Pair Coaching FAQ

What is pair coaching and how is it different from life coaching?

Pair coaching is a new kind of life coaching in which two people take turns coaching each other. Instead of working with a professional life coach, you first coach your partner, and then switch roles and your partner coaches you in return. Pair coaching with Noomii is 100% free - you simply provide your time, encouragement, and a commitment to be there for your partner. Pair coaching is a great way to try life coaching to see if it's right for you. The best part is that anyone can be an effective pair coaching partner; Noomii shows you how! Many of our users start out with pair coaching and then hire a professional life coach when they want to take their coaching to the next level.

I don't know anything about life coaching. Can I still pair coach using Noomii?

Of course! Anyone, and we do mean anyone, can be an effective pair coaching partner. Like anything else, it takes a while to become a highly skilled coach, but it is easy to learn "the basics" and start pair coaching with a friend.

Is pair coaching just about holding someone accountable?

Yes and no. There are many steps to coaching, and it takes years of training and practice to be an expert. But the "basic" steps of coaching are to meet with your partner once every week or two, review your progress since your last session, and commit to taking constant action towards your goals. Learning how to hold someone accountable is the just one of the first steps to successful coaching, but it's one of the most important.

How do I get started with pair coaching?

To get started with Noomii's pair coaching system, you and your coaching partner simply sign up for a free Noomii account. Once you're signed up, you each fill out your Wheel of Life using the simple Wheel of Life Wizard. The Wheel of Life gives you a "big picture" look at your life in several areas - Family, Health, Money, Love, Fun & Recreation, Career, Friends, and Spirituality. When that's done, you then create a few goals for each of these life areas. Once you and your friend have each completed these simple steps, you're ready to start pair coaching!

Do I need to find my own pair coaching partner or does Noomii set me up with someone?

Some of our users have requested a match making service and in response to that, in the short term, we have set up a Facebook group to help people connect. Feel free to post a message to the group to introduce yourself and request a partner. You'll need a Facebook account to use this service.

How does pair coaching work?

Every week, you and your partner meet for a coaching session. You can either meet in person or online. Start by choosing who gets to be the coach first. Assuming your partner is the coach first, you get to sit back and have your partner lead the conversation. Kick your feet up, close your laptop, and the let the creative life juices flow.

By following the instructions in the Noomii coaching agenda, your coach will ask you about your progress since last week and get you to commit to a new set of actions for the coming week. When you are done, switch roles and repeat the process.

Pair coaching seems pretty simple. Does it really work?

Yes! It works because it's simple. Pair Coaching is based on the simple idea that you're more likely to achieve your goals if you commit to a coaching partner to take steps each and every week towards your big goals. The key is to keep taking action, and this is achieved by the power of committing to your coaching partner.

Why does pair coaching work?

Pair Coaching works because it gets you to take a small amount of time - as little as 20 minutes a week - to plan your life out and commit to taking action. Each week when you meet with your coaching partner you review your commitments for the past week, discuss any issues or problems that came up, and create a new set of commitments for the coming week. This simple act of meeting every week and reviewing your progress is the single most important thing you can do to make your dreams a reality. Think about it - how many times have you said "I should get started on..." or "I really ought to...", but you never actually get started? With the help of your coaching partner, you will actually start to make progress on your big goals because you will have someone there to motivate you, support you, and hold you accountable to continually take action from week to week.

Can I have more than one pair coaching partner?

We currently only allow you to have one pair coaching partner at a time. You can change your partner simply be removing your existing partner and requesting a new one. We do, however, allow you to have as many professional life coaches as you like, in addition to your pair coaching parter.

How much does Pair Coaching cost?

Noomii's pair coaching system is free to use for anyone. That means that we give you everything you need to start pair coaching with your partner, including instructions, videos, and our online goal management tools. If all you want to do is pair coach with a partner, you will not have to pay a cent. If you choose to hire a professional coach you will be charged by that coach at his or her own rate.

Is life coaching the same as therapy? How can you expect untrained individuals to provide effective psychological treatment for each other?

Whoa there! Life coaching and pair coaching are definitely not the same thing as therapy. Therapy is intended to help people overcome emotional or psychological disorders. Life coaching, on the other hand, is intended to help normal, healthy individuals achieve greater success, well-being, and happiness in their lives. Psychiatrists and psychotherapists are highly trained professionals who are licensed by the government to practice. Noomii in no way advocates that its users attempt to deliver therapeutic treatment to anyone. We strongly advise all of our users to seek professional advice if they have any doubts or concerns about the psychological health of themselves or their pair coaching partners.

