May, 2012 - Inner Firewalking

The Importance of Certification

The following is taken from David’s Independent Report on Coaching Training and Certification.

While certification is not necessary for a full practice, we do believe it is important for the development of your skill and for the development of the coaching profession. The more certified coaches the stronger the profession, and the better for all of us. If every coach decided to skip certification, we would have lower standards, which might invite public mistrust, and eventually tight Government regulation.

The Right Documentation

Keep your client files handy, with a summary page on the front.
Add a page for every session, writing the session number at the top.
For each extra phone call, or email you send, which included XX minutes of coaching (exclude administrative matters), add “+ XX minutes” and the date to your summary page.
If you use Outlook, open your client contact.
Click on ‘All Fields’, and then choose ‘Miscellaneous Fields’ from the drop down menu.
In User Field 1 enter the date you started coaching the clients.
In User Field 2 enter the date you finished coaching the clients.
In User Field 3 enter the number of coaching hours with that client e.g. 4.25.

Making the Most Out of Teleclasses

You could have some fun with people, just maybe five minutes, just getting really clear about the benefits of why we really want to do it then you could look at what gets in the way. What are the challenges you guys are facing? You could say, “I’ve already gotten your questions and I’ve already checked with you guys and here’s what I’ve got. One, two, three, four, five, you can’t get fit with kids around. You can’t stay motivated. You’re not seeing results quickly enough.” You tell them the issues. Really getting into their world and then you could talk about solutions, “Here are five easy steps that I’ve created.” and what I like to do is I like to always end the teleclass with action.

Like for me, it’s just entertainment if we just sit around and talk about some ideas. It’s like, “How are you going to go out and get on the court and apply what you just learned?” so there you guys go and listen to the recording if you didn’t get all that down because you can use that process that I just went through for any teleclass.

Leza Danly’s Advice For New Coaches

The following is taken from David’s interview with Leza Danly in 10 Super Coaches.

What words of advice would you give to a coach starting out?

I think the most valuable thing I could impart is that people are not just hiring a set of skills. Most of all, it is your PRESENCE that will have the biggest impact on your client. You can’t fake this part. If you feel powerful in your own life, you will model this for your clients. If you are personally courageous and loving and responsible for your impact, that orientation to life will shape the questions you ask, the compassion you bring and the strength you believe exists in others.

The other piece of advice is to understand that good coaching is emotional. People don’t change by just changing the “doing” in their lives. They change by being different, and that new being produces different actions. The “Just do it” approach can get the ball rolling, but it must be followed up with fundamental change at the level of being. This means emotions! You must be extremely comfortable being with a full range of intense emotion if you want to be a coach. Emotional expression is the fuel of change and the path to reclaiming power.

The Results of Working with a Coach

The following is an excerpt from the CoachStart Manual.

67% of clients saw an increase in self- awareness as a primary result of the coaching process, with 62% setting better goals, a more balanced life received by 60%, and lower stress levels in 57% of the clients.

52% of the clients used the opportunity as a means of self-discovery, and 52% to build self-confidence. 43% wanted to improve the quality of their life, 39% to improve communication skills, 35% to complete specific projects.

33% used a coach to improve their health and/or fitness level, 33% to improve aspects of their personal or professional relationships, and 31% use a coach to have more fun in life.

Finding Testimonials

The following is an excerpt from the CoachStart Manual.

Here are three possible sources for your initial testimonials:

Your Friends and Colleagues

Given you want to become a certified coach; chances are you have already helped people in your past. Obvious roles are where you have mentored someone, managed someone, counseled someone, or simply given a friend support, encouragement, or advice which really helped to move them forward. Don’t you think it’s likely this friend or colleague would be happy to support you by jotting down how you helped them? Even better, offer a coaching session so they become one of your very first coaching clients…

Your Very First Coaching Clients

This is not rocket science <smile>. Call a friend and say, “Hey — I need some testimonials. I’ll coach you for a month for free on XXXXX. All you need to do is give me an honest couple of paragraphs at the end on how it was for you”.

Past Clients

Financial planners, teachers, consultants, therapists and trainers are examples of people who may be able to get testimonials from their past or current client base. It will most likely not mention coaching, but “Thank you Jan, for helping me get my finances in order,” or “Thank you John, for your help with my relationship — you’ve certainly made a difference,” are very powerful statements.

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