The Top 10 Qualities Every Coach Should Possess
The entry bar for coaching is low. Meaning anyone can call themselves a coach. Literally you can just decide I am a life coach, health coach, marriage coach and then market your services with literally no training.
But, in order to be successful – which in the coaching industry success is defined by your ability to help your clients achieve the results they desire you must nurture certain qualities.
Coaches who nurture these 10 qualities will set themselves up for success and set themselves apart from those coaches who don’t.
The top 10 qualities that you must nurture as a coach:
Calm and grounded. As your client is experiencing stress, overwhelm, confusion, frustration, and a slew of other emotions it is important that you are able to stay grounded so you can help them access what is truly going on in their minds and bodies. If you become reactive you will not be able to help your client tap into what is truly going on.
Curiosity. This is your superpower as a coach. Your ability to dig deep into your clients experience/situation and ask open ended questions is what enables you to guide your clients to their empowered answers.
Unbiased. The moment your opinions and thoughts enter the coaching relationship you are no longer able to help your clients find their own answers. As a coach it’s not your job to tell them what to do (this the role of a consultant), it’s your job to help them figure out the best solution. To show them what is holding them back or not moving forward.
Space holder. As a coach your role is to be able to hold space for your clients. Which means being able to sit with their discomfort and yours. Too often coaches will try to come to their clients’ rescue not allowing them to sit in the discomfort for long enough to truly tap into what is holding them back.
Truth teller. Pointing out what you observe is crucial as a coach. You will often have to point out beliefs, actions, and thoughts that your clients are relaying that may be hard for them to digest at first. By not telling them the truth or by sugar coating the situation, you’re only delaying your clients ability to achieve their goals.
Boundary Keeper. Setting firm boundaries with your clients is not just for you, it is also in support of their growth. One of the hardest things many humans struggle with is setting boundaries in their relationships, which leads to many struggles and stress. You setting powerful boundaries provides your clients with a good example to follow.
Integritous. As a coach you must be a living example of your work. This means practicing what you teach/coach on. Doing your own daily work through self-coaching and being coached. All humans, even the best coaches will not be able to see their own blind spots, so they too need to be coached to stay in integrity.
Competency – Competency doesn’t come from just learning a bunch of theories or methodologies. Competency comes through application. Practice. Putting in your coaching reps and getting feedback from a mentor. Then taking that feedback and applying it to your coaching. Working on your craft is something that you should always be nurturing. It is the foundation of your coaching business, it is what will help you and your clients get the results they desire.
Non-judgment mental. One of the most important qualities you must nurture is self-kindness. When you are practicing self-kindness you are capable of creating a non judgmental space for your clients. Creating this safe space is what enables them to open up and be vulnerable. Their ability to be vulnerable will impact the speed and success of your clients results.
Trust. Trust starts with you. Building self-trust is essential if you want to be a coach who helps their clients create results. Trust creates a safe environment for your clients to be able to explore the true depths of their being. If trust is not present your clients will not be able to access what is truly going on underneath the surface level problem. If you are unable to trust yourself your clients will not feel safe to trust in you. Spend time everyday building your self-trust muscles so you can create a safe environment for your clients.
Ready to hone your coaching skills and be the coach that everyone wants to work with? Apply to join the next round of the Somatic Coach Certification.
