Why Hire a Life Coach?
The decision to hire a life coach can result in a life changing experience - but the first hurdle is to understand and appreciate exactly what life coaching is and what it can do for you. People without experience in being coached personally, are likely to have preconceived notions about life coaching. These notions are often derived from disciplines that are more widely understood. To dispel or correct these notions let's look at what life coaching is not. Life coaching is not counselling First and foremost, life coaching is not a form of counselling or therapy. Life Coaches aren't there to diagnose how past traumas may have contributed to your current condition, help fix personal problems, heal emotional wounds or slay past demons. A life coach will encourage you to consider that you are where you are and what may have happened in your life has happened. What you have to look back on is simply a unique tapestry of experiences, which you may choose to consider as good, bad or indifferent. Where you go to from here need not be dictated by where you have come from - that's up to you. When you hire a life coach you will come to appreciate that, every moment of every day, you are presented with choices. You can continue on the path you are on - and in all likelihood get similar results - or you can choose a different path and, with the right approach and tools, get the results you truly desire... often spectacular results! A life coach will help you to search within for an appreciation of your value rather than to look outwards for affirmations of your worth. A life coach will introduce you to what I call The Great Trap, will help you to see it for what it is and will show you simple but powerful ways to avoid it or extricate yourself from it. The Great Trap is an unfortunate side effect of the survival instinct that is built into all of us. It manifests, ultimately, as a life that feels meaningless, like a never-ending treadmill or a pointless rat race. It's caused by one's inability to embrace change, which, in turn comes from a fear of the consequences of change. That fear, in turn, is brought on by the belief that one has no control over change. And that belief comes from looking outwardly and not inwardly for strength and affirmation of value. Life coaching is not consulting Secondly, a life coach is not a consultant. A life coach will not run or even show you how to run your life or your business. What the coach will do, is help you to liberate the untapped potential that lies dormant within you, so that you can run your life or business far more effectively. Consultants are people who have skills, knowledge and resources about specialized areas of business that they will deploy, for a fee, to assist individuals or organizations perform better. Life coaches are people who are skilled in helping individuals unlock their own capabilities and realize their potential so that they can live their lives in accordance with their desires. Life coaches are not perfect - but they are definitely special! Don't feel that you have to hire a coach that is a perfect living example of everything you aspire to. Life coaches are not - and don’t need to be - 'life experts' or perfect specimens of those who have mastered the complexity of life. Life coaches are not glamorous celebrities, public icons or superheroes of some form! They are, by and large, 'regular people'. The difference is that life coaches have a true passion for helping others be the best they can be and - if they have come through a reputable training programme - will be adequately equipped with the tools, skills and techniques to make that happen. Nonetheless, make no mistake. Good life coaches are very special people. They live and breathe the ups, downs, personal revelations, setbacks, achievements and breakthroughs of their clients. They offer a caring and supportive - yet challenging and inspiring - coaching environment that encourages their clients to flourish and prosper. If you have a niggling knee injury, you go to a doctor. If your washing machine won't drain properly, you call a plumber. If you have subsidence problems with your house, you call a structural engineer. If someone sues you or your business, you find a good lawyer. These professions, like most, specialize in offering solutions to day-to-day problems. The life coach, on the other hand, works best with 'whole' clients; people who have a desire to live to their true potential, who want to go beyond the normal, break out of boring routines and experience a purposeful and exciting life; people who know that they are capable of so much more yet don't know quite how to get there; people who choose to live life by making an impact on the world rather than sitting back and letting the world make an impact on them. If this describes you then here's some good advice on hiring a life coach... Just do it!
