Coaching is a new
profession. It started in the US about 6 years ago.
Coaches:
- Help people set
better goals and then reach those goals.
- Ask their
clients to do more than they would have done on their own.
- Help their
client to focus better so as to produce results more quickly.
- Provide clients
with the tools, support and structure to accomplish more.
Top
How is coaching different from consulting?
Therapy? Sports coaching? A best friend?
Consulting.
Coaching is rather like consulting. However, the coach stays with the
client to help implement the new skills, changes and goals, to make
sure that they really happen. The know- how stays with the client.
Therapy. Coaching
is not therapy. Coaches don't work on "issues" or get into the past or
deal much with understanding human behavior. That knowledge may come
as clients move forward toward personal and professional goals that
will give them the life they really want, but it should not be the
focus of a coaching relationship.
Sports. Coaching
includes several principles from sports coaching, like teamwork, going
for the goal, being your best. Unlike sports coaching, most
professional coaching is not competition or win/lose based. Coaches
focus on strengthening their clients' skills, not on helping them beat
the other team. Coaches look for win/win solutions.
Best friend. A best
friend is wonderful to have. But is your best friend a professional
who you will trust to work with you on the most important aspects of
your life and/or business? Have both - a best friend and a coach.
Top
What is the basic
philosophy of coaching?
Simply put, it is
that we humans are great, that we're all discovering what we really
want, and that we can get what we want faster and more easily by
having a coach who's been there and who can help us.
Top
Who hires a
coach and why?
People hire a coach
because:
- They want more
out of life.
- They want to
grow as fulfilled individuals.
- They want to do
things more easily.
Top
What happens when
you hire a coach?
Many things, but
the most important are:
- You take more
effective and focused actions immediately.
- You stop putting
up with what is dragging you down.
- You create
momentum so that it's easier to get results.
- You set better
goals that are more exactly what YOU want.
Top
Does the
coach work on personal goals or business/professional goals?
Both, actually.
With the line between personal and business life blurring, the coach
is the only professional trained to work with all aspects of you.
Top
Where does the coach focus with an average client?
Coaches focus where
their clients need them the most.
Part of their discussions often include:
- Getting the
client's Personal life strengthened.
- Helping the
client beef up their Time/Energy reserve.
- Helping the
client set goals based on individual Personal Values.
By including these
with what each client wants, coaches help their clients have fewer
problems and focus on what will make them the most successful. Clients
really enjoy this approach.
Top
Why does coaching
work?
Coaching works for
several reasons:
Synergy between the
coach and client creates momentum.
Better goals are set -- ones that naturally pull the client toward the
goal rather than goals that require the client to push themselves to
the goal.
The client develops new skills, and these skills translate into more
success.
Top
Why is
coaching becoming so popular?
Coaching is
becoming popular for several reasons:
- Many people are
tired of doing what they think they "should" do and are ready to do
something special and meaningful for the rest of their lives. One
problem is that many can't see what this is or, if they can, they
can't find a way to reorient their life around it. A coach can help
them do both.
- People are
realizing how simple it can be to accomplish something that several
years ago might have felt out of reach or like a pipe dream. A coach
is not a miracle worker (well, sometimes they are), but a coach does
have a large tool kit to help the Big Idea become a Reality.
Fortunately, people now have time and resources to invest in
themselves in this kind of growth.
- The coach helps
the clients to tune in better to themselves and to others.
Top
Please, give me
some context about coaching...
A personal coach
does just what an athletic coach or music teacher does, only in a
fuller and bigger way. A coach challenges you and takes the time to
find out what winning in life means to you. A coach is your partner in
living the life you know you can accomplish, personally and
professionally. A coach is someone to hold you accountable for your
life, to make sure you really do live up to your potential.
No matter where you
are in life, there is always a desire for more. More success, more
money, closer relationships, a deeper feeling of meaning in life, etc.
It is the nature of people to want to attain more, become more, be
more, and we all struggle with how to get what we're looking for.
Most people believe
that "hard work and doing it on your own" are the keys to finding the
life, success, money, or happiness that they seek. They believe that a
price must be paid to attain what they want, and often that price is
poor health, not having enough time to enjoy life, strained family
relationships or lessened productivity. The saddest part is that, even
though this effort may result in more of something, it is often not
the something you had in mind, and you end up back where you started,
or worse, further from your real intentions.
Athletes and
performers know about this trap. They know they need someone else, a
trained someone else to help them set goals, discover real needs, and
work effectively toward ultimate goals of excellence. So, they are
willing to hire a coach or a teacher. No serious athlete or musician
would expect to progress very far without one.
Top
What about
people who are already doing really well in their lives. Why would
they need a coach?
They might not need
a coach. But it is helpful to find out: Are they doing what they most
enjoy? Are they tolerating anything? Is life easy? Are they going to
be financially independent within the next 15 years? Do they have what
they most want? I've discovered that, often, people need to expect
more out of their lives. A coach can help in this process.
Top
Can a dependency be
created between coach and client?
Not really. The
client may "need" the coach in order to maximize an opportunity or
accelerate their growth, yet not be "dependent" on the coach. Anyone
who's working on major changes "needs" structure, advice, support and
a place to brag, so, in that sense, the coach is certainly helpful,
but an emotional, psychological dependency is not created. The coach
works with people who are just fine and strong enough on their own.
Remember, we're not resolving issues here. The coach is helping the
client to create a better future: More success, more money, and a
higher quality of life.
Top
Can coaching hurt
someone?
No. Remember,
coaches aren't doing psychological work. They're not trying to control
the client's thinking. They're not cattle prods; they're partners.
Top
Can I hire a
coach just for a short-term, special project?
Yes. Some clients
hire a coach to help them accomplish specific goals or projects.
Usually, however, the client keeps working with the coach after that
because there are even more interesting things to accomplish.
Top
How long must
I commit if I start working with a coach?
Most coaches ask
for a three to six month commitment but usually let you stop
immediately if coaching is not working for you right now. Coaches ask
for a written agreement or contract.
Top
What educational
background does one need to become a coach?
Most coaches have a
degree or advanced degree or designation, but there is no correlation
between degree and the success of a coach. Clients want you and what
you can do for them. They're not buying degrees; they are buying
expertise.
Top
Does a coach need
to be licensed? By whom?
No. Just as
business consultants and professional organizers are not licensed,
neither are coaches. This, however, may change. Each state has their
own professional licensing laws. However, Coaching For Your Success estimates within 10
years it will be licensed, just as financial planners have been in the
United States
Top
|
