Despite the dramatic growth in the Coaching Industry in the last decade, many people don’t have a clear understanding of what to expect when they engage with a professional Coach. We need to temper generalizations against the fact that not all coaches are the same. Coaches have gone through different levels of training, and certification. They may also employ different methodologies. But making the assumption that the Coach is a professional; that they have completed formal training to practice coaching, and they are honest, and experienced, there are certain deliverables that clients can expect from a professional coach.
ACTIVE LISTENING: I have placed this item at the top of the list, because based on my experience, this is the most important thing a good coach can deliver to their client. Said another way, the Coach provides a sounding board to their client by letting them explore goals, strategies, and action steps with a professional. But active listening goes beyond this. An active listener stays focused in the dialogue, and they ask open questions; questions that help the client explore how they feel about their life, and its challenges, and explore best options to improve their life.
GOAL SETTING: Capturing of goals, and creation of action steps are key in coaching. Goals come from the client, but a great coach will help define, and capture the client’s goals. Before we can fix the problem, we need to accurately define the problem. A coach will help identify problem areas in the client’s life. Once the client’s goals are clearly understood, and clearly stated, work can begin on a plan, and action steps to deliver the Client’s goals. A good coach will be an expert on goal setting.
REMOVING BLOCKS: Often there are constraints, or blocks when we try to take action steps to achieve a goal. Most coaching training includes how to identify, and remove, or minimize blocks. A good coach will include discussion of possible blocks as goals, and action steps are discussed. The coach will prepare the client to recognize and navigate through blocks. A great coach will discuss alternative actions if blocks arise that hamper the client from moving forward. Some blocks may be self-imposed by the client. If this is the case a great coach will explore with the client where this block is coming from, and encourage the client to work though the block, or minimize it so the client can keep moving forward toward their goals.
EXPERTISE: A good coach generally has expertise in the niche they work in. For example, in my practice as a Career, and Executive Coach, I often rely on my business education (Masters in Business Administration), and over thirty years corporate business experience. In the area of Wellness Coaching, it is common to see a Coach that has a background in healthcare, or healing. An Addiction Coach may have a background in Addiction Psychology, or Social Work. Simply put, we should expect a Coach to have expertise in their chosen coaching niche.
ORGANIZATION/TIME MANAGEMENT: Most good coaches can help in organizing a Client’s time, and priorities. A professional coach can bring some objectivity to the demands on a client’s time, and energy. They can help bring structure to a client’s goals, and routines. Nearly every niche of coaching benefits from the skill of organization and improving the client’s time management. We should expect help from a coach in organizing our lives, and improving our time management skills.
ENCOURAGEMENT: A good coach provides the added incentive to keep working toward goals. One way a good coach can do this is to call out the client’s successes. Sometimes clients may not see the successes in their lives. A great coach will remind the client of their successes, in their education, their personal lives, or their career. In doing this coach build the client’s self-image, and confidence, increasing their chances for future successes.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: Much of the work done in coaching takes place in the coaching sessions. However, a good professional coach will have additional resources they may suggest to the client to help them remove their blocks, achieve their goals, or enhance the client’s life. These resources may be books, articles, assessment tools, or self-improvement practices. For example, in my practice, even though career is the main focus, if a client’s stress becomes an issue, I teach the client simple relaxation techniques. In some cases, the additional resources might be a referral to another professional. We should expect helpful resources from coaches in addition to help during coaching sessions.
Great coaches are pragmatic. They employ the best methods to fit the needs of each client, and each client is unique. Each client has their own unique history, problems, and goals. But it is safe to say that good, and great coaches should be able to deliver on all of the items I have listed as needed. In engaging with a professional coach, we can expect to find a great listener, and creative problem solver. A great coach will be an expert in goal setting and identifying blocks to a client’s progress. Good coaches understand time management and should have the ability to help clients in this area, as well as providing guidance in organizing the client’s goals, and priorities. Coaches can be expected to be an expert in their selected coaching niche. And in addition, coaches can, and should provide encouragement, and also provide extra resources to their clients when appropriate. If we keep these expectations in mind, we will find that we will have a positive coaching experience. One that improves our lives and helps delver on goals we set. Coaching can be a powerful experience. One that meets or exceeds our expectations, once coach and client understand, and agree on methods, and coaching deliverables. Coaches are not magicians. But they can be helpful. Many times life changers.