Can pair coaching really replace a trained, certified, and experienced life coach?

Life coaching is a bit like playing a sport like soccer or basketball - it's easy to pick up the basics and start playing right away. But it takes years of experience to become a pro like Pele or Michael Jordan. We created Noomii's pair coaching system out of the desire to give people like you a chance to try life coaching before hiring a professional coach. Our hope is that you'll give it a try with a partner, then come back and hire a professional coach once you're ready to accelerate your coaching!

Why should I get a partner?

Noomii is built on the knowledge that people are far more likely to achieve their goals with a human accountability partner. Therefore, one of the first steps to success is finding a partner.

Your partner will pick you up when you are feeling down, motivate you to do more than you thought possible, and hold you accountable to what you really want out of life.

Is there a video of the "My Partner" page?

Yes! check out our demo video of the My Partner tab.

What should me and my partner do together?

You and your coaching partner should meet once a week to take turns coaching one another. While your partner coaches you, they will focus their energy on asking you thought provoking questions to help you uncover solutions to challenges in your life. At the end of each coaching session, your partner will then ask or challenge you to take action on the things that matters.

Even though you have a partner helping you out, you are responsible for the results in your life. Between coaching sessions, it is up to you to take action.

What does it mean to be someone's partner?

Being someone's Noomii partner is about forgetting about yourself and focusing on helping someone else for a while.

It's about:
  • helping your friend come up with their own solutions
  • being curious and asking a lot of open ended questions
  • challenging someone to be the best they can be
  • holding someone accountable to the things they want to do
  • believing in someone, sometimes more than they believe in themselves
  • being there to help someone celebrate their victories and empathize with their misfortunes

What should I consider when I choose a partner?

When choosing a Pair Coaching partner, consider some of the following:
  • Confidentiality - Find someone you can trust to keep your personal information confidential. In the interest of moving your life forward, you may share with your coaching partner information that is very private. If this happens, you want to be sure that your partner will respect your need for privacy.
  • Motivation, Support, or Both - Do you want someone to challenge you to excel or gently caress and support you? Some people are naturally more results driven. Others are more encouraging and empathic. Choose a partner that will provide the right balance of "go-get-'em" and "you're doing great" energy.
  • Location, location, location - If possible, choose someone who lives near you so you can have the option of meeting in person. It's not mandatory but meeting in person can be a nice change if you are regularly meeting over the phone or Skype.
  • Similar Goals - You may want to choose a partner that is going through the same or similar challenges. This can help build rapport and introduce a competitive element to the coaching.
  • Believe in Your Partner - If you don't believe in your partner or if you aren't inspired by them, you will be letting your partner down. A coach must challenge and encourage their client to greatness, often to higher levels than the client ever thought possible.
  • Trust your gut instincts - A coaching relationship is a rich, personal experience. Trust your instincts to know who the right person is.

Do you have a match making service to help me find a partner?

Some of our users have requested a match making service and in response to that, in the short term, we have set up a Facebook group to help people connect. Feel free to post a message to the group to introduce yourself and request a partner. Sorry but you'll need a Facebook account to use this service.

I have a partner and I'm not sure if this person is the best partner for me, what should I do?

The best life coach for you might be the wrong coach for someone else. So use your discretion in choosing the right person. As you learn more about coaching and as you make progress on your life goals, you may want to choose a different coaching partner. You may even want to hire a professional coach. No problem. You can always choose another partner later.

How do I do the Getting Started steps with my partner?

Noomii is designed so your partner can enter data on your behalf. Ask your partner to log into the site using their own account and navigate to your profile. Now your partner can ask you all the questions in fill in the information for you.

Similar to a regular coaching session, you can sit back, kick your feet up, and let your coaching partner do the work of typing in all the information. This lets you focus on your life and not the technology. It's also beneficial to your coaching partner because they can learn more about you and better coach you toward the life you want.

Don't forget to take turns and return the favor.

How do I remove my coaching partner?

To remove your coaching partner simply log into noomii, click on the "profile" tab and click on the link "remove partner" next to your partner's name.

Is coaching the same as therapy?

Coaching is not psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, or any other service provided by a professional psychiatrist or therapist. If you enter into a coaching relationship with someone who requires any of these services, do not try to help them. Know your limitations and respect their right to work with a professional.