Coachingpacket1

Coaching Packet
by Coaches Plus

all rights reserved

Coaching Packet January 08 © Sonia Thomas 2008

for more coaching resources visit our website www.coachesplus.com

This guide is produced by Coaches Plus the learning community for
coaches. We hope you find this stimulates some ideas for your coaching
packet and gives you an effective lead in to your first sessions with your
clients.

Contents

page

What is a coaching packet? 1

What to include in your coaching packet 2

How to write your welcome letter 4

Example welcome letter 6

What is a coaching agreement? 7

Example coaching agreement 8

How to use a contact details form 11

Example contact details form 12

Peak Moment exercise 13

My Best Coach exercise 14



What is a Coaching Packet?

The phrase Coaching Packet usually describes a set of materials or
resources you send your client before the first coaching session.

This packet is individual to you and reflects your style and approach as a
coach as well as those of your client. So, the content of the packet varies
from coach to coach and sometimes from client to client.

In this booklet we give you:

• a checklist of item for your coaching packet

• guidelines on writing your welcome letter and an example welcome
letter

• guidelines on the coaching agreement and example coaching
agreement

• an example contact details form

• two short exercises which you can give to your client prior to the first
session with an explanation of how to use them

We hope you find this booklet useful and would love to hear your feedback.
Please visit us at www.coachesplus.com and contact us to let us know what
you think.

You can also access many of the materials and exercises referred to in this
booklet at our website.

One example is our electronic coaching journal

This can be part of your coaching packet and either emailed to clients,
posted on your website, or loaded on to CD. Visit our website to find out
more.

Page 2



What to include in your coaching packet

There are a range of things it may be useful to send your client before your
first session – but it is worthwhile to think carefully about the needs of your
client and what would be useful for them to have up front.

• some people like to have a package of materials and information to
refer to as they go along and prefer to read ahead

• others can get overwhelmed by a lot of paper work and exercises

Remember

You can select exercises to meet the needs of your client after you get a
better picture of their focus and goals.

If you have a website you can post a range of materials for your client to
select from.

Alternatively, you can email or give out materials as and when they are
needed.

Coaching Packet checklist

How to use the checklist

• Read through the items.
• Add any others that you use with your clients
• For each item consider when and how you could introduce them to
your client
• Highlight those which you see as essential to include in the coaching
packet (E)
• Identify those which are helpful to include in the coaching packet (H)
• Identify those which may be useful to your client later, after you have
begun coaching (L)
• Identify those which are not needed (N)

One example is completed below:

Resource E/H/L/N When ? How?
Code of E Before the first coaching Mail out by post or email or post on
Ethics session and during the website and ask client to read before
first coaching session the first session. Deal with questions
on ethics in the first session.



Checklist

Resource E/H/L/N When ? How?

Welcome letter
Invoice
Contract
Coaching
agreement
Newsletter
Biography
Information on
your training,
qualifications
and
membership of
professional
bodies
Client contact
details form
Coaching
call/session
preparation
form
Assessment
(including self-
assessment)
activities
Questions for
your client to
complete
Forms or
activities
Description of
your coaching
style
Client coaching
journal

Other …

Other …

Other …



How to write your welcome letter

A welcome letter is very useful in introducing the content of your coaching
packet to your client and in setting the tone of your coaching relationship.

How formally you write your letter depends on your personal style and the
expectations of your client. But the tone or voice of your letter should be
consistent with the tone in the other materials you send to your client, so
that your client is getting the same message about coaching and your
coaching relationship both in person and in writing.

It also helps if all your written materials are consistent in layout and format,
colour and font – as this also reinforces your message and approach.

Things to consider when putting your letter together:

Content

1 What is your key message to your client about the coaching process and
relationship that they are about to undertake – is it about the:

• journey they will be making?

• support they will receive?

• challenges and changes they will experience?

• impact of coaching – both personal and professional?

Remember to state this key message clearly in your letter.

2 Identify what you would like your client to complete or do before coming
to your first session and list these in your letter. These may include:

• signing documents – such as a contract or coaching agreement

• completing forms – such as a client contact details form

• questions, self-assessments or activities

Remember to give clear instructions on these – including information on how
and when they should be completed and returned.



3 What practical arrangements do you need to remind your client of?
Some examples are:

• the time and arrangements for the first session

• how to pay your fees

These details can be included in a coaching agreement – so consider
whether they would be best included in your agreement or you letter. In this
booklet we have included an example coaching agreement to give an idea of
possible content.

