What Is a Coaching Discovery Call?

What happens during a coaching discovery call?

A discovery call usually moves through five short stages. The order shifts with the conversation, but by the end you should know what coaching with this person would involve.

1. 01

   Your situation

   You describe where you are: a new role, a stuck relationship, a team that is not working, or a sense that you could lead better.

2. 02

   What you want to be different

   The coach asks what would change if coaching worked. You do not need a polished goal; a rough direction is enough.

3. 03

   How the coach works

   You hear about their approach, tools, credentials and how sessions run, including format, language and rhythm.

4. 04

   Practicalities

   Logistics such as in-person or online sessions, frequency, and whether an employer is involved.

5. 05

   A clear next step

   You agree what happens next, which can be a proposal, time to think, or a simple 'not right now'.

Which questions should you ask a coach on the call?

Ask questions that reveal how the coach actually works, not just what is on their website. Good answers are specific and comfortable; vague answers are information too.

• ✦What coaching credential do you hold, and from which body?
• ✦What kind of leaders and situations do you usually work with?
• ✦How would you describe your style: more challenging or more supportive?
• ✦What happens if I feel the coaching is not working?
• ✦Who would know that I am being coached, and what would they hear? See whether executive coaching is confidential for the standard to expect.
• ✦Can we work in my preferred language, and in person or online?

How should you prepare for a discovery call?

Preparing for a discovery call takes ten minutes and makes the conversation far more useful. Think about three things before you join.

First, the situation: what is happening at work that made you look for a coach now? Second, the picture of success: what would you notice in six months if this had gone well? Third, any constraints: an employer who is paying, a busy season ahead, or a preference for Arabic or English. You do not need to have answers, only a starting point.

How can you tell whether the fit is right?

You can tell the fit is right when you leave the call thinking more clearly than when you joined, and you would be willing to be honest with this person about something difficult. Chemistry matters, but so does challenge.

What changes when your organisation arranges the coaching?

When an employer sponsors coaching, the discovery call often becomes a chemistry conversation. HR may shortlist two or three coaches, and you speak to each before choosing. Wherever possible, the final choice should rest with the leader who will be coached, because the relationship is theirs.

The call may also touch on the sponsor's expectations, but the detail of goals and reporting is agreed later, usually in a three-way coaching agreement. What you share on the call itself stays between you and the coach.

What happens after the discovery call?

After a good discovery call, nothing happens until you decide. You might take a day or two to think, compare coaches or check timing. If you go ahead, the next step is a written agreement covering goals, logistics and confidentiality, explained in what a coaching agreement is.

If the call shows that coaching is not the right support, a good coach will say so and, where helpful, suggest what might suit you better, such as a mentor, a course or a licensed mental health professional.

How do my own discovery calls work?

My discovery calls are free, last 30 minutes and are about you, not a presentation of me. I ask questions, listen for what matters most and tell you honestly whether I think I can help. Calls can be in Arabic or English.

If we agree to work together, we would usually begin with one-to-one executive coaching, in person in Manama or online. You can request a call through my contact page.