What is a Coach?

How Coaching is different from other forms of support in the Workplace

Coaching is a powerful tool that supports you in overcoming the challenges and isolation of leadership today. Imagine having a non-judgmental thought partner who has walked your path, experiencing both the trials of failure and the triumphs of success.

After 18 magical years witnessing Google's growth, Jonika left the corporate world to embark on a personal journey to establish Integralis Leadership. Acknowledging the toll hyper-achievement can take and the universal struggle to find a place to belong, she draws from her unique experiences to help clients lead authentically and thrive in their lives.

What Coaching is Not

It's worth noting that a coach is distinct from a mentor, sponsor, or therapist. While a mentor draws on their experience to give you guidance, a sponsor advocates for you behind closed doors, and a therapist helps you address past issues, a coach uses active listening and probing techniques to help you tap into your full potential and chart a path towards success.

MENTOR

A mentor is an experienced person who provides guidance and support in a professional or educational setting.

SPONSOR

A sponsor is a senior-level colleague who advocates for an individual's career advancement, providing guidance, coaching, and access to career opportunities. The sponsor-protégé relationship is based on mutual trust and respect, with both parties benefiting from the partnership.

STRATEGIC ADVISOR

An advisor offers guidance and advice to help leaders make decisions or solve problems. Advisors can help with a range of issues, such as personal growth, financial planning, or career development.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Ask your coach where they were trained or what are their qualifications (ie: work experience) outside of a formal training

    Ask your coach about their own professional experience (outside of coaching) so you can understand if they’d understand your specific needs as a leader. Ie: Have they scaled teams, launched a product offering, solved complex issues in ambiguity as part of their core job (in their past roles?)

    Understand what is their coaching style and see if this type of coaching will bring out the best in you.

    Ask for references or read up on Linkedin the types of teams & individuals they have coached

    Understand their coaching philosophy and what areas of focus/specialization they have. What types of tools do they like to use. Assess how this fits with your own values and needs.

  • There are multiple companies that offer executive coaching services. A few of those include the following: Better Up, Better Manager, Bravely, LEAP, Torch and Task Human.

    Depending on what your needs are, you can either select a coach from one of the companies that you (or your company use) or you can select a coach based on how well their experience and coaching philosophy aligns with what you need to work on to find your Polaris.

  • If you are not sure which topic is most relevant to address in your leadership team or your own life, below is a list of topics to assess what's most pressing for you:

    Managing Transitions: Defining what your identity, purpose and values are to help you figure out what's next.

    Find your Juice: Reclaiming creativity & innovation after a burnout. What am I really good at? How do these insights make me a better leader?

    Truth or Dare: How do I make a massive change? What are the risks to my team, my family, how I will be perceived as a leader?

    Conflict & Relationships: Should I continue doing what I've been doing? Should I consider a change? How to manage bias for action with desire to build followership in my company?

    The way you're working is NOT working: How do I re-balance my life? My job is not my vocation but is financially lucrative. How do I make a change?

    The Heroines & The Hero's journey: My strengths won't get me to the next level. How do I show up differently in work & my life?

Please reach us at jonika@integralisleadership.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.