What is a Life Coach?

To answer a lot of questions (and to engage in a bit of shameless self-promotion), I wanted to explain what a “life coach” does. This is one facet of the work I do and, judging by the response, it is something I am good at. I use the information provided by the Birkman Assessment to produce a Coaching Report Workbook. This, along with a person’s personal coaching goals, provide the basis for the relationship.

"Part therapist, part consultant, part motivational expert, part professional organizer, part friend, part nag -- the personal coach seeks to do for your life what a personal trainer does for your body."- Minneapolis-St. Paul Star-Tribune

"Once used to bolster troubled staffers, coaching now is part of the standard leadership development training for elite executives and talented up-and-comers at IBM, Motorola, J.P. Morgan, Chase, and Hewlett Packard. These companies are discreetly giving their best prospects what star athletes have long had: a trusted adviser to help reach their goals."- CNN.com

What Is A Life Coach? A life coach uses their personal experience and knowledge to help someone else achieve their personal goals and ambitions.

Personal coaches assist their clients to achieve their coachable goals. Clients set their goals and the reason they hire a coach is to accomplish their goals.

Personal coaches have expertise and training in some areas, but are more focused on helping their client. Coaches assist their clients to become the world’s leading experts on themselves.

Personal coaches are Equal Partners with their clients. Coaches are like a copilot sitting in the passenger seat of an automobile traveling to the same destination. Coaches do not do the driving, but they sometimes read the map.

Personal coaches do not answer every question. Coaches encourage their clients to find the answers that have virtually been there all along.

Goals that are best suited for the coaching process require clients to grow and improve to accomplish them. Coaching clients reduce their stress, increase their energy, make better decisions, increase their life balance, increase their peace of mind, and focus more on what is really important to them, BECAUSE of participating in the coaching process.

Clients have almost total control over the results they reap from coaching. Coaching clients set the goals they want to achieve through coaching. The purpose of hiring a coach is to achieve their goals. Their coaches concentrate on the goals achievement. The achievement of the predetermined goals produces the results desired and more. The choice is simple, control the process with consulting or control the results with coaching.

Clients develop a strong personal bond and trusting relationship with their coach. The very personal nature of the coaching process requires clients and their coaches to develop a very strong mutually trusting, mutually respectful and mutually focused partnership.

Coaching clients receive all of the fame and adulation that goes with participating in the coaching process. Personal coaches avoid the limelight or taking any credit. Plus, the coaching process is very confidential and private, and unless the client says something, no one will even know a person has a personal coach.

If you have questions, drop me an email.