• In the past 10 years coaching has become as common a term as Kleenex. Similar to Kleenex, not all coaches are created equal. You each are more than the “standard” coach. You are the Puff Plusses of the coaching industry, providing just the right assistance when needed and surprising clients with additional provisions when necessary.
- How does your coaching differ from what is already out there?
- Why should people choose you over competitors?
- How does a lack of experience play to your advantage?
Comments (4)
jennie:
Feb 02, 2012 at 08:34 AM
Beginner's Mind:
"In a beginners mind there are many possibilities; in the expert's mind there are few."
What this is saying (to me) is that when I decided to become a coach it was because I had passion around creating possibilities for change. I believe that change is ongoing and as humans we never stop changing, unless we decide not to. When I am asked about my experience I do not dwell on the fact that I do not have over 350 clients or 10 years of coaching. What I want my clients to hear from me is that what they will receive from me is that fact that I always come from a beginners mind because each client is new and their situation needs to be conceptualized without interference from preconceived ideas and beliefs of mine or other client situations. I want my clients to source their answer from their worldviews and not mine.
So, my commitment to my clients is that I will not bring my experience of my other clients to this relationship because it will not serve my client well. It would interfere with their journey. What I will bring and value to the relationship is a beginners mind. I will walk with them on their journey curious about their unique story, struggles and hopes. I will be useful to them when I stay curious and look at the situation as a brand new story that is unique to them, alone.
What I do bring to my clients is years of experience and courage of change at an individual and systems level. I do bring with them skills to collaborate, unique strategies and tools to source new perspectives, and the commitment to be useful and hold them accountable , and the passion for change and hope.
Colleen T. Wolfe, MCLCP
Coaching and Collaboration Partners, LLC
www.coachingcollaboration.com
Transformational Coach, Strategies for Success
I say all this, only because I think new coaches have a fear that they do not bring value to clients because we do not bring the years of experience we THINK is needed. This question is not the right question our clients should be asking us, but they do.
It is our jobs to show up as a coach and respond with a bigger worldview of what coaching can do for our clients. It is not the billable hours that make us great, it is the passion for change and the understanding that sustained change occurs when our clients design it. This can only be done if enter into the relationship with a beginners mind rather than an expert mind.
Tevyan Sorensen:
Feb 05, 2012 at 03:49 PM
I think I differentiate myself as a coach by being myself. I come to my clients with my strengths, my skills and way of looking at situations. I meet others where there are and work to understand their beliefs and experiences. I accept them for who they are and where they have come from. I am not looking to change them or fulfill my own agenda. This journey is theirs and I am here to partner with them to help get them wherever they want to go.
Lauri Matenaer:
Feb 12, 2012 at 10:33 AM
As the facilitator of the East Metro Greater Than 10 Coaching Circles, we had a lively discussion around all three of these questions. Our group consists of fairly new coaches in the field of coaching. As we all contemplated how our coaching differs from the competition and why clients would choose us over our competitors, many of the coaches became stuck. This questions jolted us to the point of questioning "Do I even know who my competitors are?" and secondly "If I don't know who my competition is, how do I know where I differ or how I should stand out among others?" We left with a homework opportunity to take a second look at other venues of coaching and what is out there. Then to ponder those two questions again from a different perspective.
The third question really resonated with us the most. Especially the quote "In a beginners mind..." We had a conversation around the truth behind "the longer your involved with something, the narrower your focus can become". If we think of all the times we've began a new adventure, the passion we sparked, the curiosity, the motivation and drive we had to accomplish this......how do we harness this everyday in our profession of coaching? I believe the truth lies in the Committed Ways of Being. If we truly come from the place of living the CWB, how can we not come from that place of the beginner? What a gift we can give to others by embracing those 10 CWB's! After this discussion, I've decided to go back to my "Promise Statement to my Client's" and claim how I am going to come from that beginner's mind each and everytime. I want to thank Colleen for sharing her "take" on the quote. It really lead to a great discussion and movement forward for all of my coaches including myself!
I have embraced the idea that as coaches we have the opportunity to witness our clients claiming a life they truly want to live and partnering in that change along side them. We witness change that may be so small, but life changing in a way that others haven't experienced. This is our job....our life's purpose....how fortunate are we!? Let's claim it, our fear will diminish and open up many exciting, rewarding and passionate ventures together!
Juie Rider:
Feb 12, 2012 at 05:26 PM
I have been an occupational therapist for years and have recently begun my clinical experience to BEGIN the process of assisting a patient/client to improve their life and as a new OT when I would see a familiar diagnoses it gave me some relief to know that I would be able to handle that client BUT from that point the game changes...it always has been about the patient/client's goals for improved independence and not my goals.
That extensive OT experience is showing me that even more so in my limited experience with coaching I can see that I need to approach each client with an open mind and wonder about where they will lead the process because it is indeed only the client that knows where they have come from and where the coaching process will lead them. What is already out there is plenty of people willing to tell us what to do or how to live our lives.
People will chose me over other competitors because I will hold them accountable to their goals/their dreams/their desires.
Each time I review the committed ways of being I feel like a beginner all over again!
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