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Coaching as Part of Your Learning Program — What It Is, and Whether It’s For You

If you’re participating in a Soji Learning Program, you may have the option to add one-on-one coaching to your experience. This post explains what that means in practice — what coaching is, what it involves, and how to know whether it’s right for you right now.

What is Soji coaching?

Coaching is a structured, confidential conversation between you and a Soji coach. It’s not therapy, mentoring, or consulting. It doesn’t involve being given answers or told what to do.

Instead, it’s a space where you get to think clearly — about what you’re working toward, what’s getting in the way, and what you’re capable of that you may not be fully using yet.

Our approach is strengths-based, which means we start with what’s already working. We look at your values, your capabilities, and what matters most to you — and we build from there. Sessions are future-focused, so rather than getting stuck on what went wrong, we work toward where you want to go. And we take a systemic view, which means we don’t look at you in isolation. We consider your relationships, your team, your organisation, and the wider context you’re operating in.

Emma and Jarrod are both ICF-credentialed coaches with IECL Level 2 qualifications. They bring depth, structure, and genuine care to every coaching engagement.

Who is it for?

Coaching works well when you’re in motion — when something is shifting, growing, or feeling hard to navigate.

It tends to be a good fit if you’re:

– In a new role, or leading a new team
– Working through a period of change or complexity
– Trying to translate learning into real behaviour change
– Dealing with a specific challenge — conflict, feedback, stakeholder relationships
– Feeling capable but scattered, and wanting more focus and direction
– Ready to go deeper on your own development than a group program allows

You don’t need to have everything figured out before you start. In fact, coaching tends to work best when things feel a little unresolved — that’s often where the most useful work happens.

What does it actually involve?

Coaching with Soji typically involves:

Discovery and goal-setting.

In the early sessions, we get clear on what you want from the experience. We explore your strengths, identify what success looks like, and establish the goals that will guide our work together.

Regular one-on-one sessions.

Sessions are held face-to-face or virtually — whatever works for you. Each session focuses on where you are right now: what you’re noticing, what you’re working on, what’s in the way.

Reflection and action between sessions.

Coaching isn’t just the conversation. A good part of the value comes from what you notice and do in between. You’ll leave each session with something to think about, try, or act on.

Progress and accountability.

We check in on how things are shifting — not just in terms of tasks completed, but in terms of how you’re thinking, how you’re showing up, and what’s changing in your wider system.

A typical coaching engagement involves a number of sessions over a defined period, though this varies depending on your context and goals.

What’s expected of you?

Coaching is collaborative. You’ll get the most from it when you:

– Show up prepared — with something to focus on, even if it’s loosely formed
– Stay open to exploring what’s underneath the surface
– Reflect honestly between sessions
– Are willing to try things, not just talk about them
– Give your coach direct feedback about what’s working and what isn’t

Coaching asks something of you. That’s what makes it worthwhile.

Everything is confidential

What happens in coaching stays between you and your coach. Your coach won’t share session content with your organisation, your manager, or anyone else — unless you explicitly agree otherwise. Soji coaches operate under the ICF Code of Ethics, and confidentiality is taken seriously.

If your organisation has sponsored your coaching, there may be high-level check-ins on progress, but these are always agreed with you upfront.

Why bother — what’s the actual benefit?

A learning program gives you frameworks, perspectives, and shared experiences. Coaching gives you something different: a dedicated space to work out what all of that means for you, specifically.

People who engage in coaching alongside a learning program often find that they:

– Get clearer on what they want to focus on and why
– Build more confidence in their decisions
– Shift patterns of thinking or behaviour that have been getting in their way
– Strengthen their relationships with stakeholders and colleagues
– Feel more settled and purposeful in their role

The outcomes aren’t always dramatic or sudden. Coaching tends to work gradually — a shift in perspective here, a different conversation there. Over time, those shifts add up.

One participant put it this way: *”My biggest realisation from coaching was the unmeasurable benefit it has on an individual’s wellbeing and how much can be gained. I am forever grateful to Emma for helping me find ‘me’ again.”*

Another described it as: *”Just the right mix of safe space, leadership depth and accountability to support you to reach your goals.”*

Is this the right time for you?

Coaching is an opt-in experience, and it’s not right for everyone at every point in time. The question worth asking yourself is: *Is there something I’m working through right now that would benefit from a consistent, confidential thinking partnership?*

If the answer is yes — or even a hesitant maybe — it’s worth exploring.

You can find out more here, or reach out directly to talk through whether coaching makes sense for you at this stage of the program.

Soji Learning and Change works with leaders, teams and organisations across Australia. Our coaches are ICF-credentialed and hold IECL Level 2 qualifications.

Photo by Aleksey Cherenkevich on Unsplash