Coach for Life
I've found people who
life coaching suits most are those who are successful or 'over achievers'
in at least one area of their life. Typically they are motivated and positive
people who want to improve other aspects of their life by working one on one with
a support person, not unlike a personal trainer. Life Coaching is however a relatively
new phenomenon, without a professional standard of training or education that
people must first complete before they can call themselves a 'life coach'
compared to the more established professions of Social Work and Psychology.
As
a Social Worker I've studied at university for four years and practiced under
the supervision of senior professionals before I was able to graduate and join
the club. I'm bound by professional standards and ethics and supported by
a professional body.
While these mechanisms of quality control and professional
development may be on the way for life coaches, it is perhaps another decade away.
Whether the practice of life coaching will remain popular and thrive for another
decade will depend on the quality and professionalism of the people attracted
to becoming life coaches.
Executive Coaching and Small Business
Coaching will no doubt strengthen as these types of consultants tend to have a
successful background in business, marketing or management perhaps also professional
qualifications before they are likely to be hired by anyone as an Executive Coach
or Small Business Coach.
Selecting a Lifestyle Coach
In
all reality it's about the personal style of a life
coach and how you connect with them on a personal level. Obviously you will
want a life coach that is experienced and has some relevant training or ideally
qualifications, but the best thing to do is just get on the phone with a life
coach and see who you like.
In the first session with a life
coach there will be some exploration of your goals perhaps even your values and
beliefs. It's about working out where you would like to be compared to where
you are now so the coach has an idea of what it will take to help you get you
get from where you are now to goal satisfaction. It is actually the most important
session because the 'assessment' that takes place in this initial consultation
sets the stage for the subsequent sessions which are much more action orientated.
A
lot of life coaches advocate 12 sessions of coaching as a sort of 'course'
or program that you start and eventually complete (typically one session per week).
The 12 session format is actually based around how a lot of coaches are trained,
like a process. Personally I'm happy to leave it at two, four or six sessions
often if that is all that is needed. There is no reason to continue to 12 sessions
in some cases. Likewise I've worked well beyond 12 sessions with some people
as the goals they set are bigger and take more 'project management' so
to speak than others.
It is important however to respect the
fact, especially for those who do coaching over the phone... that from a small
business perspective - when you set an appointment with a coach it is the same
as setting an appointment with any other kind of professional, time is money -
you pay for the time they dedicate to you and helping you achieve your life goals.
So pay up front, don't miss sessions and do the homework you agree to do.
Quite often a life coach will put in up to twice as long outside the time they
spend with you either preparing for the session or writing up notes after the
session, so take this into account when you look at the price of an hours coaching
for example.
Your
Personal
Life Coach is a professionally qualified Social Worker who for the past 10
years has worked on the streets with homeless people and with people in prison.
All funds generated from Life Coaching contribute to ongoing work with the homeless.
Thank you for stopping by, when you are ready to start please contact me. | 
