Effective Communication Coaching Program

The GSS Effective Communication Coaching Program helps graduate students communicate with greater confidence and effectiveness across their academic, professional, and personal lives.

Through interactive workshops and hands-on practice, participants will learn what coaching is and how to apply a coaching mindset, core communication skills, and a simple framework to real conversations with supervisors, colleagues, peers, and family.

Participants will leave the program with stronger communication skills, practical tools for navigating everyday challenges, and meaningful connections with fellow graduate students — building a coaching toolkit they can carry forward into graduate life and their future careers.

During the Program, Students Will

● Gain a foundational understanding of what coaching is and what it can mean in graduate school, work, and personal life.

● Develop and apply essential coaching skills such as active listening, powerful questioning, and presence in everyday conversations.

● Learn a simple coaching framework and apply it to real academic and career situations.

● Practice coaching through real graduate-life scenario-based labs, exploring challenges such as managing deadlines, navigating supervisor relationships, or preparing for job interviews.

● Build meaningful connections within the GSS student community while experiencing both individual and group coaching.

● Create a personal “coaching toolkit” to carry forward into graduate life and beyond.

By the end of the program, students will leave with practical skills they can apply immediately—whether it’s having clearer conversations with a supervisor, supporting a classmate under pressure, or approaching career decisions with greater confidence and clarity. 

Session Plan

* October 8, 5:30–7:00 PM (Zoom) – *Session 1: Introduction to Coaching: What It Means for You*

* October 15, 5:30–7:00 PM (Zoom) – *Session 2: Core Coaching Skills in Action: Listening, Questioning, Presence*

* October 22, 5:30–7:00 PM (Zoom) – *Session 3: A Simple Coaching Framework for Everyday Challenges*

* October 29, 5:30–7:00 PM (Zoom) – *Session 4: Coaching Lab: Everyday Grad Life Scenarios I*

* November 5, 5:30–7:00 PM (Zoom) – *Session 5: Group Coaching: Everyday Grad Life Scenarios II*

* November 12 – *No class — UBC Reading Week (paperwork assigned instead)*

* November 19, 5:30–7:00 PM (Zoom) – *Session 6: Bringing It All Together & Wrap-Up*

Bonus

Each participant has the opportunity to receive a complimentary one-on-one coaching session with the  a coach about a topic(s) of their choice. The coaching session will support the participant with the challenge that they are facing and also, allow them to gain first-hand experience as a coachee.

Each participant has the opportunity to join a monthly group coaching session with the GSS Coaching Community to learn, share and grow together with their peers in furthering and enhancing their coaching skills.

Meet Your Coach: Lily Gu

Lily is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and holds an Advanced Certification in Team Coaching (ACTC). As a certified organizational and leadership coach, she partners with individuals and groups to build leadership capacity and navigate change with confidence and ease.

Lily holds a Master of Engineering and a Master of Education from UBC. She currently serves as an associate coach with the Coaching@UBC program, a mentor coach with the Certificate in Organizational Coaching program, and a leadership development coach with several other organizations.

Before becoming a professional coach, Lily worked for more than 20 years in higher education and IT, bringing extensive experience in organizational development, leadership, and change.

For more information, please visit our website.