From Why Hire a Life Coach to the Life Coach Directory
How to Choose a Life Coach
Until comparatively recently, personal coaching - or life coaching - was largely the domain of wealthy celebrities in the US. Nowadays, many people around the world are enjoying the benefits of having their own personal coach to assist them in achieving what might otherwise remain poorly defined and elusive goals and dreams. How to choose? The law of supply and demand dictates that as the demand for personal coaching services rises, so will the supply. The key question, then, for many individuals already convinced of the benefits of coaching, is: "How do I choose the coach that's just right for me?" We suggest you make your choice in four simple steps, applying four 'filters' to ensure you get the best match for you. 1. Demographic matching The first and relatively easy step is what I call "matching the demographics". If you're set on face-to-face coaching then you'll need someone who you can reach within a reasonable traveling distance. However, being coached by telephone (Skype is very popular for those with broadband internet because it is a free service) is an option that you should not discount lightly as it can be amazingly effective. If you work best with people of your own - or the opposite - gender, then this too will influence your choice. There are many excellent, vibrant and surprisingly wise young coaches around, but you may feel uncomfortable with having a coach who is half your age. Alternatively, as a young person, you might prefer to have a coach that has extensive life experience to draw on; someone who's 'been there and done that'! Coaching fees come into the equation too, of course. If possible though, don't be tempted to restrict the field by applying this filter right up front. Look past the advertised fees, if you can. Find the ideal match using the steps outlined and then negotiate with your preferred coach if you need to, to fit your budget. Many coaches are negotiable and some will offer substantial discounts to clients prepared to pay for the entire coaching program in advance. When considering the value of your investment in coaching, look at what you will pay over, say six months, and think how worthwhile that will be if you achieve one or two of your most desired goals. 2. Niche matching "Matching the niche" is a more difficult step. Consider this: If you own a house that is built out of timber on the side of a steep hill and you decide to add an extension with an overhanging deck, who would you be more likely to contract with; a general builder - or a builder who specializes in timber homes and cantilevered decking? When you hire a life coach, you generally do so with a knowledge of the key issues or areas of your life you specifically want to focus on improving. And it may well be that you'll find a life coach whose specialist niche matches perfectly. Most really successful life coaches have chosen clearly defined niches, such as 'personal empowerment', 'intimate relationships', 'self-confidence', 'youth development', 'career building', 'retirement', 'financial freedom', 'childbirth', and so on. 3. Skills matching Once you've decided on a rough demographic profile of your ideal coach and the niche (if any) that you fall into, you can move on to step 3 which we call "matching the skills", although this is about more than just skills. There is, at least currently, no form of regulation governing the coaching 'profession' in South Africa, or, for that matter, most developed countries. This is a good thing in that there are no barriers to entry into an industry where having a passion for people and a gift for helping others achieve their dreams is far more important than a raft of high-falluting academic qualifications. This is also a bad thing in that any 'Tom', 'Dick' or 'Harriet' can write 'coach' on his or her business card and set up in practice without necessarily having the skills, techniques, experience and structure required to back up their coaching. Good quality life coaches are self-selecting. A life coach will not survive long in business without good word-of-mouth endorsements and client testimonials. Let's face it - someone is either really effective at helping people transform their lives - or not! Always ask a prospective coach for testimonials or references - and check them out. Ask the coach where and in what method they have been trained. Ask to see their certification and do some research on the coach training provider to check their reputation. Try to determine how passionate your shortlisted coaches are about the calling they have chosen. Are they registered with any body that promotes ongoing coach development? Do they subscribe to any relevant code of ethics? 4. Vibrational matching The final step is, in our opinion, the most important of all. We call it "matching the vibration". Choosing the 'right' (as opposed to 'good') coach is, arguably, a more important decision than choosing the 'right' doctor or dentist. Whereas a 'good' doctor will make the correct diagnosis and prescribe effective medication without necessarily doing it in a way that has you warming to him or her, a 'good' coach (i.e. a well trained, equipped and ethical coach) with whom you are unable to build a great rapport, will be unlikely to do much for you. Rapport is vital to the coaching relationship. Establishing an emotional bond with your coach based on mutual liking and respect, trust, and belief in each other, is the foundation for the achievement of great things through coaching. Great coaches will have that something special that allows them to empower their clients to go well beyond the normal and yet still be compassionate and caring in their approach. How do you establish whether there's a 'vibrational match' with your coach? Great coaches worth their salt will offer a free first session that may range from a basic introduction to a client assessment to a full blown goal-setting session in some cases. This is a great opportunity to see if you and your coach are an ideal match. Coaches need coaches A final thought. If you've ever doubted the power of coaching, think about this. Every great coach will tell you that the one thing crucial to their success is having their own personal coach! Ask the coaches on your shortlist whether they have their own coach? Good luck!
From Why Hire a Life Coach to the Life Coach Directory
|
