Planning session you delivered to our company helped us expand our horizons in a non threatening, non competitive manner. You provided a safe space for our employees to participate in a focused way, keeping us on track while still encouraging us to stretch into some creative, right brain thinking."
George O'Hearn, Senior V.P. Naylor Group Inc.

Coaching in Organizations... A collective synergy of minds

Impala and bird working together Human resource professionals recognize that in order to work well in the future, companies will need to hire employees based on their ability to interblend into an organization rather than to fill a job description. Both leaders and management will want to embrace coaching as an important competency aimed at supporting this need as well as building and enhancing team and work group performance.

Lifework Coaching provides the understanding and tools required by managers and leaders to be effective coaches within their workplace. We provide complete coaching and support for them to develop and use these skills so that the coaching becomes a part of the organization's culture and generates the outcomes the organization is seeking.

Lifework Coaching offers support in:

Leadership Development - Supporting leaders in their balanced task of showing the way and deferring responsibility to others.
Train the Trainer Programs - Training in Coaching Skills and Competencies for increased Self-reliance and improved Teamwork
Sales Skills Development - Understanding how relationship and trust building is the nugget to successful sales outcomes.
Communication Strategies - assessing and strengthening communication and behavioural styles.
Team Building - Creating individual responsibility for awareness of strengths and needs and how this is communicated to the team. Creating team responsibility for understanding, respect, and compassion.
On-going Coaching - to support and sustain the integration of new models, skills and competencies in the organization.

"Rock climbing with my team demonstrated how critical it is to be able to respond with awareness rather than react impulsively during tense moments of physical or mental stress. Even more importantly, I realized this was the critical shift I needed to make in my day to day routines. Being on autopilot just doesn't work in either situation."
Jamie Macfarlane, Founder and Wine Maker, The Ice House Winery

Coaching Resources, Process and Tools

CCUI-The Coaching Clinic

This Train-the-Trainer program aims to bring Strategic Corporate Coaching Skills to organizations. Managers, Leaders, and Coaches learn to integrate a coach-approach in all that they do and apply coaching skills and understand different communication styles. This advanced form of relating builds collaborative partnerships, empowers employees, facilitates effective action, increases accountability, and encourages goal attainment.

Conversation and Goal Setting Model - GO-EXPLORE-FOR-ACT-SIONS

Five components:

GO - Goals and Opportunities- establish focus and search all options
EXPLORE - Explore underlying needs of goal
FOR - Field Of Resistance- identify and remove your blocks
ACT - Actions Can Transform- commit to an action plan
SIONS - Scan It Over & Next Step - review "what by when", to whom and celebrate

"I initially looked at our sessions as an obligation, but by the end viewed them as a tremendous asset. This point highlights the value of coaching when done by an interested and skilled counterparty. You have honed your skill to a very high level and are masterful at finding points of relevance to the individual being coached.

The Greatest benefit to me was having the opportunity to be engaged by you, listen to your phraseology, observe the different ways in which you subtly redirect thoughts and focus on issues. From that, I have learned a great deal. Thanks!"
D. Todd Ferguson, B.Com, CIM, FCSI, Director, Financial Services
Branch Manager, ScotiaMcLeod, Vancouver

CCUI-Personal Coaching Styles Inventory (PCSI)

Helps to understand and value individual communication styles and provide insight into how people give and receive feedback. It is effective for understanding how a person prefers to be coached as well as for developing rapport within a team.

DiSC - Personal Behaviour Profile System

The Personal Profile System helps you understand self and others by highlighting behavioural tendencies and differences in a specific environment. By developing this conscious awareness you can choose to change your behaviour and the environment for maximum personal and team success. Research evidence suggests that the most effective people are those who know themselves, recognize the demands of the situation, and adapt strategies to meet those needs.

"I very much enjoyed my coaching sessions with Vivian. The sessions were a highlight to my day. Her professionalism, thoughtful insights, intelligent probing and questioning definitely assisted me in dealing with some complex situations."
Robert Emerson, Manager
Private Banking, Scotia Private Client Group

Signature Workshops

"Rock to Grow" Programs

Executive Coaching and Corporate Development

Let us support your corporate vision to create more powerful collaborative teams in your workplace. Join us on one of our rock climbing retreats. One and two day programs are available in the majestic Canadian Rockies or Ontario's scenic Niagara Escarpment. Led by highly skilled climbing guides, you and your team will embark on a profound journey of discovery.

Let the RockFace be your mirror!

Learn how to:

Manage risk and fear
Communicate with your team
Develop Trust
Problem Solve
Adapt to Change

Programs include Follow-up coaching. Post activity reflections support the transfer of experiential insights into a commitment to action. Behavioural assessment profiles highlight and acknowledge individual and team strengths.

"Take the learning from the RockFace to your WorkPlace"

Similar corporate objectives, as in the "Rock to Grow" programs, are addressed during one-day on-site teaming workshops. Challenging outdoor experiential exercises are blended with indoor debriefing sessions throughout the day at a convenient conference centre or rustic retreat.

Example Workshops:

Communication for Success
Power of Strategic Thinking and Synergy - Moving the Team from Great to Extraordinary
Strategic Planning - Creating New Ideas.
Define Your Team Vision
Set Achievable Goals in the Workplace
Understand and Communicate Your Core Needs
Acknowledge your Value... Strengthen Your Team
Risk Taking, Fear Management & Team Building - Enhancing Personal Growth and Team Cooperation
Understand and Integrate Change - Building Team Collaboration through Synergy, Cohesiveness & Effective Communication

All workshops offer follow-up support with group tele-coaching and one on one individual coaching.

All workshops can are customized to suite the needs of the client.

"The Communication Skills Workshop was of immediate benefit to me professionally and personally. I feel I have developed the tools to be a more effective communicator. It was a revelation to realize that the greatest tool in my communication kit is to listen. That has taken the pressure off me."
Kelly Dixon, Fieldstone Day School

Contact Vivian to find out more information on all coaching and workshops offered.