This was a question that landed in my in box earlier this week so I thought I’d publish a general answer here.

I’ll premise my answer with each coach will develop their own style and system of working so if any of the following contradicts your approach then if it’s working for you and your clients then that is great. You’ll notice that this piece will present various options of how you may want to work with your clients. I invite you to consider what your preferences are.

My initial response was that a coaching conversation is a coaching conversation – I suggest you use all your skills and knowledge to the best of your current ability depending upon what the client in front of you is saying and doing at that moment. Then I thought some more.

Timing

Many coaches, including myself, allow extra time for the first coaching session. It’s a session that often allows you and your client to really focus upon where they are and what is getting in their way.

Personally I like to harness the motivation that a client has and kick start our work together. It also allows time to gently eliminate any remaining fears that they may have about our work together and what they imagine they will have to do to get to where they want.

Location

Some coaches and clients prefer that their first session is face to face and then provide follow up via the phone, other’s coaching service is offered via the same medium at all time or as they use the one that best suites a particular clients situation. If you are just starting out as a coach you could find the way that works best for you and your clients by experiencing all combinations.

Coaches Preparation

As a coach I personally think there is little difference in the preparation for a first and second session – with the possible exception of any review you like to do prior to the session. If you ask your client to do any preparation prior to the session it may be different for the first and second session. If you review notes you have previously taken again you will have the addition of the first sessions notes by session two.

Clients Preparation

Some coaches like to send a welcome pack to a client prior to the first session – for more information about what you can include in your welcome pack visit here. This may include sections that you ask the client to complete prior to your first session.

You may have different questions that you would like your clients to complete, or consider, prior to any subsequent sessions.

Content

Some coaches have their own program that they work with so that they know that on week 2 they will cover x with their client. I’m presuming if you are reading a post with a title of what is the difference between the first and second coaching session you are not such a coach. However, it would be remiss of me to ignore the fact that some coaches do work this way and have success with their clients.

Some coaches will also use the first session to discuss, maybe even complete, some form of initial questionnaire or “assessment.” It may be that it is a questionnaire designed specifically by that coach or an assessment that they are trained to use e.g. “Myres-Briggs”. It is not compulsory to include this and it will appeal to some clients more than others, just as some coaches will love to use them and others will find that it does not fit into their style of working.

I’ve heard some coaches mention that “each coaching session builds upon the last” and in a sense it can. As you work together you will begin to be more aware of a clients previous achievements and their progress towards a given goal. You may also find that, as your client trusts you more that they are quicker at sharing what is going on for them. Sometimes you may find that what the client wants to address in this season is a direct follow on from last weeks session.

However, my belief is that coaching is not just about the time that I spend with a client on the phone or in front of me in a face – to – face session. I believe that coaching extends beyond that time and into the rest of my clients life. After all isn’t that why many of us invite clients to commit to some form of homework/action etc before our next session?

Where a client finishes one session is not necessarily the same place that they start the next one. The thing I encourage you to be aware of is that your client can change their beliefs etc outside as well as within the coaching session. This may be as a direct result of the “homework” that has been agreed upon, from a seed that was planted during the last session or something else entirely.

Something that seemed to be a big issue during one session may have melted away naturally by the next session. This means that there may be no need to build upon anything from a previous session as the client may have decided to start on something new.

What else is different between a first and second coaching session? If there is something that you think I’ve missed then feel free to add your own thoughts in the section below and click submit.