Ep. 249 - The First Session Mistake Most Coaches Make

Ep. 249 - The First Session Mistake Most Coaches Make

From Empower World: The Coaching and Leadership Podcast by Jeanine Bailey & Marie Quigley

March 2, 2026 · 21 min

About this episode

This episode discusses the importance of the discovery session in coaching, emphasizing its role in establishing a strong foundation for effective coaching partnerships.

Many coaches want to add value from the very first minute. They dive straight into coaching because they care, because they want results, because they want to be useful. Yet the real power often lies in slowing down. In this episode, we explore why the discovery session - which includes contracting, setting expectations, building psychological safety, clarifying roles - is not a formality but the foundation for courageous, transformational work. We unpack the subtle shift that turns good coaching into powerful partnership. The most impactful thing we can do in our coaching programmes is preparing the foundation for powerful and empowering conversations.

People in this episode

Hosts: Jeanine Bailey, Marie Quigley

Topics covered

  • coaching
  • discovery session
  • psychological safety
  • transformational work
  • coaching partnership

Keywords

  • coaching
  • discovery session
  • contracting
  • expectations
  • psychological safety
  • transformational work
  • coaching partnership

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