New to the different kinds of coaching sessions? See Coaching Session Types for the overview.
Setting up the call
The alignment call isn’t a separate session type in the booking menu. You book it through your own account like any other session and have your manager join.- Coordinate the timing first. Because it goes through your account, it’s up to you to find a time that works for your manager’s calendar before you book. Give them plenty of notice.
- Give your coach a heads-up. Let your coach know this session is an alignment call with your manager joining, so they can plan the conversation.
- Whether you have one is flexible. It may be something your program sponsor asks for, or something you choose to do on your own.
When it happens
Alignment calls usually happen at one of two points in your journey:At the start
Align on your goals, your focus areas, and what success looks like, so you, your coach, and your manager all begin on the same page.
At the end
Celebrate wins and reflect on how the coaching went, and talk about how to keep the momentum going.
What to expect during the call
If it’s at the start of your journey:- Context from your manager. They’ll share what they hope you’ll get out of coaching and where they see opportunities.
- Aligning on goals. Together you’ll agree on what to focus on and what success looks like.
- Setting expectations. You’ll touch on how progress will be shared at a high level, and how often you’ll all check in.
- A look back. You and your coach recap what you worked on and the progress you made.
- Celebrating wins. Share the growth and results that came out of the coaching.
- What’s next. Talk about how to carry the momentum forward after coaching wraps.
A note on privacy
Your regular coaching sessions stay between you and your coach. The alignment call is the shared space for goals and progress, and you decide how much detail to share about what you and your coach discuss. If you’re unsure where the line is, talk it through with your coach beforehand.How to prepare
- Know what you want your manager to hear. Jot down your goals (or, for an end-of-journey call, your wins and takeaways).
- Talk to your coach first. A quick alignment with your coach before the call helps you both show up on the same page about what to cover and what stays private.
- Come with a question or two. For example, “What does success look like to you?” at the start, or “Where do you see me applying this next?” at the end.