Tonia’s Style
There are lots of definitions of coaching but Tonia’s objective of any coaching conversation is to support the coachee to become more self-aware, take more personal responsibility and, through this, to become more effective.
Tonia’s role as the coach in this process is not to provide the answers but, though questions and providing a process, to enable coachees to identify their own solutions and to consider their best course of action. Tonia aims to create an environment in which coachees feel safe, not judged and are able to say out loud what they are thinking and feeling inside. There are many tools and techniques Tonia can use as a coach to do this. All of them are focused on the coaches and their needs.
In contrast to coaching, mentoring involves the mentor giving advice to the coachee. Given Tonia’s deep experience of the Legal community and legal work, Tonia also offers mentoring to members of the Legal community.
Tonia’s Views
On mentoring…
“I was mentored a couple of times during my executive career and the advice given in those sessions was extremely helpful to me, both in doing my current job more effectively and in navigating the next steps in my career.”
On coaching…
“ Reflecting back on my executive career I realise that there were a number of points (e.g. having a family, being promoted) when I would really have benefited from having a trusted coach that I could turn to and talk through my challenges and blockers.
Coaching done well is extremely powerful.”
My Role
“Once you have ring-fenced the time to tackle an issue, it is amazing how the coaching process liberates you to allow you to find answers to your problem and determine a way forwards.”