Success Genie - Why Coaching Works

I wouldn’t be where I am today without the help of my coach. He’s like a football coach… but without the shoulder pads. He helped me diagram my life’s plays and build my plan. He also kicked me in the fanny when I needed it.

Ultimately, he inspired me and instilled in me the confidence to pursue things that seemed even beyond my dreams! And my dreams are BIG! So, too, have been the obstacles I’ve had to overcome. I always prided myself on being a survivor of scarcity. But I learned that living abundantly is a whole lot more fun.

Why Do I Need a Coach?
We already know the importance of coaching in sports. A coach is equally important to musicians, actors, dancers and those in many other professions. Would it surprise you to know that many successful CEOs also employ coaches to help them with life strategies, time management and other essential skills that foster success? This is because they realize that nobody who is successful can do it alone. We all can use help – and everyone benefits from good coaching.

When Should I Seek a Coach?
You know it’s time to get a coach when you start looking at your life and you begin to think you can be doing something better. Or you desire to do something to take your life to the next level. You don’t feel you need traditional therapy, but you’re looking for some help taking that next step. Working with a coach, you can get a better sense of balance and ability to reach that level faster – with more fun and excitement.

It is the job of a coach to help get you “out of the box” and see your situation from a different perspective. A good coach helps you to see all sides of a situation and create the necessary space to choose the best approach for your journey. A coach doesn’t decide your path for you – or tell you what you should do; but, rather, a good coach guides you and allows you to discover your talent and ability. A coach helps you focus your energies and move in a direction that previously escaped you (or was too scary to attempt). A coach can help liberate you from your fears and escape your self-imposed limitations. Remember, you can never see the horizon when you are stuck inside the box or down in the valley. It’s only at the top of the mountain that you can see the Big Picture and realize your dream. A coach helps you maintain your position at the top of the mountain.

Is Coaching The Same As Counseling?
No, coaching is not a substitute for counseling; nor should it be used as one. Coaching focuses on a person’s beliefs and attitudes and focuses the client on strategies that improve his or her circumstances. Coaching focuses on current, action-based ideas, while traditional counseling processes feelings and actions of the past. A lot of licensed therapists have now become coaches, and some innovative therapists have incorporated coaching into their practices. It is important that a coach and client understand the boundaries – and the difference – between being a coach and a counselor. If either party feels like the line is being blurred, it is important to step back and re-assess the situation. I have recommended to a few of my clients (and potential clients) to seek out counseling because they were not quite ready for a coaching relationship to serve them. I have also coached clients while they were working with a therapist on emotional issues. They had the benefit and expertise of the therapist helping them process past events and emotions while I helped them develop action steps to keep them moving forward. Both are valuable tools; and each has its own limitations. It is important to evaluate which approach would serve you best. Talking to a good coach and/or therapist can help you make that distinction.

How Is Coaching Different From Consulting?
Coaching is a process through which the client and coach work together, as a team, identifying areas where the client can make improvements in his or her life/business. Together, they create strategies to build on the client’s strengths, and the client takes action with the coach as a guide.

Consulting is a process whereby you hire the consultant for his/her expertise and ability to do the work for you. They are paid to do a job and/or give advice. They complete the work or report and leave. Consultants can be advisers or employees. Coaches can act as advisers, but they can never serve as an “employee.” Being an employee creates a personal agenda for the coach and thus nullifies the benefits of coaching. In the coaching relationship, the only agenda is the client, his or her needs, desires, and goals. That said, coaches can do consulting work; but their primary role is working with clients, helping them take action on their goals.

How Do I Find The Right Coach?
You have to interview them, formally or informally. There is no way around this critical step. Ultimately, it’s about the relationship and establishing trust, so it’s important to find out whether your personalities mesh and you share the same goals and values.

I always offer a 30-minute complimentary phone session to all referrals. It gives potential clients a chance to evaluate how they feel about the coaching process; it allows me to get a feel for whether I can help them; and it definitively allows us to determine whether they need coaching and if I am the right coach for them. In my practice, it has worked wonderfully and is always a win/win for the client and me.

What Should I Be Looking For In A Coach? How Do I Know If Someone Is a Real Coach?
This is a hot question still being hashed out in the coaching community. Since there is no mandatory licensing or requirement at this time for coaches to be certified, it is a valid and key question to ask. My personal response is that results speak more convincingly than certificates. The broader answer is that you need to ask the coach you are interviewing what his or her credentials are. Training is very important, as is experience. Once again, this is a grey area. I have personally chosen not to be affiliated with – nor accredited by – any organization. My training has consisted of years of research, seminars, intensive study and regimented tutelage at the hands of my own coach and mentor. I built my practice on more than 20 years of sales and relationship-management experience – plus a lifetime of overcoming more hurdles than Bruce Jenner – to become a functional and successful human being.

For those who are concerned with certificates, degrees and “credentials,” I offer my PhD in Results that I received at the School of Life. There is no better education for a coach than life experiences and I’ve had more than my share, which is why I’m so successful at helping others. But, back to the point: You really have to make the decision about who is the right coach for you. Be diligent and ask the questions that are most important to you. But more important, determine if you are comfortable working with this person. You will know; and you should always trust your gut. I have wasted thousands of dollars working with highly recommended professionals with extensive credentials… but I never felt completely comfortable working with them. We didn’t fit. No matter whom you choose, make sure your styles and personalities mesh and you can measure your results. Results are the bottom line. Click here to meet the Genie!