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Frequently Asked Questions

A'o Alaka'ina The SLC Coaching Program for Managers



What is coaching?
Your SLC coach will
  • help you set better goals and then reach those goals
  • ask you to do more than you may have done on your own
  • help you focus better to more quickly produce results, and
  • provide the tools, support, and structure to accomplish better results from your efforts.
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How is coaching different from consulting and therapy?
Unlike consulting, a coach stays with the client to help implement new skills, changes, and goals to make sure they really happen. Coaching is not therapy: we will not delve into the past to diagnose human behavior, but rather look at going forward in the best possible way for future effectiveness. A personal coach does just what an athletic coach or music teacher does, only in a more comprehensive way: a coach can be someone to hold you accountable for your life, helping you live up to your potential.
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What is the basic philosophy of coaching?
Simply put, that we humans are great, and we're always within a process of discovering what life can offer us. At times we can get to what we want better and faster with the help of a coach who's been there, can relate to our profession, and can help us.

For SLC in particular, our Vision Statement best describes the philosophy we bring to all of our coaching and training programs. We believe that managers have a far greater capacity to make positive changes than they realize they have, and we coach them with the intent of bringing their innate talents and strengths to fruition.
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Who hires a coach and why?
SLC was specifically founded to coach managers. Managers will hire us because they want their job to be more rewarding, they want to continually learn and grow, and they want to be more effective with their staff. They want their employees to feel they are treated well and managed well, and they want to be respected for it.

With our specific cultural training and experience, we specialize in Hawaii's service and hospitality industry. However our passion is in coaching managers who manage through other people. This is a common denominator universal to most business professions and locations.
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What is the difference between working with a coach and my boss?
The key difference is that we are partners, not boss and subordinate. A coach may evaluate your performance, but only with the goal of helping you improve. Today there is a fuzzy line between one's personal and professional life; work is personal. When appropriate, and when you desire it, a coach will work with you in the grey areas of both realms, not just the black and white of results-based job performance. The client is free to accept or decline the advice, opinions and suggestions that are offered in coaching, for it is the client who ultimately takes the responsibility for action.
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Why does coaching work?
Coaching can work for several reasons:
  • Synergy results when a good relationship is set between coach and client, and that synergy will create both energy and momentum for the client. Synergy seeks to create new, more attractive alternatives.
  • Better goals are set: they are goals that naturally appeal to the client versus goals that may be handed down as the givens in one's profession.
  • Many people are tired of what they "should do" or "are expected to do" and want to move toward what they "want to do". A coach is the safe and knowledgeable person who can help with that transition. SLC can help with the honesty of whether management is right for someone or not, or determine which facet of management is best suited to an individual.
  • Managers often find they are too involved in situations to be fully objective or completely able to explore all possible solutions. Coaching uncovers options and opens the lid on thinking.
  • Our coaching is completely private and confidential, and managers will discover a "freedom to talk openly" they may not enjoy consistently on the job.
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Can I hire a coach just for a short-term, special project?
Yes. In our very first conversation we'll determine exactly what your needs are and proceed from there. In many cases a client will keep working with a coach as new goals are progressively set, however that is your choice.
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What kind of things will we talk about and work on?
Our coaching is customized: a program will be proposed for you after a preliminary complimentary session in which we simply "talk story" for about a half-hour. During that informal conversation your coach will ask you questions to determine your needs and key in on what you may be looking for or find helpful. To get a better idea of our coaching scope, refer back to our list of services and training programs.
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How long must I commit to your program, and will I have to sign a contract?
We normally will suggest you plan for a three month commitment, finding that time is necessary to provide you with measurable results-much like managers who put their new employees on 90-day introductory periods. We will not ask for a written agreement or contract in the A'o Alaka'ina program, and you can end your coaching with us at any time you feel it isn't working for you.
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What is the cost involved, and how do we get started?
Fees vary for the different programs we offer. For example, the A'o Alaka'ina program was designed for the telephone to keep it both convenient and affordable. Fees can also be customized to the coaching plan and timeframe designed with the client's needs and preferences in mind. The first coaching session is complimentary, and is usually conducted in person. Based on its' results you can then decide if you'd like to begin your monthly program or not. The easiest and quickest way to start is with a telephone inquiry, however you can send us an email with your questions first if that is your preference. Our contact information appears below.

Do you know of someone who is thinking about getting a coach?
Send them this page.

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Contact us:
If you have any other questions, please contact us: we'd be happy to answer them for you: Call Say Leadership Coaching at 808-883-9122 8a.m.-4p.m. Pacific Time, or email us at MeaHookipa@SayLeadershipCoaching.com


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MeaHookipa@SayLeadershipCoaching.com