During this Coronavirus situation, I have continually had this theme of simplicity running through my mind. With it has come an emphasis to focus every area of my life, my coaching practice included. It has been very exposing in some ways and has shaken everything that can be shaken. This season has caused me to step back and evaluate what’s truly important to me and to reevaluate my priorities and where I am spending my time. It has revealed in greater ways the things that I value the most.
While dialoguing with the Lord about this and assessing my own coaching practice, He began to encourage me to go “back to the basics”. The longer I coach and work with various clients, and the more broad of a spectrum of topics I coach around, I’m always looking to get more “specialized”. It’s consistently a desire of mine to grow myself as a coach and to better identify and cultivate my niche. This happens all while marketing to the ideal client whom I can best serve. There is nothing wrong with this, as my intentions are noble and good, but sometimes in the midst of this pursuit, the foundational pieces of coaching can oftentimes get lost. As I spent some time reflecting on this idea, I came up with 4 E’s to help me stay grounded in the basics of coaching.
- Encouragement – Coaches are encouragers. They are champions of people, their dreams, and their goals. They are the cheerleaders who are standing on the sidelines being your biggest fan as you work through various obstacles that stand in the way of achieving the very things you want most.
- Empowerment – Coaches are empowerers. They are the voice reminding you who you are when you forget, or when things get hard. They are the ones reassuring you that you have what it takes. They are the ones that ask the great questions to draw out what’s in your heart to bring about creative solutions. They are the ones who create a space of safety and trust, allowing you the freedom to be and express all that’s in your heart.
- Engagement – Coaches know how to keep you engaged. They have a way to access motivation and to focus on the things that are most important to you. Due to the nature of the coaching relationship, coaches are built in accountability for you to report on your progress and breakthroughs. This structure keeps the client riding on the momentum that is created within the coaching conversation.
- Execute – Coaches get you to execute. They have an action orientation that gets you to move forward on your goals. Without this execution focus, it is simply a good conversation. Through a series of questions and gauging motivation, coaches are the ones that get you to a place of implementing change and seeing results.
Today my encouragement to you as professional and aspiring coaches, is to go back to the basics. Encourage them, empower them, engage with them and help them to execute. As coaches, we are the change agents that help people to bring about the changes they are really wanting to see. Keep things simple while best serving your clients and know that your impact is great, today and always.
Carly Andrews is a life coach who helps people understand themselves and their own unique story. She creates a safe place to explore significant life shaping events, and family upbringing while identifying personal values, and limiting mindsets. Instructed and mentored under ICF trained Martin Flack, Carly has a passion for people to capture their own breakthrough and access the true freedom their hearts long for. Carly currently lives in Northern California with her husband Kaleb. Contact her at carlottadiede@gmail.com