Coach Pool FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is coaching?
A: Coaching is partnering with someone in a thought-provoking creative process to help them maximize their personal and professional potential (International Coach Federation).
Find more information here:
- UNTHSC Coaching Website
- Coaching in 3 Steps Video
- What is Coaching video
- Want to Get Great at Something? Get a Coach Video
Q: What is the Coach Pool?
A: The UNTHSC coach pool is a group of internally trained coaches that volunteer to serve our campus community by partnering with Faculty and Staff to support them in their growth and development.
Q: How does this impact quarterly/semesterly coaching with my supervisor?
A: Coaching with someone from the Coach Pool does not replace regular coaching and performance conversations with your supervisor. Coaching with the Coach Pool is intended to provide individuals supplemental coaching based on their needs.
Q: Do I need my supervisor’s approval to participate?
A: Whether to obtain supervisor approval is based on your departmental operating processes and supervisor’s requirements for participation in activities outside of your regular responsibilities. However, no matter how your department and supervisor operate, it is generally good professional practice to ensure your supervisor is aware that you are participating.
Q: Is coaching with someone from the coach pool confidential?
A: Specific information shared during coaching sessions will be held as confidential unless the individual being coached states otherwise, in writing, except as required by law or UNTHSC policy.
Q: What types of coaching does the Coach Pool provide?
A:
- Professional/Work – related to role at HSC
- Career – tied to long-term career development/planning
- Leadership – tied to leadership development
- Project-based – related to a specific project, assignment, or task
Q: What is the timeframe/number of sessions with the coaches?
A: This is determined based on your needs in collaboration with the coach. You may choose to meet once a week for a month based on a specific project you are working on, or meet once a month for six months as you transition into a new role. You and your coach can decide what works best for your partnership.
Q: Who are the coach pool coaches?
A: Coaches in the coach pool are faculty and staff volunteers from within UNTHSC who have undergone coaching skills training as a part of our internal coaching program. In this training, they learned the basic skills for using coaching to help individuals maximize their potential. Our internal coaching program focuses on using coaching skills aligned with the International Coach Federation core competencies.
Q: How do I match with a coach from the Coach Pool?
A: Follow these steps:
- Review the Coach Pool Profiles.
- Identify 1-2 individuals you think may be a good match.
- Contact the coaches to set up a time to learn more about their coaching style and to share your needs.
- Include: Your goals for coaching, anticipated timeframe/number of sessions requested, and reasons for seeking a coach pool coach (tied to your goals)
- Ask: Their current bandwidth for coaching, any additional questions you may have, and to set up a short phone or in-person conversation to determine compatibility
- View a sample email HERE
- Meet or talk with your possible matches to determine compatibility (phone or in person).
- Select a coach:
- Politely share with any individuals that you communicate with and did not select that you have matched with someone else.
- Contact the person you would like to partner with to begin coaching.
- At your first meeting, review and complete the UNTHSC Coaching Agreement.
- Email your signed agreement to OSP@unthsc.edu.
Supervisors’ Note:
Please respect the confidentiality of the coaching sessions your direct reports may have with a coach pool coach. While you may ask generally how sessions are going, coaching sessions should remain confidential unless both the participant and coach have agreed to share in writing.
Whether participants need to obtain your approval, as supervisor, prior to participating in coach pool coaching is based on your departmental operating processes and your requirements for your direct reports’ participation in activities outside of their regular responsibilities.
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