Frequently asked questions

The International Coaching Federation explains coaching like this:

Coaching is partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. The process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity and leadership.

We all have goals we want to reach, challenges we’re striving to overcome and times when we feel stuck. Partnering with a coach can change your life, setting you on a path to greater personal and professional fulfillment.

Here at ANP Coaching, we tend to work with people who are stuck in their careers, want to make change in their lives professionally and embark on a squiggly career. 

In addition, we coach entrepreneurs and businesses from initial start up ideas, through the process of growing and scaling up, all the way to helping solve day to day business problems in thriving businesses. 

Most coaching programmes initially follow the same format of 6 sessions over 3-6 months. Your coach will discuss options and agree the exact shape and duration of your coaching sessions in the initial exploration.

The first session is usually an intake/induction session of up to 90 minutes where your coach and you explore your needs, get to know each other, and start to frame the coaching goals.

The regular coaching sessions are usually 60 minutes long and should be booked at 2–4-week intervals. Several tools or exercises may be included during your sessions as needed and usually includes a personal behavioural profile such as DISC, Insights or Strengths Finder.

Coaching sessions are typically held by Zoom or phone, or from time to time, geography allowing, in person. At the correct time, you are responsible for calling your coach or logging on to Zoom to start the call. If you are late, your coach may, at their discretion, start the session, cancel or rearrange. If the session is started late, your coach may still finish the call at the correct time as they may have other bookings. A full session charge is incurred.

If you need to rearrange a session, please notify us as soon as possible and note that a minimum of 24 hours’ notice is required. If you fail to attend a session, you may forfeit that session.

During your coaching programme, you have unlimited email access to your coach, subject to reasonable usage. We will endeavor to reply within two business days.

It is important to recognise the nature of coaching. It is not therapy or counseling. Coaching results are not guaranteed, and the client always retains responsibility for their actions. You are responsible for creating your own results.

Coaching is confidential and any information shared, whether it is business or personal, remains confidential. The coach undertakes not to, at any time, either directly or indirectly, use or disclose any information the client shares with them during their sessions. For further details please refer to the Confidentiality & Privacy FAQ and/or the ICF Coaching Code of Ethics.

During coaching, it is essential that you commit to fully engaging in the process and are truthful and honest.  You remain responsible for coaching outcomes and creating your own results. If not, it is possible that you will not make progress or benefit from coaching.

Coaching is challenge by choice. During the coaching sessions, your coach may find it necessary to challenge you about values, actions and beliefs or to refocus you on your goals. This is an essential part of the process and we don’t do it to cause upset, rather to explore your thinking, habits and beliefs. In your initial session, you and your coach will discuss how you prefer to be challenged, what motivates or engages you and how to get the best out of you. This is a two-way process and we will remain non-judgmental, professional and committed to you at all times. If your coach ever says or does anything in a session that you don’t feel comfortable with or if you have any concern with the way we are working, please let us know straight away.

Coaching starts with three important premises

• It’s all about your agenda and goals.
• You are infinitely resourceful.
• You are responsible and accountable for your own progress.

 Your commitments will be aligned with that, mirror our commitment to you and enable the coaching process to succeed.

• You’ll be coachable and open to challenge.
• You’ll be 100% committed to your goal and making progress towards it.
• You’ll face challenges fairly and squarely.
• You’ll set your own boundaries as needed and actively work with your coach, becoming accountable for your progress.
• You’ll be open, honest and transparent in all our dealings with us.
• You understand there are no guarantees but you’ll also expect to grow and develop as a person during the process.

Our coaches act as a catalyst for your personal journey of discovery and development and we are committed to you reaching your goals and finding high performance.

• We will make progress together and we expect you be successful in reaching your goals.
• We will challenge you hard but fairly, especially around limiting beliefs.
• We build trust and set boundaries in our coaching.
• It’s all about your agenda and goals and we’ll assume that you are infinitely resource with a growth mindset.
• We coach the whole person not just the topics on the agenda.
• We’ll be open, honest and transparent in all our dealings with you.
• Coaching is hard work but it has to be fun working together – we work hard on that!

Coaching is a great intervention for most people, but not for all. We recognise that building rapport with your coach, feeling supported and getting along are essential. Your coach may also recognise that other solutions may be more appropriate or that their style doesn’t meet your needs.

In these circumstances, these are your options.

• If coaching isn’t for you, please be honest and say so. Please discuss options with your coach.
• Your coach may signpost other options and stop coaching you. We always have your health, welfare and progress at heart.
• For the initial six-session programme, if you wish to cancel after the first or second sessions, we will refund the remaining sessions in full. If you wish to cancel after session three, we will refund the cost of the remaining sessions less a 10% administration fee.

Once you have completed your initial six-session coaching plan, you have several options to extend your coaching plan. This includes purchasing additional sessions in blocks or ad hoc.

Please ask your coach about this for more details.

We are an ethical coaching company and abide by the International Coaching Federation Code of Conduct, which can be found on our website and here: https://coachingfederation.org/ethics/code-of-ethics

All information about the coach / client relationship will remain strictly confidential.

If you wish for your coach to speak to someone outside our interactions, then you need to give us written permission (original letter, fax or email) to do so.

There are exceptions where your coach may ethically, or be required by law, to breach confidence and these include

• Intent to break the law or commit a crime,
• Intent to seriously harm yourself or someone else,
• Where safeguarding risks may exist, for example around children or vulnerable adults,
• By court order.

Furthermore, we make proper use of emerging and growing technological developments that are being used in coaching services (technology-assisted coaching services) and are aware of how various ethical standards apply to them. It is important to note that in most situations, technologies will be used to communicate electronically, and most electronic communication involves some unmitigable risk that privacy can be breached.

While all reasonable measures will be taken out of an abundance of caution, clients agree to accept the risks associated with the use of technology (virtual meeting platforms, text message, email, mobile and cordless phones).

Coaches are required to keep contemporaneous note of coaching sessions. These may be kept as physical or electronic notes. We maintain the strictest levels of confidentiality with all parties and comply with all applicable laws that pertain to personal data and communications. We maintain, store and dispose of any records, including electronic files and communications, created during professional interactions in a manner that promotes confidentiality, security and privacy, and complies with any applicable laws and agreements.

ANP Coaching and the Veterinary Business Consultancy are trading names of Adrian Nelson-Pratt, who is a sole trader.

ANP Coaching is not VAT registered and VAT will not be charged. 

ANP Coaching carries Professional Indemnity Insurance for the provision of coaching and consultancy services.

ANP Coaching engages coaches in the following ways

• As employees of VSGD.
• As freelance contractors, paid for the provision of coaching services to Stay Go Diversify Ltd under the VSGD brand
• As self-employed coaches, working under their own brand and paying commission to Stay Go Diversify Ltd for the benefit of introduction to new coaching clients.
• All coaches are required to have Professional Indemnity Insurance for the provision of coaching services.

For further details

Online: www.anpcoaching.com

By email: adrian@anpcoaching.com

By phone: +44 (0) 7801342283