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Frequently Asked Questions

Please reach us at robert@pinnaclecoachingservices.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.

The International Coaching Federation (ICF) defines coaching as  partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that  inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.  The process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of  imagination, productivity and leadership. Coaching is distinctively different from consulting, counseling, and mentoring.


Part of working with me as a coach is that I will ask a lot of you -  maybe more than you have ever been asked. Please be willing to  experiment with fresh approaches and be open to new ideas. This will  help you to reach your goals and live an integrated and fulfilled  professional life, using the gifts you have and honoring your  professional values more easily.

With that said, please be willing to:
• Trust the Coaching Process
• Experiment with New Ideas
• Be Coached as a Whole Person
• Design the Coaching Plan Together
• Trust Your Gut; Your Instincts; Your Intuition
• Tap into Your Creativity and Resourcefulness
• Commit to Agreed-Upon Number of Sessions
• Set Goals and Commit to Accomplishing Them
• Get the Support You Need to Address Areas of Opportunity
• Set the Agenda for Each Coaching Meeting; It’s All About You
• Be Responsible for YOUR Results. Your Success is directly related to Your Commitment and Efforts Made 


Our first session will consist of introductions.  We’ll discuss roles,  responsibilities, and expectations during our coaching engagements.  We’ll also identify goals and develop a plan of action for you to  achieve these goals.  Throughout our continuing sessions, we’ll explore  any challenges you are facing, identify and examine opportunities,  implement practices, and enable accountability as we constantly evaluate  progress together.  At our final session, we’ll assess our engagement  during the coaching process, reflect upon the growth you’ve made, and  identify future goals as your journey continues. 


Coaching draws out the intelligence and wisdom of the client rather than  taking on a role of advising or being an expert consultant.  Likewise,  therapeutic or counseling approaches are distinct and different from  coaching’s methodology.  However, coaching can address personal issues  (if you want to) or life conditions that have an impact on professional  effectiveness.

Our coaching partnership is based on mutual trust  and respect.  If I say or do anything that is at odds with our  agreed-upon way of working, please let me know.  If at any time, you want  to redefine our agreement, please tell me.  I am committed to working  with you to produce outcomes you seek, in a manner that works best for  you. 


 As a credentialed coach and member of the International Coaching  Federation (ICF), our coaching sessions will remain confidential in  accordance with the ICF Code of Ethics.  As your professional coach, I have an ethical duty and responsibility to not disclose any information  obtained during the course of our coaching relationship without your  expressed permission as the right to confidentiality belongs to you as  the client. 


If a client is feeling stuck in their career, I work with them to identify the root cause of their dissatisfaction.  This may involve exploring their values, interests, and skills, as well as any external factors that may be impacting their career.  From there, we develop a plan to address these issues and move towards a more fulfilling career.


During our coaching sessions, we will define and measure success by continually tracking progress toward clear and measurable goals that were established during our coaching engagement.  It is natural for goals to pivot and change during the coaching process as priorities may shift as topics are explored.  


Coaches have the ability to set their own costs for the services they  provide.  With this said, it is encouraged that individuals and  organizations who are interested in receiving coaching services conduct  their due diligence to assess whether one's coaching fees are reasonable  for the services rendered in the current market.  In order to become  more informed as a consumer, I recommend exploring the answers to the  following questions below, which I have personally used as a guide when I  seek coaching services.  Ultimately, coaching is truly an investment in  one’s continued professional development where one should assess the  fair market value, quality, and cost of the services being offered. 

1) Can a coach's claimed professional qualifications and accomplishments be verified?

2) Is the coach a member of the International Coaching Federation or a similar coaching organization?

3) Does the coach possess any credentials or certifications associated with the coaching profession? 

4) Can such credentials or certifications be independently verified? 

5) Does the coach seek continuing training and education in order to bolster their coaching capabilities? 

6)  Does the amount of coaching experience a coach has accumulated, coupled  with their training, credentials, and certifications, personally  justify to you the amount that is being charged for services? 


According to the International Coaching Federation (ICF), an ICF  Credential is a professional certification indicating that a coach has  met specific standards and requirements designed to develop and refine their coaching skills.  It is an indication that a coach is dedicated to  upholding strong principles of ethical behavior in coaching.  An ICF  Credential shows a coaches’ clients and peers they are committed to the  coaching industry and to developing themselves as a coaching  professional.  Holding a credential – especially an ICF Credential  – is extremely important to today’s coaching clients.  The 2022 Global  Consumer Awareness Study found that 85% of coaching clients say it’s  important or very important that their coach holds a certification or  credential.  Earning an ICF Credential provides a coach with instant  credibility and increased visibility to prospective clients.  ICF  offers three credentials, corresponding with the quantity of education  and experience required to earn it.  The credentials are:

Associate Certified Coach (ACC) – Completed 60 hours of coach specific education and 100 hours of client coaching experience

Professional Certified Coach (PCC) – Completed 125 hours of coach specific education and 500 hours of client coaching experience

Master  Certified Coach (MCC) – Hold or have held a PCC Credential, completed  200 hours of coach specific education and 2,500 hours of client coaching  experience


Anyone can label themselves a coach.  However, ICF-credentialed coaches  are professionals who have met stringent education and experience  requirements, and have demonstrated a thorough understanding of the  coaching competencies that set the standard in the profession.  Additionally, they adhere to strict ethical guidelines as part of ICF’s  mission to protect and serve coaching consumers. 


The Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC) credential is a highly  respected certification issued by the Professional Association of Résumé Writers & Career Coaches (PARWCC) that equips career coaches with comprehensive  coaching frameworks and methodologies.  Recognized for its rigorous  standards, the CPCC certification establishes professionals as experts  in navigating career transitions, promotions, and professional growth.  This credential signifies a commitment to delivering impactful,  results-driven coaching services that meet clients’ diverse career  needs.  CPCC-certified coaches are regarded as leaders in career  development, boosting both client trust and professional reputation. 


Yes.  Pinnacle Professional Development Consulting Services, LLC, DBA  Pinnacle Coaching Services, is registered with SAM.gov.  Our Unique  Entity ID is T7AGKY8AHS39. 


The EQ-i 2.0® is used across the employee lifecycle but is most  effective for leadership development.  Emotional Intelligence (EI) is key  to building relationships, motivating others, and leading effectively.  The EQ-i 2.0® and EQ 360® provide leaders with insight into their EI  profile, combining self-ratings with feedback from others to identify  strengths and areas for growth. These insights are often used in  coaching and tailored training programs to maximize leadership  potential.  


The EQ-i 2.0® compares results to a reference population (Norm Group) to  provide context.  Two main norm types are available: General Population  and Professional Norms. Region-specific norms include: Global,  US/Canada, UK/Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Australia, and  South Africa.  This ensures results are interpreted in the most relevant  context for each individual.  


An employee’s skills and qualifications are important for success within  their role. An employee’s emotional intelligence can be just as  important, if not more so, for fulfillment within, or potentially  beyond, their current role.  The EQ-i 2.0 Workplace Report is designed  to be used in instances of coaching and development situations in work  settings for an individual at a non-management
level.  It helps  coaches focus on the impact of emotional intelligence at work and offers  suggestions for working more effectively in one’s role, with  colleagues, supervisors and clients. 


Every company has experienced instances where a leader within the  organization shows strengths in core competencies necessary for the  role, but may be exhibiting EI blind spots of which peers are taking  notice.  A company can find an employee that exhibits great work ethic  and is an emerging star amongst his/her peers, while showing  comparable traits to leaders within the organization.  In both scenarios,  the Leadership Report can be used when honing in on leadership  development, executive development and coaching, and developing high  potential leaders.  The Leadership Report examines results through four  key dimensions: Authenticity, Coaching, Insight, and Innovation.  The report also contains insights on the possible implications of results,  and which skills have the highest potential of becoming leadership derailers.  Strategies for development will be provided with the aim to  attain true leadership potential, while being able to compare results against top leaders as a benchmark. 


When working in an organization, it’s important to be cognizant of the  impact of one’s actions on colleagues.  The EQ 360 report offers an  in-depth analysis by having those that work with an individual and know them personally provide feedback in addition their self-assessment  to provide a 360 degree view of his or her effectiveness and EQ  competencies.  This report can be used for results specific to a  workplace context, enabling career and organizational development. It identifies blind spots, strengths, and developmental opportunities in  the workplace.  The Workplace 360 report lends itself well to a follow-up with the same group of evaluators to compare results and track progress. 


When looking at a potential, new, or existing leader within an  organization, it is not only important to gain an understanding of their performance in the workplace; but also for them to gain insights  into their performance as a leader by peers, direct reports and  supervisors. Similar to the Workplace EQ 360, the Leadership EQ 360 Report allows for an unlimited number of raters to provide feedback and  provides insights into opportunities for development. The Leadership 360  report lends itself well to a follow-up with the same group of  evaluators to compare results and track progress. 


The LCP is the only 360 assessment that measures both Creative (key) Competencies and Reactive Tendencies. In this way, it gives the client far greater insight into how they are thinking and what they are doing that limits the full deployment of their creative competencies. This analysis is unique to the LCP. Other 360 assessments are of a previous generation—good in their time, but the LCP sets a new standard as a leadership transformation instrument. 


Given the instrument's construction, individual leaders and leadership teams in any private or public organization will benefit from the LCP. Furthermore, educators, HR professionals, coaches, psychologists, researchers and any individual or organization that wishes to improve the  effectiveness of leadership and understand the underlying assumptions that drive it will find added value in the LCP. 


Once you schedule a debrief coaching conversation regarding your LCP results, you can expect to:


1) Explore your current context, role, and environment.


2) Consider some key areas that influence your leadership.


3) Become aware of how the qualitative results integrate into your graph and results.


4) Gain clarity about your current results through an exploration of your LCP profile graph, scores, and report.


5) Explore new insights and considerations about the why of your results, and become more aware of what is opening up.


6) Leave with new awareness, clarity, and an action item to deepen that awareness.


The Leadership Circle Profile® (LCP) Manager Edition is a powerful version of  the LCP. It is designed and fine-tuned for mid-level and front-line managers, supervisors, and team leaders tasked with the deployment and execution of the overarching direction of the organization, which makes the LCP Manager Edition is an innovative 360 leadership  assessment.  


Each DiSC® style is influenced by a variety of factors such as life  experiences, education, and maturity. Therefore, as you gain skills and  knowledge, the results of your assessment may change as well. It’s not likely you will see anything  significant over the short term, but as the period between assessments  increases the results may diverge more. 


DiSC® assessments are powerful tools to generate self-awareness and understanding, and initiate dialog and  improved communication. They are not tools for diagnosis, nor are they  pre-hire tools that measure skills and abilities for a specific role in  an organization. DiSC® does not assess competencies, aptitudes, EI, or  any skills sets needed to be successful in a job or career. In fact,  while some styles may be drawn to certain career paths, there is no  evidence that style is any predictor of success. However, many  organizations do use DiSC® assessments to help hiring managers gain a better understanding of a new employee’s  style preferences and ideal work environments. DiSC® can help ensure that every hire has the best chance of being as successful as possible.

                  



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