Tone and language

The letter should sound welcoming but how informal do you want it to be?
Informality can be introduced by the use of:

• quotations

• humour

• images

• colour

• a specific font

Layout and structure

Do you want a short letter with a few attachments or do you want to send out
a fuller package of materials. Both options have benefits but will not suit all
clients. Be prepared to test this out and adapt your approach over time.

• if you want to give a full package of material or information to your clients it
is useful to structure your letter into clear sections

• think about whether separate documents would be better than a long letter
and whether you advise your clients to download some materials

• don’t forget to open and and close your letter in a welcoming way



Example Welcome Letter



What is a Coaching Agreement?

A coaching agreement sets out the ground rules and practical arrangements
for your coaching sessions with your client.

This is mutually agreed between coach and client and outlines the
responsibilities of both partners.

It is very useful in establishing a professional, ethical and businesslike
relationship.

Parts of the agreement can be included in a coaching contract, if appropriate.

Here are some headings to consider when you are considering
what to include in your agreement:

• What you ask the client to commit to and what approach they will take
to coaching

• What you commit to as a coach and what approach you take to
coaching

• What issues fall outside the coaching relationship

• The code of ethics by which you work

• How you deal with confidentiality - and any exceptions

• How the coaching sessions will be conducted, length of coaching
programme, frequency, location, whom will phone/contact whom

• What happens in relation to cancellation, rescheduling

• What happens if the coaching relationship is not working

• Arrangements for billing/payment



Example Coaching Agreement



Using a client contact details form

• A client contact details form can be used as a quick reference which is
at kept close at hand to make contacting your client between coaching
sessions easier.

• The form can be used to highlight the arrangements to preserve the
confidentiality of the coaching conversations and interactions.

• It can also be used to outline clearly alternative arrangements and
contact numbers and addresses if you are having difficulty in
contacting your client.

• Your client may appreciate a similar form with your contact details on
it – so they have your contact details to hand and alternative
arrangements should they have a problem in contacting you.

• If the employer is paying for or sponsoring your client’s coaching it is
also useful to have the employer’s contact details.

• Some coaches find it useful to maintain a folder (either paper-based or
electronic) for each of their clients – which includes contact details,
notes, records of progress and achievement, records of assessment
activities and outcomes, sessions completed and planned and goals.
(You can find examples of all these materials on our website.)



Example Contact Details Form



Peak Moment Exercise

Identify a peak or special moment when life was especially rewarding or
poignant for you. This can be a specific event or just a brief period of time
which was meaningful and satisfying or rich and fulfilling.

Where were you?

Who was there with you?

Describe exactly what was happening?

What precisely was it that made this so special for you?

What does this say about what is important, meaningful and fulfilling for you?



Ways to use the Peak Moment Exercise

This exercise can be used to help a client to identify their values.

• ask your client to look at this before the first session

• in the session ask them to visualize the moment and explain exactly
what they experienced

• from this verbal picture and using your intuition – say what values you
feel are expressed in this picture – follow up on any that the client
responds to

• allow your client to respond and reflect on these and identify a core
value

• you could ask them – how are you living to that value now?

Extending the exercise

• ask your client to visualize the future – imagine a similarly meaningful,
satisfying, rich or fulfilling experience – where there value is being
expressed.

• this visualization or exercise can be used to motivate or inspire your
client as they work towards their goals. You can ask your client to
hold on to this feeling, image and return to it at times they want to
create some space for themselves, create a positive frame of mind and
reconnect with what is important to them. This is particularly useful
when they are preparing to take on new challenges and make changes.

Page 15



My Best Coach

How do you want me to coach you?

What are you looking for in a coach?

What else?

If this coaching were to have a huge impact in your life what would it look
like?

What is the worst thing I could do as your coach?

What is the best thing?

When our coaching sessions end – what are the three things you would love
to be able to say about your coach?



Ways to use the My Best Coach exercise

• This exercise helps the client to explore their expectations of coaching
and of you as their coach.

• If you give this out prior to the first session you can discuss some of
the issues in more depth in you session.

• It can be useful to combine this with a discussion of your approach to
coaching, your style and your expectations of your client – perhaps
referring to your coaching agreement or ground rules for coaching.

• You can also use this later as you check in and contract with your
client in your coaching session – particularly when you want to get an
idea if the client’s focus has changed or whether you are coaching to
the “bigger picture”.

Finally …..

We hope you have found this booklet useful – please let us know
by visiting us at www.coachesplus.com , leave some feedback
and help us put together better resources for coaches.

A note on how you can use this resource …

To develop your own coaching packet but not for any form of resale or
to be published online or in any other form. Please see our terms and
conditions at www.coachesplus.com for further details.



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