If you’ve done any kind of reading around the topic of coaching, or even attending a training or two you’ve probably come across the mention of beliefs.
If you have already done some work with clients, or observed another coach at work you’ve probably experienced first hand how someone’s beliefs can influence the experience of a situation and their behaviour.
It’s not just your client’s beliefs that can affect the direction that a coaching session takes – your beliefs about coaching can also have an effect. This is not necessarily a bad thing but knowing what these are will let you utilise these to strengthen your work as a coach.
It will also aid you to set your potential clients expectations of what working with you is like and potentially help you in choosing the clients you want to work with and those you want to refer elsewhere.
Some of the beliefs you have may have been ones that you got from the training you have attended. You may have attended a coach training that left you with a belief that to be a coach you never give advice. Perhaps there is a different belief that you were taught – maybe something about the correct way to market yourself etc.
This isn’t a piece about how beliefs are formed or how to change limiting beliefs. This is an invitation for anyone who coaches to become aware (using whatever method, techniques or questions they want) to the beliefs that you have about coaching and what it means to be a coach.
From there you can choose to play with any beliefs you have, if they are working the way you’d like and decide if you want to keep them – or not.
One of the beliefs that I have is that the more exposure to different approaches, attitudes and techniques, the more flexibility a coach has when working with a client. For me, that’s a useful belief. I believe that the flexibility means I can tailor-make the work I do specifically to the individual and offer a bespoke service. It also has the extra benefit that I meet and connect with some fascinating people.
That belief in the importance of a range of opinions etc is also why I’m inviting a different guest author to post on a Friday. If you are interested in becoming a guest author please contact me. Perhaps you want to share what some of your beliefs are, or to cover something entirely different you think would be of interest to coaches/ those interested in coaching.
Very interesting post. I am going to look at this book and probably purchase it. Your post is very inspiring at least to me to follow my intuition and to listen to the wisdom that is within me in my coaching practice. I agree with you and apply the principle of being open to learning new ways of going about my practice. It’s the only way to truly grow and be able to coach people from different walks of life. Thank you. Truly inspiring.
Hi Savina,
You’re welcome, coaching is something I’m passionate about. I love the fact that there are so many different approaches and opinions, and so many people making a positive difference for their clients.
Thanks for taking the time to comment, let me know what else you’d love to read about 🙂
Love
Jen
I purchased the book on Amazon and am eagerly waiting for it. Thanks for your response. As a coach I have some blocks about charging my fees. You’ve probably posted about this already, if you have pls point me in that direction.
Happy reading, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 🙂
You’ve not mentioned how far through the process of setting up your coaching practice you are but I posted earlier this week about when to start charging. I don’t know if that will be relevant for you but you can find that post here. In future weeks I’m sure I’ll be revisiting the topic of coaching fees as it’s a common block for coaches and those I work individually with.
In the mean time let me point you in the direction of some other resources. Have a look at Club Fearless and the work of Steve Chandler, I suspect you’ll find them useful.
There’s also a live 1 day live training, Financially Fearless, with Supercoach Michael Neill happening this September. (I’ll be assisting on that training so if you do come along do come and say hello 🙂 )
Hope that helps
Love
Jen
Jen, thanks for all the pointers. I will follow the links you’ve suggested on your comment. Thanks so much…you make such a difference in the world. I received the book yesterday, so I’ll start reading right away. I will look into the Financially Fearless training also.
Jen, let me answer your inquiry about where I’m at in my coaching practice.
I trained with Maia Berens, founder of You University Coach Training Program. We are together in our coaching business. We have a great website that includes a free journaling community along with the You University training program and other self help products. I’ve been dedicated to the business fully for a few months already. I’m learning the social marketing side of the business. It’s a new experience for me.