training - Inner Firewalking

Robert Cornish on Training and Certification

Would you advise coaches to pursue certification?

I did as soon as I could, through I haven’t surveyed my clients to see if my certification influenced their hiring me. I think with the number of people who are calling themselves coaches with questionable experience and training that the public will eventually look for certified coaches.

I recommend certifying as soon as you can and I think the ICF has the most credible independent coach certification credential.

Are there any particular schools you would recommend?

The Coaches Training Institute is where I did my primary training, from my connections to other coaches over the years, I would also recommend (in alphabetical order) Academy for Coach Training, Coach For Life, The Newfield Network, and Success Unlimited Network.

Michael O. Cooper on Training and Experience

The following is taken from David’s interview with Michael O. Cooper in 10 Super Coaches.

What training, experience and qualifications did you have when you started coaching?

None! My first client told me they wanted to hire me before I even knew what coaching was. She gave me an article about coaching, told me I would be perfect for it, and wanted to hire me on the spot. I spent about four weeks reading all I could, enrolling in Coach U and hiring my own coach before our first session.

I subsequently discovered that I had been using a coach approach in managing teams, working with clients and developing strategy in my role as a management consultant.

What were the biggest doubts you had in your early months?

The need to be an expert! My own coach helped me see that I was rarely an expert in my role as a management consultant, but that I had a methodology, framework and best practices to help clients improve their businesses and systems – it was an easy shift to apply this same approach to my coaching business.

Training and Certification For Coaches

The following is an excerpt from the CoachStart Manual.

You do not need to be accredited to begin coaching. At the time of this writing I know of no country which requires certification. However, long term, I believe it’s important for your career and for the profession of coaching.

A good reason to get certified is because you believe in the philosophy of the training school you choose. And, because you want to continually improve your coaching skills.

A bad reason to get certified is because you think that will get you more clients or in some way make you ‘worthy’ as a coach. My experience has been that it does neither. It might look good on the wall and it feels good to be able to say it – but in coaching two hundred clients, I think ONE asked me if I was certified. Don’t try and use it as a crutch – you don’t need it.

Ironically, the International Coach Federation requires at least 250 paid coaching hours under your belt before you get to their first certification level (ACC). So you’ll need to become confident coaching without the crutch of certification – which I think is a good thing. Use it to support your coaching; don’t rely on it.

High Flyers Program: are you in?

(Tip: here’s a chance to get a $3,000 training program free of charge)

I need some solid success stories for my upcoming book.

i.e. people just like you who applied my seven simple steps, and generated powerful results.

Would you like to, inside 3 months:

– generate 1,000 newsletter subscribers?
– generate $3,000 in new income?
– generate $1,000 a month in passive income from your information product?

My thinking is to run a High Flyers Program, which will be my current training program but with these details:
– start first week of January
– extra personalized support
– $1,000 scholarship off the regular tuition
– strict discipline and accountability (you’ll be working hard)
– if you hit a certain target, you’ll get a $2,000 cash prize which makes it free.

If you want this program to happen, and you think you have what it takes to be a High Flyer, then please:

1) Review the outline of the program here:
http://tinyurl.com/76twd9

2) Give me your suggestions and enthusiasm below in your blog comments.

If there’s enough interest, I’ll send the application form in the next few days and we’ll hit the ground running the first week of January!

I’d love to see at least a dozen people get this training for free, and include your success story and website in the new book!

David
www.InternetClients.net