Being a Confident Coach

A successful coaching engagement occurs when the coach and client are both confident in the coach, confident in the coaching process, and confident in the client.

What does each type of confidence entail?

Confidence in the Coach:
- The coach being confident in who they are, what they offer, and how they offer it is essential. It makes sense that the coach training, which includes learning coaching ethics, developing competencies, and learning process is a great foundation. From there, using what is learned is essential. This starts with using your own affirmation story and extends to using the tools, techniques, and processes learned.
- When the coach is confident in themselves, it will show for the client. This in turn supports the client being confident in the coach.
Confidence in the Coaching Process:
- One of the biggest paradigm shifts for many while in coach training is moving from being the expert with the answer to being the process expert with the questions. When the coach embodies a coaching mindset, they stay true to their role as coach. This means instead of thinking they need to advise or train, they recognize that the coaching process is the best way for the client to discover their own answer and develop their own strategies for moving forward.
- When the client is confident in the coaching process, they engage fully. Openly sharing and exploring moves them forward to strategizing and planning which supports their success.
Confidence in the Client:
- A coach is trained to hold the client as fully capable. This means the coach moving past being the expert to truly eliciting ideas, strategies, and solutions from the client. The coach knows the client can find their own answer and follow through.
- The client confidence in themselves supports them finding their answers and following through. This is the reason the affirmation story taught as part of the coaching process is so essential.