AUTHOR: Brian Kail, MBA, CPC is a professional Career, and Executive coach. For more information see AscendProCoach.com
ACTIVE LISTENING: I have placed this item at the top of the list, because based on my experience, this is the most important thing a good coach can deliver to their client. Said another way, the Coach provides a sounding board to their client by letting them explore goals, strategies, and action steps with a professional. But active listening goes beyond this. An active listener stays focused in the dialogue, and they ask open questions; questions that help the client explore how they feel about their life, and its challenges, and explore best options to improve their life.
GOAL SETTING: Capturing of goals, and creation of action steps are key in coaching. Goals come from the client, but a great coach will help define, and capture the client’s goals. Before we can fix the problem, we need to accurately define the problem. A coach will help identify problem areas in the client’s life. Once the client’s goals are clearly understood, and clearly stated, work can begin on a plan, and action steps to deliver the Client’s goals. A good coach will be an expert on goal setting.
REMOVING BLOCKS: Often there are constraints, or blocks when we try to take action steps to achieve a goal. Most coaching training includes how to identify, and remove, or minimize blocks. A good coach will include discussion of possible blocks as goals, and action steps are discussed. The coach will prepare the client to recognize and navigate through blocks. A great coach will discuss alternative actions if blocks arise that hamper the client from moving forward. Some blocks may be self-imposed by the client. If this is the case a great coach will explore with the client where this block is coming from, and encourage the client to work though the block, or minimize it so the client can keep moving forward toward their goals.
EXPERTISE: A good coach generally has expertise in the niche they work in. For example, in my practice as a Career, and Executive Coach, I often rely on my business education (Masters in Business Administration), and over thirty years corporate business experience. In the area of Wellness Coaching, it is common to see a Coach that has a background in healthcare, or healing. An Addiction Coach may have a background in Addiction Psychology, or Social Work. Simply put, we should expect a Coach to have expertise in their chosen coaching niche.
ORGANIZATION/TIME MANAGEMENT: Most good coaches can help in organizing a Client’s time, and priorities. A professional coach can bring some objectivity to the demands on a client’s time, and energy. They can help bring structure to a client’s goals, and routines. Nearly every niche of coaching benefits from the skill of organization and improving the client’s time management. We should expect help from a coach in organizing our lives, and improving our time management skills.
ENCOURAGEMENT: A good coach provides the added incentive to keep working toward goals. One way a good coach can do this is to call out the client’s successes. Sometimes clients may not see the successes in their lives. A great coach will remind the client of their successes, in their education, their personal lives, or their career. In doing this coach build the client’s self-image, and confidence, increasing their chances for future successes.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: Much of the work done in coaching takes place in the coaching sessions. However, a good professional coach will have additional resources they may suggest to the client to help them remove their blocks, achieve their goals, or enhance the client’s life. These resources may be books, articles, assessment tools, or self-improvement practices. For example, in my practice, even though career is the main focus, if a client’s stress becomes an issue, I teach the client simple relaxation techniques. In some cases, the additional resources might be a referral to another professional. We should expect helpful resources from coaches in addition to help during coaching sessions.
Great coaches are pragmatic. They employ the best methods to fit the needs of each client, and each client is unique. Each client has their own unique history, problems, and goals. But it is safe to say that good, and great coaches should be able to deliver on all of the items I have listed as needed. In engaging with a professional coach, we can expect to find a great listener, and creative problem solver. A great coach will be an expert in goal setting and identifying blocks to a client’s progress. Good coaches understand time management and should have the ability to help clients in this area, as well as providing guidance in organizing the client’s goals, and priorities. Coaches can be expected to be an expert in their selected coaching niche. And in addition, coaches can, and should provide encouragement, and also provide extra resources to their clients when appropriate. If we keep these expectations in mind, we will find that we will have a positive coaching experience. One that improves our lives and helps delver on goals we set. Coaching can be a powerful experience. One that meets or exceeds our expectations, once coach and client understand, and agree on methods, and coaching deliverables. Coaches are not magicians. But they can be helpful. Many times life changers.
AUTHOR: Brian Kail, MBA, CPC is a professional Career, and Executive coach. For more information see AscendProCoach.com
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