Friday 31 May 2013

Using Personality Tools after Life Coach Certification

Is it appropriate for a coach to give personality assessments?  Most personality assessment tools have a certification process prior to administering the tool.  If a coach is also certified in that personality assessment tool, administering the assessment falls under that role or capacity.  Coaching begins where the assessment ends.  Specifically, using the results of an assessment, a coach works with a client to understand the information, develop a strategy for what they want to change, and then design actions to move forward.

In life coach certification or executive coaching certification, there is discussion about understanding a client; the results of a personality assessment provide benefits and risks.  On the benefit side, personality assessments provide insight, a framework for understanding, and an awareness of personal nuances.  On the risk side, some people disagree with the results and are frustrated by the information.  After you become a business coach or complete career coach certification, the biggest risk is in believing that now, with a personality label, you know your client; people are different at different times and have different interpretations of the questions at different times.

One of the competencies for coaching is being present.  The ideal in coaching is to be aware of who your client is in the moment – be fully present to their personality and flex to them in that moment based on who they are right now.  In the ICF-approved coach training at the Center for Coaching Certification, the tool on personalities is specifically designed to be aware of who the client is in the moment and then flexing to them appropriately.

Friday 24 May 2013

Resources form ICF-approved Coach Training to Become a Business Coach

A coach often has a multitude of resources.  Ideally in their ICF-approved coach training to become a business coach or during career coach certification they were given access to examples of agreements, questionnaires, time and money management tools, and business tools.  In addition to the coach using these tools when building a coaching business and providing coaching services, these become tools they provide to their clients.

A different angle on the idea of resources is exploring the resources of a client.  During coaching certification, coaches learn that by having a client consider and define the resources available to them, the client becomes more aware of the achievability of their goals and more confident in their own success.

What are resources?  Tools include software, technology, apps, and worksheets.  Skills, both hard and soft, are resources a client taps.  Techniques incorporate different approaches to how things are said or done.  Logistical resources include physical equipment, access to facilities, money, and more.  Relationships as resources are the family, friends, colleagues, mentors, and others who support or help.

Along with the increased awareness of all that is available to support goals, the list of resources is a tool when designing specific action steps.  During the coaching conversation, resources that are wanted are also listed so action steps are included for obtaining them.  The resources that are available are utilized for moving forward after life coaching certification or executive coach certification, and the experience the coach gains is a benefit to the clients.

Thursday 9 May 2013

Time Management is a Coaching Tool after Life or Executive Coaching Certification

Time management tools abound.Because each person is unique, what works for some may be less than ideal for others.Advanced coaching certification teaches coaches to explore different time management tools both for perspective and for awareness of what is available
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In a coaching relationship the coach is in many ways a time management tool.Life coaching certification or executive coach certification teach the coach to work with a client so they decide what they are doing and when they are doing it.The coach is an accountability partner who follows up, asking about progress.When a client makes progress the coach acknowledges it.When a client has incomplete action steps, then the coach works with them on moving forward.For many clients knowing that their coach will be checking with them encourages them to complete their action steps.

Some clients share their calendars with their coach, journal about what they are doing, or use one of the software programs or telephone apps available.When they become a business coach or complete career coach certification,coaches learn to work with the client to review, adjust, strategize, and plan.This supports the client in developing the time management habits they do want.

When designing actions during a coaching session, coaches are aware that some clients work best with a “to do” list.Other clients achieve more when each task is scheduled on a specific day at a specific time.After ICF-approved coach training, coaches are aware that effective coaching means working with a time management tool that best serves the individual client.

Friday 3 May 2013

Coaching Certification is a Tool for Money Management

During ICF-approved coach training, there is often a discussion around money coaching.  Given that a coach is not an advisor, coaching around money consists of asking the client about their goals, barriers, strategies, and action steps.  For example, when some become a business coach their focus is to create awareness for the client through full exploration or after career coach certification the value is the coach working with an individual on handling their budget intelligently given the circumstances.  The action plan may be basic or it may include the client working with a financial planner.

On a basic level, money coaching includes budgeting.  An experienced coach with life coaching certification will ask the client questions that help them create their budget and track their spending.  Then the coach works with the client to compare their plan with their actual.  From there, as coaches know after executive coach certification, they have the client choose what changes they want to incorporate.  The budget includes fixed, variable, and periodic expenses.  A coach may work with a client as they list their expenses and choose their plan for paying everything.  By working with a coach, the client thinks through what is happening now, what they want to have happening, and how to make changes.

If a client wants to discuss investments, a coach asks them about their process for finding a financial planner, researching opportunities, and their timeline for making decisions.  A coach is very different from a financial advisor and ensures the client knows the difference in the roles. ICF-approved coach training prepares coaches to understand and handle the differences in roles before they receive their coaching certification.