Loree Draude Coaching FAQ

My last corporate role was leading a team of help center writers and online learning designers at Facebook (w00t w00t Biz Ed!), so it seems fitting to kick off my career update with a good old-fashioned FAQ.

Why did you decide to be a coach?

When I reflect on the ten years I spent as one of the first women to fly combat jets in the navy, and the twenty years I spent leading teams in Silicon Valley, including companies like Google and Facebook, the most impactful and fulfilling work for me was when I was mentoring and coaching my teams. I've decided to focus on this work to help support others in reaching their goals.

What kind of coaching do you do?

I coach the whole person. I only take on clients who are ready to transform their lives, no matter what walk of life they’re in. My LinkedIn profile says “executive leadership and life coach” as I’ve found that it truly is “lonely at the top” for executives and having a coach is an essential part of their support network, but I’m able to coach anyone who wants to make changes in their lives, even if they’re not sure yet what the change might be. If you’re feeling stuck, I can help.

What do you mean by the whole person? Isn’t coaching used for doing better at work?

The “whole person” includes all aspects of one’s life. The major topics can include:

1. Career
2. Family/Friends
3. Significant Other/Romance
4. Fun & Recreation
5. Health
6. Money
7. Personal Growth
8. Physical Environment

I’m pretty happy and I love my life. Why would I need a coach?

I’m so glad you’re happy! Coaching isn’t about turning unhappy people into happy people (although, that is often a wonderful byproduct!) or proving someone is right or wrong. I’m here to help you find personal fulfillment in your life. If you feel like you are 100% clear on your goals in life and you’re tracking to them on a timeline that suits you, then awesome! Get it!

But many people are often less than 100% clear, they’re feeling stuck and/or overwhelmed, or they keep pushing off their dreams.

A coach can help you gain clarity in what’s most important for you and work with you to create an action plan to set and attain aspirational goals.

I already set goals at work and in my personal life. Why would I need a coach?

You might not need one. But the way I think about this is that when I really want to get into great physical shape...when I’m ready to take meaningful action...I hire a personal trainer. And maybe even a nutritionist. I know that without the guidance and accountability of working with a trainer, my motivation will likely falter and I’ll be back on the sofa, bingewatching Shitt’s Creek and eating moonpies in a matter of weeks, if not days. Don’t hire a coach unless you’re ready to transform your life.

What’s the difference between coaching and therapy?

IMHO, there are two major differences:

First, therapy is about the past. What experiences from your life have made you who you are today? How did the way you grew up affect you? A good psychotherapist can help you identify how your upbringing shaped your view of yourself and the world.

Coaching is about who you are today and how you will live your life moving forward. It’s about creating the future you want for yourself.

The second difference is in qualifications. Psychotherapists have graduate degrees (at a minimum) in psychology and must be licensed. Contrast that with coaching, where anyone can hang a shingle and say they’re a coach. There are one-hour, online courses that will “certify” anyone who clicks the “next” button enough to finish a course and receive a certificate.

I’m in the middle of one of the most rigorous certification programs, Co-Active Training Institute (CTI). Its certification program is a year-long, in-person training that is accredited by the most universally-recognized coaching organization, the International Coach Foundation (ICF). From the CTI website: As the largest and most established in-person professional coach training organization in the world, CTI has trained over 62,000 coaches, including employees in more than a third of the Fortune 100 companies.

What other questions do you have for me about coaching? Let me know in the comments for this post and I’ll update this article accordingly.