APPENDIX B
HOW TO FIND A COACH
Here we are at the end of the book, and you probably see a few areas that need some work. It doesn’t take forever to attract the success and the life you want. The rewards are well worth the work and start to kick in immediately, so don’t wait. Start today. To make it easy on yourself, hire a coach to help you through this process and to keep you on track. Left to our own devices, we don’t progress as quickly. We all have blind spots, and it is helpful to have an outsider point them out. Anyone who has hired a personal trainer knows it is much more fun to work out with someone egging you on and keeping an eye on your posture. The same goes for a life coach. When you are discouraged and ready to quit, you can count on your coach to be there to tell the truth and get you through the tough spots.Your friends and family can’t always tell you the truth because they don’t want to risk the relationship or because they have their own agendas. Here are some pointers on finding an excellent coach.
Hire a professional, someone who has been through an accredited coach training program, so you know that he or she has some basic skills. Suddenly everyone is calling themselves coaches when in fact they are therapists, counselors, or consultants and have never completed a real coach training program. When you interview the coach, you should feel listened to and understood, and you should be able to trust and confide in your coach. As a general rule, do not hire a close friend or a family member,because you don’t want the coaching to affect your relationship. You can always fire your coach, but you can’t fire your friend or uncle. Does this coach have the experience, skills, and qualifications you are looking for? Don’t be afraid to ask for a recommendation. Ask about the coach’s style, philosophy, and whether he or she has any specialties. Some coaches specialize in relationships, some in working with creative clients, some with entrepreneurs, people with head injuries, you name it. Whatever your particular need, I guarantee that there is a coach out there who specializes in it.
Don’t worry about where the coach lives. Most coaches work by telephone, as it is more effective and efficient than in-person meetings. My clients are all over the map, and most of them I’ve never met in person. It makes no difference to the results they achieve.
In the first few sessions of coaching you will typically assess your current situation and talk about where you’d like to be. In a corporate setting, you may discuss how the company goals work in relation to your own. You can expect your coach to provide ongoing positive support and encouragement, to ask you to go beyond where you’d normally stop, to try new skills, to provide follow-up discussion on the goals you are working on, and to give you weekly assignments. If you aren’t having fun and seeing results with your coach, tell your coach what you need from him or her, and if that doesn’t work ask for a referral to a different coach. It is perfectly okay to tell your coach how you are best coached. I usually ask my clients this anyway. Also, let your coach know when you are likely to “cheat” or pull a sly one so that your coach will catch you when you are trying to weasel out of something.
Whenever you find yourself getting bogged down or overwhelmed with a project, it is a good idea to find some help, whether that is a tutor to help you decipher a new computer program or a coach to help you live your dreams and attract everything you’ve always wanted. You can do this!
Talane’s coaching company, Lifecoach.com, provides you with the latest coaching technology and the most highly trained coaches in the world. Your personal coach will help you design the life you have always wanted. The company offers the following services:
Professional coaching
Executive coaching
Corporate coaching
Keynotes and workshops
Retreats and seminars
Computerized assessments
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