In coaching, Larkin listens deeply to provide coaching that is dynamic and responsive to the emergent needs of the leader. 

Coaching often clarifies challenges and recenters the leader on their values and purpose. Each coaching session typically follows a pattern. The beginning of a 60-minute session identifies the topic. The majority of the session explores the topic. Larkin might acknowledge the leader’s feelings and behavior relative to the topic, notice the impact on the leader, or challenge the leader. Coaching questions that Larkin might ask to reframe the leader’s challenges include, “What does success look (or feel) like? How are you serving your values in this situation? What about this is important to you?” The last part of the session moves the leader to action and accountability. A leader typically has one to two coaching sessions per month. 

Coaching is not consulting – providing the leader with analysis and a proposed process to reach an outcome; not mentoring – providing a model, or a source of wisdom or guidance for the leader; and not therapy – diagnosing emotional problems and healing emotional wounds (although coaching may be therapeutic).

In coaching, Larkin commits to

• Always believing in the power of leaders; 

• Holding the leader’s values, purpose, agenda, and goals;

• Maintaining the ethics and standards of behavior set by the International Coaching Federation; and

• Advancing and sustaining the leader’s action and their learning.