WHY HAPPY PEOPLE HIRE COACHES
Unlike the reasons why most people seek out the help of a therapist or counselor, those who most readily seek out coaching are looking to escape the past and move clearly into their future with solid plans, support and belief in themselves. Are you wondering what does a life coach do?
Coaching helps those who have a vision for their lives yet have not been able to create the progress on their own, or those who can create progress yet know it will be a much faster track once they have solid support in place.
On average, people who enroll the services of a professional coach will shorten their time to reach results in half and be able to move onto the next projects and goals on their life plan faster and with more energy focus and self confidence.
Who hires coaches?
People from all walks of life and all ages now seek out a coach. Historically coaching was most popular in business and career development. Now people from teenage years all the way up to the more mature ages partner with coaches to create strong results and learn how to do so on their own even more.
Executives now the value of coaching and usually have a life coach, and possibly even a wealth coach to help them focus on their ‘long game’. Forbes reports how welsh minded executives avoid common mistakes by enrolling the services of a coach. (https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesfinancecouncil/2018/05/03/12-ways-to-avoid-the-most-common-wealth-management-mistakes/#7f49a1c23cf3)
Career minded professionals reach to coaching to improve their leadership, communications, and soft skills. Harvard Business Review share that, through coaching, one can increase their soft skills to be more favorably positioned for promotions (https://hbr.org/2009/06/why-you-didnt-get-that-promotion).
Entrepreneurs and small business owners know intimately the power of having a coach on their side. Many issues that arise in a business environment are not easily worked through with employees, spouses, or board members until a plan and possible solutions have been recognized. The prepared and diligent business owner who takes the time to work with their coach to hash out the challenges and devise possibilities and unseen opportunities is much more equipped to advance their firm than the business owner who flies by the seat of their pants and hopes things will work out.
Entrepreneur Magazine, a leading source of advice for the entrepreneurial business owner, commonly reports how the small business world partners with coaches, many time, before reaching to the board, to find clarity and support (https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/240247).
How long does someone use a coach?
Once you have a coach by your side, will they always be a crutch you need to create movement in your life? No.
Most coaching programs help you learn a method or a process through which you can learn how to get out of your own way, create forward progress and learn how to use the same formula for yourself time and time again.
The goal of coaching is not to create relationships that are codependent on one another, quite the opposite. And, although it is hard to see a client leave the nest, most coaches feel accomplished when they see their clients reach their heartfelt goals and move into their lives with more clarity, confidence and personal power.
The average coaching program is 6 months in length and helps clients reach 3 -4 main results on there goal list. While most people look to coaching for a short term burst and organization strategy, there are some who will maintain a relationship with their coach for many years, keeping the coach in their corner pocket as a sounding board and confidant.
Ways you can get more from your coaching experience
Make your sessions a priority. Come to every meeting/call with a clear idea of what you want to talk about.
Take time before and during our time together to become centered, to breathe and be ready to engage.
If on the phone, free your space of distractions to focus on your coaching call.
Do your own work between sessions. Use what you learn. Apply what you learn. Complete what you agree to accomplish.
Be open-minded. Try new approaches. Experiment.
Get to know yourself as you are now, and ask yourself what, if anything, you need to modify to show up as the person that you want to be.
Emulate the behaviors you admire, success leaves clues!
Stop tolerating. Think of ways you can distance yourself from energy draining people, places and attitudes.
Commit not to settle for less than what you want, PERIOD!
Tell the truth to yourself, to me, to everyone.
Be willing to change the beliefs that do not serve you anymore.
What you can expect from a partnership with a coach
The purpose of Bonfire Coaching is to get you the results that you have not been able to get on your own. You can expect that your coach will be asking you tough questions in order to gain more clarity around what is stopping you. And, with your permission, your coach will take you through appropriate processes to eliminate those blocks/barriers that are keeping you stuck.The more you and your coach work together, the more they will know about your comfort zones and limiting patterns. It will be their job to make you aware of these comfort zones, and their job to challenge, encourage, and support you on expanding your comfort zones, which is uncomfortable to do! You can count on your coach to be there for you during this growing process, and instead of judging you, they will give you the wisdom you need to keep going.
What does a life coach do?
Provide a process to help you create a vision for what you want for your life and business.
Help you build a strategy and action plan that will allow you to live that vision.
Help you eliminate road blocks that are holding you back.
Build pace, build tempo, and build momentum to create the results you want!
Show you specific methods for increasing your effectiveness. Help you organize your life for more power and fun!
Provide support, encouragement, guidance and reinforcement. Listen openly and actively.
Recommend resources such as books, podcasts, cds, seminars, etc. for your growth. Ask powerful questions that create a new level of clarity.
Reflect/mirror back to you.
Offer different perspectives.
Provide structure and accountability.
Assist in setting goals, planning and strategizing. Trust you to make your own decisions.
Show up with your best interests at heart.
Tell the truth.
What coaches do not do
Diagnose, treat or fix you.
Solve your problems for you.
Do your work for you.
Judge you.
Give you legal or financial advice.
Listen to your stories, excuses, or complaints.
Support you staying stuck.
Lie to you, and only tell you what you want to hear.
What a coach will ask of you as a client
Set the agenda or topic for discussion for each session.
Be resourceful and solution focused.
Make sure you are in a quiet place with no distractions for each session.
Be completely truthful to me and to yourself.
Be willing to stretch beyond your current comfort zones.
Take responsibility for you or your actions.
Arrive/call your coach on time.
Give at least 24 hours notice if you need to cancel a session.
Trust and respect your coach as you would want to be trusted and respected.
Approach challenges as opportunities for growth.
Let your coach know if something isn’t working for you.
Be open to new ideas and perspectives.
Show up physically and mentally for each session.
Have fun and enjoy the process!
Coaching is a great resource to have advancement in your life. Through coaching people use their most valuable resources more efficiently, while creating true progress and results daily. If you have come to a place in your life where you know beyond a doubt that you are ready to make significant changes, advancements and results in your life, seek out the services of a professional coach. More fulfillment, energy and celebration are true benefits of using a coach in your life.
