A Coach is "Part Consultant, part motivator...works with managers, entrepreneurs, and just plain folks helping them to define and achieve their goals -- career, personal, or most often both" Newsweek, Feb. 5, 1996
Professional Coaching is an ongoing partnership that helps clients produce fulfilling results in their personal and professional lives. Through the process of coaching, clients deepen their learning, improve their performance, and enhance their quality of life. In each meeting, the client chooses the focus of conversation, while the coach listens and contributes observations and questions. This interaction creates clarity and moves the client into action. Coaching accelerates the clients' progress by providing greater focus and awareness of choice. Coaching concentrates on where clients are today and what they are willing to do to get where they want to be tomorrow." International Coach Federation definition
A coach asks powerful questions to help you gain clarity.
A coach helps you develop a plan for whatever it is you want to accomplish.
A coach supports you in putting your plan into action.
A coach celebrates your success with you.
What happens when you hire a coach?
You take yourself more seriously.
You take more effective and focused actions immediately.
You stop tolerating the negatives in your life.
You create momentum so it’s easier to get results.
You attain goals that you might not have reached on your own
What is a Coaching Commitment?
Usually 3 Months (90 days) to see results.
Your coach will give you action items or assignments. Perform them for effective coaching results.
Be sure to do what you say you will do between meetings. You will be wasting your money if you don't use the coach's advice.
Tell the coach what you want, what is working now and what is not working. He/she needs that information to help set up a plan for you to reach your goal/s.
Set high standards and expectations. If you aim low that is what you will get and if you were doing it on you own you wouldn't need a coach.
They help you to…
Crystallize your goals,
Develop an action plan and implement it,
Think more creatively,
Improve your problem solving techniques,
Make better decisions and
Bring out your personal best.
Interview your potential coach before you commit. Most coaches require payment up front by the month, so be sure you want to spend at least the three months working with this person before you send them any money. Most coaches start with at least a three-month commitment. This is based on the premise that it takes at least 90 days to affect a lasting change.
Most coaching is done on the phone or over the Internet. Are you comfortable on the phone? Do you like to communicate through e-mail? This seems to fit in today's busy lifestyle, but it might not be for you.
Coaches hold people accountable. Are you ready for that? Coaches tend to ask the hard questions that we are not willing to ask ourselves.
Don't expect the coach to be an expert in your field. Some coaches specialize in an area, but most coaches consider you the expert. His/her job is to help you find the answer. If you want an expert, look for a consultant instead and be willing to pay three to five times more per hour.
Is a Coach a Mental Health Professional?
No, A coach is not a mental health professional. Emotional problems should be treated by a licensed counselor. Coaches deal with people who are emotionally intact and looking for ways to raise the level of quality, integrity and prosperity in their life and business.
Here is an analogy to illustrate. Using the example of learning to ride a bike, you can determine the difference of the approach and benefits of working with a therapist or a coach:
A Therapist discusses the basis for your fears about riding and the consequences of falling. He/she discusses if your parents rode, and why that might be important. A therapist explains why it is important for your self-esteem or psyche, for you to learn this and be successful.
A Coach encourages you to try riding, picks up the bike for you and helps you mount the bike. He/she holds the bike and runs along side as you begin. A coach releases you when you are ready to ride alone, cheers you along, shares your pride and is excited about your accomplishment.
They Teach You To:
Achieve deeper self-awareness
Overcome people problems
Improve communication skills
Think more creatively
Use time-management tactics
Deal with stress effectively
How is a Coach Is A Motivator?
They Encourage You To:
Keep commitments to yourself
Take control of your inner dialogue
Stop procrastinating
Master the circumstances of your life
Initiate lifestyle changes
Accept responsibility for your success
What can you expect in the coaching partnership?
To Be listened to.
Gain clarity.
Experience the joy of the process of self-discovery.
Find out what stops you and learn how to get unstuck.
Discover new options and totally new and different ways of viewing your situation that you never imagined possible.
Experience breakthroughs and breakdowns and celebrate them with your coach.
What are the benefits you get from coaching?
Create a life you love.
Create abundance and prosperity.
Improve your relationships with family, partner, friends and co-workers.
Go for what you’re really passionate about.
Coaching is accomplished on a regular weekly session. They are via telephone or in person. Clients have an an agenda of items and the coach helps them establish and/or plan their goals as well as coach them in overcoming their challenges.
There are 3 primary reasons: First they either want to reach a goal, make a change or solve a problem. The 2nd reason is that they feel a coach can help them reach a goal, make a change, or solve a problem - faster. The 3rd reason why people hire a coach is to find a partner to help them with whatever they're working on People want to go beyond what they can do by themselves. With the perfect amount of support and structure, a person can do just about anything.
Executives, Business owners, Entrepreneurs, Professionals, Pastors, Corporate Leaders, and anyone in Transition can use a coach to fix, solve, create, or plan the next part of their life.
People who...
Have dreams and want them to come true.
Are asking themselves, What’s next for me?
Successful people who know that there’s more to life and are open to explore what that is for them.
Have an idea and seek support in getting into action.
Coaching clients are not inexperienced in life or business. On the contrary, they are usually successful but not as successful as they would like to be. Many find that even though they are successful, they feel that something is missing in their lives. A coach helps their clients develop a balanced life so that they are successful in every area, not just in their career. I help my clients maximize their strengths and minimize the areas where they are not as strong.