I was working with a coach in a simulated coaching session. He asked good questions and did what a coach is supposed to do. However, the overall experience for me was not satisfactory.
Here's why:
His questions, while fine, were ones that I had already answered in my own mind. He was coaching me on some strategic issues, but he seemed to be a step behind me in his questions. What good is a coach if he is echoing what the client has already thought, and is at a place where the client has already been? There is no value in that to an executive-level client, or any client for that matter, if you can't coach better than the client's own internal voice.
A good coach initiates conversations that probe the edge of the where the client is, and has been. He seeks out gaps in the client's thinking, and addresses those. He pushes the client one step beyond his or her comfort zone. He considers scenarios and possibilities that the client hasn't. He encourages new perspectives and ways of thinking about issues.
In other words, a good coach is a thought leader. He comes to the coaching session armed with tools and frameworks to really challenge his client, and move the client to new places.
That's why most coaches struggle to get by. They lack the training and skills to really push their clients and bring value worth 5-10 times their fees.
The Center for Executive Coaching seeks professionals who have the intellectual capacity, energy, enthusiasm, and passion to stay one step ahead of their clients. If you think you have what it takes, give us a call and let's talk. We can give you the tools to turn your talents into skills and a proven methodology to get results and turn clients into raving fans.
