5 Things You Should Ask About A Life Coach Training Program
Before you start your training to become a Coach, it’s important to consider 5 important things.
If you’re considering taking a Life Coach Training Program here’s 5 things to ask:
1) What do I need to get trained in to be really effective as a Coach?
You’ll need to understand the basic skills and approaches professional coaches use such as asking powerful questions, doing more active listening, developing an effective plan and other skills such as holding the client accountable. Also, you’ll need an arsenal of tools as clients address all areas of life and it’s important to have techniques, handouts and processes to move clients forward. Not all schools have these additional skills. Also helpful is learning a structured and step-by-step coaching method will help you be effective, as it gives you a proven roadmap that you know will produce positive results with your clients. Otherwise, you may be aimless in your approach and not necessarily be as effective.
2) What do I need to be a successful Coach?
If you’d like a good job in the coaching field, you’ll need to obtain an ICF credential. That requires first obtaining a Coach Certification (at least 60 hours), completing mentoring and a performance evaluation and having at least 100 hours of experience.
If you want to create a successful private practice, you’ll need to learn marketing strategies that attract paying clients. Most schools provide some group training in marketing methods that are used often by coaches. Each person though, needs to identify what their preferred marketing method is, the time they have to give to it, what their niche is (if they choose to have a niche), and what their unique selling proposition is. Receiving one-on-one support to evaluate your marketing materials and approach is usually important for those starting out in coaching.
The most common method of marketing is giving free consultations or free workshops for people to test out and experience your coaching. Other coaches do speeches, networking, social media, writing articles, or getting referrals from other professionals. Each person’s approach is so varied.
Some coaches choose a niche while others are broader in how they present themselves. Each coach though has to have an angle, something unique that makes them stand out.
Successful coaches build relationships and help people with their problems. It doesn’t have to take fancy marketing to attract clients.
Successful coaches are persistent, try new ways to market themselves, and just keep going until they are successful. Coaching is so popular right now; marketing doesn’t have to be hard.
3) How do schools vary in what they offer?
Schools are very different in what they offer. Many schools just provide training for the basic skills and don’t provide the tools and techniques, and step-by-step systems described above. Schools also vary in class size and how much support and feedback each student receives. Marketing is generally taught in a classroom setting while only a few provide one on one support.
Some schools prepare you for an ICF credential while other schools do not. You’ll probably want to attend a school that does prepare you for that credential.
4) Is the school ICF accredited and Level One or Level Two?
There is a lot of information about ICF (International Coaching Federation) and the ICF credential.
You’ll not only want to go to a school that’s ICF accredited but you’ll want to attend one that has an ICF Level One and Level Two program. Some schools just provide CE (continuing education) CE’s don’t qualify you for a Level One or Level Two program. You’ll need a 60 foundational course instead that is part of a Level One or Level Two Program
Right now, an ICF credential is required for most jobs and larger opportunities. They are not needed for private practice, but it is anticipated they will be important in the future. The profession of coaching may at some point be regulated and word of the ICF credential will spread so a credential will become increasingly more necessary.
5) What do I need for the specialty or specific topic I want to focus on?
Is there a particular type of training on a particular subject matter I need? Some schools have certain focuses in their program or specialty course such as a school around A.D.D., Relationship or Executive Coaching. Decide if you’d rather get trained generally and then add specialty courses or focus fully on one subject or approach from the start. It really is your preference.
Some things to consider are while you may be specialized you will still end up coaching on all the areas of your client’s life. If you just focus on one topic, you’ll not be as valuable to clients as if you could address a variety of things. On the other clients do look for special training and certifications.
There are approaches and focuses of some schools versus others such as focusing on NLP, Neuroscience, Somatic Approaches etc. Make sure the focus is one you resonate with and decide whether you want to be that specialized in your approach.
Summary
In summary, if you’re looking at getting trained as a Life Coach, you’ll want to give thought to those things you need to become an effective and successful coach, and which school will prepare you best to do that. You’ll want to compare schools, go to a school that has a Level One or Two Program, and get trained in the niche or approach you want to focus on. After considering these 5 things you’ll make a better decision about your training and prepare yourself more fully for a new career in Coaching.
Fern Gorin, P.C.C., L.M.F.T. is the founder and Director of Life Purpose Institute. Life Purpose Institute teaches Life Coach Certification Programs and Spiritual Coach Certification Programs to students worldwide.
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