FAQs

How do I know I have the right coach for my business?

Our structured process for coaching and diagnostic debriefs involves taking a detailed brief about you or your business, providing biographies of suitable coaches, organizing a ‘chemistry check’ between the coachee and a potential coach, providing a series of coaching sessions and 3-way stakeholder meetings, plus unlimited support, regular reporting and evaluation. Biographies of two or more, potentially suitable coaches will be provided to each participant. A coach is selected by the participant for a chemistry check.

How many chemistry checks do you do?

In the first chemistry check the prospective coach and the participant meet informally to decide whether each wish to proceed. If either party are unsure, then we will arrange for a second chemistry check. It is important to us, that you feel confident moving forward with the best coach for you and your business.
What is involved in the individual brief taking?
In conjunction with our clients, we work to obtain an initial brief about the person or team to be coached. This can be through either feedback from a line manager, by the person themselves, or by results borne out by internal testing such as 360-degree reports or psychometric tests or a combination of all of the above. The more detailed the brief, the more effective the coaching.

What is the initial 3-way meeting for?

The coach and coachee will meet with the participant’s line manager or sponsor to gain input to the goals, and further insights into their strengths and areas for development.

How many 3-way meetings are scheduled?

All up there are three scheduled 3-way meetings. Three-way Session 2, The coach and coachee will meet with the participant’s line manager or sponsor to gain feedback on progress/changes against agreed goals from Sessions 1-3 and discuss suggestions or modifications (if needed) against areas of focus identified in three-way Session 1.
Three-way Session 3, The coach and coachee will meet with the participant’s line manager or sponsor to discuss progress and observable changes made by the participant and to agree the objectives and desired outcomes from the final three sessions.

Will I be briefed on the progress of the coaching program?

A progress review with the HR or Group Talent and Diversity Manager and the coach is scheduled part way through the assignment. This provides timely indication of progress and issues that may require more thought and attention for the remainder of the program.

At the end of the coaching period will I get a detailed report on everything that has been discussed and learned?

At the end of the assignment, a final evaluation discussion provides an opportunity to assess outcomes against agreed criteria. The insights and data individuals derive from the coaching provide valuable inputs for sustaining gains and for further development, succession and career planning. The participant will complete an evaluation report that documents the assignment outcomes, and the coach will capture key achievements along the way.

Will I have ongoing support after the coaching period ends?

Throughout the process, the coach will be available for any between-session issues or situations that may relate to or impact assignment outcomes. After the assignment finishes, the coach remains available at no charge to provide support over the phone or email for a period equivalent to three months after the duration of the assignment.

Do you coach in person or online?

We are available to coach in person and online. We will work with you to co-design a program that suits you and your business needs.
Our experience has shown that behavioral change and alignment to key initiatives are more effective in a face-to-face environment and gives greater scope to team building exercises and group breakout sessions. However, recent global events provided an opportunity to fine tune our virtual coaching capabilities including for groups of as many as 20 participants online at a time. Notwithstanding the coaching methodology, Psychometric testing generally underpins the substrate of one-to-one coaching assignments.

Is your format set in stone or can I have a program to suit my specific needs?

10 coaching sessions, 3 three-way meetings, progress reporting and a final evaluation is a typical coaching engagement. Variations on this methodology are negotiated and agreed for specific assignment such as Psychometric testing programs where implementation of the testing and debrief may typically amount to three (3) or six (6) session engagements. We work with you to design a program to suit the needs of you and your business.

How long do the sessions typically go for and how often?

One to One Sessions typically run for 60-90 minutes, and occur as agreed between coach and participant, typically every two to three weeks. Longer periods between sessions are not recommended as the cumulative benefits of coaching can be less effective.
Psychometric Testing. Is dependent on the type of testing being applied but as a guide ideally a 6-to-8-week timeframe from set-up to completion of the more complex programs like 360-degree feedback surveys. Our coaches are qualified to deliver and debrief all the credible psychometric tests, including The Leadership Circle.
Group Coaching. Group workshops are all co-designed to meet the needs of the client and vary in duration and content. We have sufficient experience and content to prepare most facilitated team building workshops, leadership development or coaching/strategic development programs with very little notice subject to client’s requirements and suitable briefing. Workshops can be half day or one day in duration and targeted to a particular area of focus for the organisation either sequentially over consecutive days or spread out over a period of time.

What do you mean by “Trifecta”?

All WCG coaches are required to meet our internal requirement, which we call our ‘Trifecta’. This ensures we provide excellence in coaching and it is a key differentiator:

• Experienced in Business – have held senior leadership and management positions and have been successful at delivering results;
• Experts in facilitating behaviour change with individuals and organisations – trained in at least one of the behavioural sciences and in business; and
• Qualified to Coach – hold qualifications and experience in coaching and are committed to continuing professional development.

What companies has W Coaching been involved with?

Following is a non-exhaustive summary of our key clients, many whom have been with us for over a decade:
Ansell, ANZ, ASIO, AstraZeneca, ATO, Bain & Co, Boral, CBA, Coca Cola Amatil, Crown Solicitors Office, CSL Behring, Cuscal, Department of Community Services, Department of Defence, Department of Transport, Department of Health, Deutsche Bank, Freyssinet, Fred Hollows Foundation, Freeman, Holman Fenwick Willan, Foxtel, Herbert Smith Freehills, GBST, Gilbert & Tobin, HSBC, IAG, ING, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Macquarie Group, Marshall Investments, Melbourne Business School, MS Australia, NAB, NEC, News Ltd, NSW Government Leadership Academy, Premier & Cabinet, QIC, QUT, RANZCO, RMIT, RM Watson, RTA, Santos Mining, Seqirus, Stockland, Sydney Water, Talent 2, Telstra, The Children’s Hospital, The Trust Company, Transurban, Trust, UBS, Unisys, University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, UTS, Victorian Government Leadership Academy, and Westpac.

What is the significance of the A in your logo?

The middle section of the “W” in our W Coaching Group logo is deliberately designed to look like the letter “A”. It is our way of paying homage to our founder, the late Anne Whyte. Originally the Company was called Whyte and Co. Coaches however on the passing of Anne in 2014, and at the request of her daughter, we changed the company to W Coaching Group. Many of the coaches that started with Whyte and Co. back in 2001 remain with the company as coaches today as a sign of respect for the great legacy that Anne created.