Tips from a seasoned coach to Level Up your Coaching Skills.

As a seasoned coach with multiple designations as a Lead Coach with several coaching organizations, I’ve got the honor to coach many of my amazing colleagues, both new and seasoned coaches, and I´ve got to spot some patterns that repeatedly lead straight to coach stagnation: Perfectionism, Imposter Syndrome, Out-of-scope practices and some more. Most of them deeply ingrained in the false belief that it is our responsibility as coaches to generate results for every client.

The truth is coaching is a partnership and if we use the client's time to think for them instead of supporting them to think and resolve by themselves, we are not doing our part. Next time you start beating yourself up and feeling your client is at a dead-end; be compassionate and make sure you have these tips handy:

1.- Be agenda-less

Clients come to us in search of a safe space to think and grow. Honor that. Although it can be hard to stay on the side holding that space for them, it is just what they need. Do not bring your own agenda to the mix, instead be focused on theirs. I know you want them to succeed ASAP for their own good, but you must admit that rapid results may boost your ego too. Trust the coaching process, abstain from trying to beat the pace and let your clients think for themselves. 

Go into the session with only your coaching skills and aim to be a support instead of a hero. Discover their vision, mine for their values, help them leverage their strengths, support their growth, but always remember it is their responsibility to create the results they want. 

2.- Detach from the outcome

Talking about ego, being mindful of it while coaching is a must. When clients are getting close to their breakthrough, self-doubt will make its way into their heads, and guess who's gonna be the one they look up to for answers? Yes, their coach, that means you. 

If a client insists on having your opinion, make sure you only give it after you’ve given them all the questions you can to help them form an opinion for themselves; this way they have more chances to adhere to their action steps and manage how they want the outcome to look.

Use phrases that make it easy for the client to reject your input if necessary, such as “I sense…” or “May I share what is going through my mind in this regard?”

3.- Find peers to nurture each other's practice

Coaching, at least in the beginning, tends to feel a bit lonely. Especially if you come from a big team or are transitioning from a 9 to 5 job at the office. You might feel a little isolated sometimes and it is important to make mindful efforts to connect with other coaches. 

Joining a group or community of coaches and sharing your experiences in a safe environment will give you a grounded perspective of what your clients expect from you and will help you mature your skills as well.

I´m always open to welcoming you into my network of coaches, don't hesitate to reach out!

PS: If you are looking for clients to practice your skills, you might want to check out my new program “Level Up! LIVE”. We are starting a new series on August 16th,

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