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.
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.
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.
Who hires a coach and why?
People hire a coach
because:
It's as simple as that.
Coaches help a client get all three, quickly.
What happens when you hire a coach?
Many things, but the most
important are:
-
You
take yourself more seriously.
-
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.
Does the coach work on personal goals or
business/professional goals?
Both, actually. With the
line between personal and business life blurring as it is these days,
the coach is the only professional trained to work with all aspects of
you.
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 Foundation strengthened.
-
Helping the client beef up their 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.
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.
Why is coaching becoming so popular?
Coaching is becoming popular for several reasons:
1.
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.
2.
People are realizing how simple it can be to accomplish
something that several years ago might have felt out of reach or like
a pipedream. 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.
3.
Spirituality. If you tracked the phenomenal success of
James Redfield's Celestine Prophecy on the NY Times best-seller list
back in 1994, you got a sense of just how many people are willing to
look at, and consider, the notion of spirituality. Wow. Many coaches
are spiritually based -- even the ones who coach IBM and AT&T. America
is growing more spiritual very quickly. (Our working definition of
spirituality? "How connected you are with yourself and others.") The
coach helps the clients to tune in better to themselves and to others.
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.
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? We've discovered that, often,
people need to expect more out of their lives. A coach can help in
this process.
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.
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.
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.
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. Very,
very few coaches ask for a written agreement or contract. For the
corporate client, however, a signed agreement is simply good business.
What
does it cost to hire a coach?
Most
coaches working with individuals charge about $250 to $500 per month
for one half-hour call per week. Executive coaches charge more and
some clients work with a coach for an hour or two a week. It all works
about to about $100 to $150 per hour. Obviously, corporate coaching or
programs is more, often running $1,000 to $10,000 per month.
