FAQ – You ask, we answer​

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• What coaching services are available at Blackhole Coach? 
  Blackhole Coach offers one-to-one leadership coaching, team coaching, mentoring, strengths-based development, and tailored Gallup-certified CliftonStrengths™ coaching for individuals and organizations. Services are designed for executives, managers, neurodiverse professionals, and diverse teams seeking improved collaboration, communication, and productivity.
   

• Who will benefit from your coaching?
  Coaching programs are ideal for managers, leaders, professionals, and organizations facing change, leadership challenges, team conflict, hybrid/remote integration, or cultural dynamics. Blackhole Coach is especially suited for multicultural teams and those prioritizing inclusion, psychological safety, and diverse talent development.
   

• How does strengths-based coaching work?
  Strengths-based coaching focuses on identifying, understanding, and leveraging your unique talents. With tools such as CliftonStrengths™, coaching helps break down silos, address obstacles, and unlock confidence for personal and team growth. Sessions are structured to align your strengths with practical action to achieve defined outcomes.
   

• What sets Blackhole Coach apart from other coaches?
  With nearly two decades of global corporate and coaching experience, Blackhole Coach offers Gallup certification and expertise in cultural intelligence, organizational dynamics, and leadership innovation. Professional guidance follows ICF and EMCC best practices, with customized, evidence-based interventions for every client.
   

• Which coaching packages are available - and what are their costs? 
  C​oaching is offered at a straightforward hourly rate for individuals or daily rate for corporate team coaching workshops. We’ll continue for as long as coaching supports your goals - no packages, no end dates, just progress at your pace. The CliftonStrengths assessments is available at additional cost.

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• Can coaching be accessed online and internationally?
  Yes. Sessions are delivered flexibly online via your preferred video chat app, ensuring worldwide accessibility. This approach enables clients globally to benefit from coaching that aligns with their schedules and preferences. You can also join me for in-person sessions in Zurich, Switzerland, or I can travel to your workplace for corporate team coaching at an extra cost.

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• What is the process to start coaching? 
  Connect with Blackhole Coach to share your personal goals or corporate objectives. Together, we’ll design an onboarding journey tailored to you. A coaching agreement ensures clarity on ethics, confidentiality, responsibilities, and expectations in line with ICF/EMCC standards. To kickstart your progress, you may complete a strengths assessment or a goal‑setting worksheet. Every session is scheduled around your unique needs and availability.

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• How are sessions scheduled and conducted?
  Sessions are booked flexibly and can be virtual or in-person as preferred. Scheduling accommodates international time zones and personal preferences. Session frequency and duration are tailored to client objectives.
   

• Is a coaching agreement required?
  Yes. Every client relationship begins with a formal agreement outlining responsibilities, expectations, confidentiality, and ethical boundaries, fully aligned with ICF/EMCC standards.
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• Do I need specific goals to begin?
  No. Coaching can start with broad or undefined goals. The process is designed to help clients explore, clarify, and define their aims as part of the journey.
   

• Is taking the CliftonStrengths™ assessment required? No. While highly recommended for deeper insights and tailored planning, participation in CliftonStrengths™ profiling is optional. Alternative assessments or coaching tools are available to suit each client’s preferences.
   

• How do you tailor your coaching sessions to individual needs? 
  Coaching sessions at Blackhole Coach are meticulously tailored to individual needs by starting with a holistic intake process grounded in ICF and EMCC standards. The process begins by clarifying your unique goals, strengths, and challenges through an in-depth conversation or assessment such as CliftonStrengths™ if appropriate.
  Each session is then co-created based on your evolving priorities: coaching draws on your personal and professional context, integrates your preferred pace and communication style, and respects your values and aspirations. The approach is strengths-based and aligns with ICF competencies such as establishing trust, coaching presence, and partnering with clients to design actions. Ongoing reflection, open dialogue, and confidential support ensure that coaching remains client-driven and adaptable at every stage.
  All sessions also uphold EMCC ethical standards - ensuring transparency, confidentiality, respect, and client autonomy throughout the journey. This means your coach is responsive to your feedback, adapts methodology as your needs evolve, and supports you with evidence-based tools to achieve clarity, growth, and sustained change.
   

• Why is coaching important for executives and teams?
  Professional coaching empowers clients by deepening self-awareness, resilience, and emotional intelligence. Leaders receive confidential support for overcoming challenges, while teams experience increased trust, safety, and collaboration - leading to sustained performance and well-being.
   

• What outcomes can clients expect from coaching?
  Clients typically experience greater clarity, improved leadership presence, enhanced team cohesion, stronger communication, and measurable gains in productivity. Coaching at Blackhole Coach helps unlock potential, drive change, and achieve lasting personal and professional development.
   

• How does Blackhole Coach foster diversity, equity, and inclusion?
  Specialized coaching supports women leaders, neurodiverse individuals, and multicultural teams. The approach is strengths-based, with a focus on empowering every client to build confidence, break barriers, and advance equitably within their organization.
   

• How is the impact of coaching measured?
  Progress is tracked using clear feedback, achievement of goals, review of team and personal performance metrics, and ongoing reflection. Blackhole Coach uses actionable strategies and regular check-ins to ensure that both clients and teams achieve meaningful, sustainable change.
   

• What are your coaching qualifications and accreditations?
  Blackhole Coach holds a Senior Practitioner accreditation with EMCC, is an ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC), and is Gallup CliftonStrengths™ Certified. Professional growth and supervision are ongoing priorities, meeting current standards for coaching excellence.
   

• What is your coaching philosophy?
  Coaching is delivered through a blend of coaching, mentoring, and consulting, always client-driven. Integrity, respect, reflective practice, and boundaries are at the heart of every engagement. The coaching process upholds transparency regarding roles and approaches and encourages creative, strengths-focused exploration.
  I’m a defensive pessimist myself, or rather a “prepared optimist”. Thinking positively or being grateful for the smallest things in life, does not come naturally to me. Hence, I am a big fan of positive psychology coaching – especially in the area of strengths. One of my favourite tools is the CliftonStrengths® assessment – it’s like a fast track in helping clients discover what they’re really good at. It also unlocks a language we can use together in our coaching sessions in ways to apply strengths or manage weaknesses in goals that a client wants to achieve.
   

• Who is your ideal client?
  My ideal clients are managers and leaders, often working in the corporate world, who are stuck in midlife stages and unsatisfied with their status quo. They know they want change, but unsure what change looks like or what to aspire. They are coachable individuals who want to grow both personally and professionally. They have a keen desire to lean in, experiment with new approaches, discover their full potential, and challenge themselves to reach new heights. These clients are open-minded, eager to learn, and committed to their personal and professional development. They understand the value of coaching and are willing to invest time and effort into the process, trusting that it will help them achieve their goals and unlock their full potential.
   

• What do client’s say about Blackhole Coach?
  There are lots of testimonials from clients on my website that have already been published here.  And I’d be happy to put you in touch with any of my existing or former clients if you want to chat with them more about their experience.
   

• Do you have experience in my industry?
  Most clients work in business services, tech, media, manufacturing, and related sectors. Coaching topics extend beyond career and work to include work-life balance, time management, and personal growth.