Being a Respectful Coach

By Cathy Liska

What does it mean to be respectful as a coach? Respect includes respecting yourself and respecting others. Respect means caring about how you take care of yourself and how you treat people. Respect means being a true professional when working as a coach and that demonstrates caring about yourself with the proper coach training and caring about clients with the proper preparation.

Apply the many elements covered during coach training to respect:

Learning and enhancing the 11 Core Competencies of a Coach is respectful because it enhances the quality of the services you provide.
Living the Coaching Code of Ethics demonstrates respect because as a professional service provider knowing and demonstrating the nuances of Ethics is essential.
Focusing on the client is respectful because it really is all about them.
Creating a safe space for the client to open up and talk is respecting the purpose of coaching.
Really listening is respecting the job of a coach.
Asking short, simple questions is respecting the client’s abilities, control, and choices.
Empowering the client to explore, consider different possibilities, identify possible challenges, discover alternatives, and choose independently is respectful because that is the service they are paying to receive.
Partnering with the client for accountability is respectful because it supports their success.
Affirming client progress and success plus asking them how they are acknowledging themselves is respectful because it builds confidence and motivation.

Ultimately, demonstrating respect as a coach means being a professional. Being a professional means getting the appropriate training, learning and using the Code of Ethics, and skillfully applying the coaching competencies taught in coaching certification.