So you got the sale and now you have to actually coach somebody. Eeeeek! Well I applaud you for clicking through to this post on how to refine your coaching skills. It seems that so many coaches are extra concerned with the sale and then they forget about what it actually takes to be an effective coach and help their clients ascend to the next level in their life or business.
Being mindful to refine your coaching skills is of benefit not just to your client but also to you. Not only does happy clients mean great testimonials but who doesn’t want to be a master of their craft?
So here are 5 effective ways to refine your coaching skills.
1. Invest in coaching for yourself.
One awesome way to refine your coaching skills is to find an incredible mentor or coach that can help you dig deep and make moves in your own life and business. I recommend reaching out to some people in your industry and see if you can find a referral for a powerful coach. In the off chance that you end up with a coach that isn’t fabulous, you will still learn valuable lessons about what to do more or less of as a coach.
2. Read many books and listen to many talks.
Just as you would if you were a student in University, you’ve got to invest into furthering your education through reading and listening to audio. The education will inform your coaching and the practice will sharpen those skills.
I make it a practice to listen to inspirational audio daily, watch talks on YouTube and read at least a chapter of a book per day.
3. Learn a special technique.
There are a copious amount of courses and workshops available to you! I’m sure you’ve already come across a million of them in your Facebook feed. Sign up for one that looks relevant! You may have already gone through coaching school and got your certification, but perhaps there are some techniques like Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) that may be beneficial for your work.
You may even like to check out The Work of Byron Katie. Resources to learn The Work are available on her website.
4. Take part in a mastermind (or form your own!)
One of the best things I did this year was form a small mastermind group with a few friends I made in the online business world. These are women that I met on Facebook and through courses we took part in together.
Being a part of a mastermind is like having a few extra brains and perspectives to help you refine your coaching skills. Bounce ideas off them and ask for feedback on things that you are struggling with (respecting client confidentiality of course!).
5. Practice and reflect.
The most effective way to refine your coaching skills is to practice and reflect–with a huge emphasis on the reflection part. Many coaches think that just by practicing they will get better, but actually taking the time to sit down and write out your reflections, or get feedback from an accountability partner or coach is essential to refining your skill set.
When you choose to invest the time and money into refining your coaching skills everyone will reap the rewards!
