50 tested steps for becoming an attractive coach

I’ve been assembling a list of 50 essential things to do on your way to becoming a coach that attracts valuable clients. And now I’m also giving a gift to one of you who gives me some feedback on it:

[vimeo 50528934 w=400&h=275]

The presentation is dedicated to all coaches who practice with passion and want to lighten up their road. It’s my own interpretation of the ICF coaching competences and practices, based on my practice. It’s a model I’ve tested and it works.

It can also be a guide on how to practice coaching à la carte. Each of the 50 tips is a working behavior or ability. When you internalize it, you create the space necessary for it to develop. It’s like Chinese tea flowers, which you put in hot water and watch them unfold and grow, giving the water a flavorful taste.

The tips from this presentation are a starting point. They’re the structure on which anyone can start to build and develop his own coaching services. You can start right away.

Here’s the script of the slides (yet, without the visual elements):

PREPARE

1 First of all, get prepared: read the best practices in coaching. (e.g. ICF code of ethics)

2 Define coaching from your client’s perspective

3 Understand and articulate the major distinctions between: consulting training counseling therapy coaching

CONTRACT

4 Go beyond the small “a” agenda of the client

5 Be bold when you contract the relationship

6 Go deep and keep forward

PRESENCE

7 Create intimacy by explaining confidentiality and boundaries

8 Check trust level, accept the unknown

9 Explain your coaching style and check for resonance

RELATION

10 Define relationship logistics, frequency, follow-up and type of tool used

11 Listen to what your client brings today into the session

12 Practice feed forward

13 Bottom-line his descriptions

14 Say goodbye to your ego

15 Say hello to intuition

16 Listen from the heart!

17 Listen to what the client is not saying

18 Feel the temperature in your client’s perspective

19 Reflect back and understand his meaning for today

20 Dance with him, feel that dance

POWER QUESTIONS

21 Ask him: What is possible today?

22 Is it a realistic perspective?

23 If not, what else can be possible?

24 What is really important for the client?

25 Why is it so important?

EFFICIENT COMMUNICATION

26 Observe your client

27 Is he ready for feedback?

28 If you’re not sure, ask his permission

29 Observe reaction, acknowledge response

30 Check temperature in the new perspective

FACILITATE LEARNING AND AWARENESS

31 Celebrate the shift

32 Brainstorm from that space of possibility

33 Be curious about alternatives

34 Call forth the client

35 Go deeper with resonating alternatives

36 Understand client’s underlined beliefs

37 Identify triggers, check for habits and patterns

38 Peak experience, exercise for values

DESIGN ACTIONS

39 Check the meaning and alignment with the client’s agenda

40 Design with your client achievable steps

41 Create structures to support his journey

42 Measure progress, be ready to redesign relationship

43 Brainstorm for new rituals

44 Define actions behind the new behaviors

MANAGING PROGRESSAND ACCOUNTABILITY

45 Role-play with your client

46 Accept turning back to old habits

47 Challenge

48 Check meaning for every outcome

49 Encourage risk taking actions

50 Ask for takeaways