People often ask me what makes coaching different from other professions, such as consulting and the like.
There are a number of things that set coaching apart from other professions, but one of the major skills that a coach has, that many other professionals lack, is that a coach knows how to talk with a client in a way that not only leads to successful solutions and strategies, but also leads to the client actually taking action and succeeding with those solutions.
That might sound like a big "Duh" to you, but if you are a professional expert in any field, then you've probably had the following frustrating experience...
Whether you're a doctor, lawyer, indian chief, financial planner, personal trainer, dental hygienist (or parent); you've probably had client conversations where you:
1. Understood the client's problem perfectly
2. Came up with the best possible solution
3. Instructed the client in how to implement the solution effectively
4. The client agreed that your solution was the answer to their problem
5. The client promised to implement the solution as per your instructions, but...
The client never does what you tell them to do.
Clients can be so frustrating, right? Why do they pay you, if they're not going to follow your directions? Are they just lousy clients? Do they have a secret desire to fail? Are they here to just drive you crazy??
Actually no. The client isn't the problem here.
You are.
Good coaching is so extraordinarily effective, because a good coach knows how to have a conversation with a client that not only leads to the best solution, but - more importantly - leads to the client actually taking action and creating effective solutions in their own life. The majority of professional advisors out there have no idea how to do this.
It's is a genuine art, which other professionals would do well to copy. For now, though, it is essentially the terrain of the professional coach.The tools employed to create these amazing game-changing conversations include, but aren't limited to:
Curiosity, silence, acknowedgement, truth telling, planting seeds, connecting to values, challenging beliefs, being provocative, keeping it light, honing in on what the client really wants (not just what they say they want), clarifying, championing and more.
The right tool at the right moment makes all the difference between an expensive service that doesn't make a difference and a service that is so transformative that clients don't care what it costs.
Which would you rather pay for?
Whether you want to become a coach, or you're a professional in another field who wants to have game-changing conversations with your clients, we have a program that will give you all the basics in just four weeks, called Coaching Groundwork. We're probably not charging enough for it, but for now, you can join it for $325.
If you want to know more, visit our Coaching Groundwork page.
Copyright, Julia Stewart, 2009
