3 Pillars of Leaders and Coaches

The role of a leader has changed, and now leadership skills are more aligned than ever with coaching skills.  Increasingly the way to differentiate yourself is with business coaching training, career coach certification, executive coaching certification, or life coach training.

While some consider a leader a specific role or position, the reality is leading is an earned privilege.  Three essential skills are pillars of both leading and coaching; consider the application and implication of each.

From Business Coaching Training, Career Coach Certification, Executive Coaching Certification, and Life Coach Training To ICF Member

Professionals in most industries have membership organizations that provide information, continuing education opportunities, networking with colleagues, and more.  This is true in coaching too.  While there are many groups for coaches, the leading professional membership organization is the International Coach Federation, the ICF.  The ICF approves coach specific business coaching training, career coach certification, executive coaching certification, and life coach training programs including the Center for Coaching Certification offerings.

Coach Training for Internal Coaches

External Coach Training: How important is coach training?  As with any type of skilled work or service, training is essential.  Coaching is a very specific process and is often misunderstood.  Some think coaching is part training, part mentoring, part managing and in reality it is very different.  For coaching programs inside companies, is it better for the training to be internal or external?  External.

The American Management Association, in their Global Study of Successful Practices, shared several major findings on coaching programs inside companies, including one on coach training: 

Business Coaching Training, Career Coach Certification, Executive Coaching Certification, and Life Coach Training: Ethics for Internal Programs

An essential discussion when establishing an internal coaching program revolves around ethics.  The company Code of Ethics, HR ethics, and policies and procedures address current functions.  Coaching ethics learned in business coaching training, career coach certification, executive coaching certification, and life coach training include very significant differences.  Review all of these together and determine both policies and applicable ethical codes for a coaching program in advance.

• HR ethics focus on the company as the client and coaching ethics learned in business coaching training, career coach certification, executive coaching certification, and life coach training focus on the coachee as the client (the company is the sponsor).

Coaching Certification to Coach the Whole Person

Whole person coaching means that the coach takes time with the client to fully explore what they want in all areas of their life.  Even when the focus is business coaching training, life coach training, executive coaching certification, and career coach certification, this makes sense because the client is an individual and all areas of their life come to work with them.  After exploring goals in all areas of their life in a coaching session, future sessions are often focused on the business, executive leadership, or career.  Then, when something from their life is impacting them, the client is comfortable discussing it because of the whole person coaching process.

Coach Training Creates Focus, Motivation, and Successful Habits

For many of us, it is easy to have a goal and then get so busy in our lives we forget about it.  In many organizations, a great plan is developed and then it sits on the shelf because the day-to-day functioning consumes all the time and focus of the employees.  Certified Professional Coaches are aware that this is a barrier for clients.  When clients are asked what could hold them back, they will often say “me” or “procrastination” or “laziness” as the barriers to success.

During the business coaching training, life coach training, executive coaching certification, and career coach certification, focusing on how to move past these barriers makes a difference.   It takes time to change thinking and habits.  What does work?  There are many different examples of tools and processes for focusing thinking and changing habits.  There is extensive research available on how to change habits or develop new habits.  There is research around thinking and choosing thinking too.  Certified Professional Coaches work with the model of: 21 days to change a thought, 30 days to change a habit, and 6 to 12 months to set that habit in place. 

In order to change thinking and habits, two things must be happening: information in and application out.  Information in is the ongoing reminders of the desired thinking.  Application out is the doing.  In the coaching process at the Center for Coaching Certification, the second session focuses on the information in, and then by the third session it is about the application out.  For the information in, there are options: reading, listening, posting visual reminders, and accountability partners.  The Certified Professional Coach provides tools for the client to ensure they have the information coming in.

Coaching Begins with Exploring the Possibilities

When deciding to engage a coach, one of the steps in the process is to explore the possibilities.  For some, this involves asking other people.  Others research coaches, coach training, and coaching standards.  In many corporate settings a list of coaches is available.  Another option is an online directory of coaches such as www.FindaCertifiedCoach.com.  Alternatively, many people engage a coach because they saw them speaking or training, or met them in person.

                                              

One option when considering a coaching relationship is an introductory coaching session.  In the workplace, this serves to determine whether there is a good fit and to create buy-in for the coaching process.  For coaches offering this service, it is a chance to offer prospective clients the opportunity to experience coaching, and to have a sense of them as a coach.

Business coaching training, life coach training, executive coaching certification, and career coach certification create teach creating an opportunity for the client to experience coaching and then consider the benefits so that the client makes the choice about coaching.

At the Center for Coaching Certification, the coaching process begins with the 20-30 minute introductory session.  Certified Professional Coaches ask the client about them self, ask them about what they want, then explore barriers and options for overcoming barriers.  During the introductory session, the coach is focused completely on the client.  The Certified Professional Coach has a tool for recognizing and understanding different personalities in the moment.  The coach is aware of client language patterns and learning styles because it is the coach’s responsibility to adjust to the client in the moment.  This supports maximum benefit from the coaching engagement for the client.

Coaching Process and Coaching Certification

Different coach training programs use different processes. Some teach to simply ask the client to choose a topic and then brainstorm ideas with them. Others work like consultants and give an assessment, then decide priorities based on the results. Certified Professional Coaches with the Center for Coaching Certification learn a specific process, and learn that it is all about the client so it is essential to flex to the client.

One of the early considerations is whether the coach is working only on specific areas, typically job related, or whether the coach is working with the whole person. If the coach is working only on specific areas, it may be because an employer is paying for the coaching and they feel the time should be all about the work. The benefit of whole person coaching is that whatever is happening in an individual’s life does affect their work. After coaching certification, Certified Professional Coaches are prepared for both types of coaching.

The next consideration is whether the coaching is about business, life, career, or executive leadership. Often the question is asked whether the Center for Coaching Certification offers business coaching training, life coach training, executive coaching certification, or career coach certification. This ICF-approved coach training specifically trains on coaching. This means that the 11 Core Competencies of a Coach, as published by the ICF, are the focus. After completing the Certified Professional Coach training, the type of coaching is based on the individual coach’s experience, education, and areas of expertise.

Using ICF-Approved Executive Coach Training, Life Coach Training, Career Coach Certification or Business Coaching Training for Coaching Program Resources

When creating and managing a coaching program, consider the resources that are appropriate. The resources are for three different things: managing the program, supporting the coaches, and supporting the coachees.

• Resources for managing the program include appropriate training or consulting services, the expenses of administration, the time and cost of training for the program managers, and time for running the program.
  
  
• Resources for the coaches include coach training for coaches -- specifically ICF-approved executive coach training, life coach training, career coach certification and business coaching training such as is offered at the Center for Coaching Certification, access to information on coaching, access to information appropriate for supporting coachees, a list of resources available to coachees, time and a place for coaching, helpful forms and coaching tools such as the ones offed after completing coach training at the Center for Coaching Certification, ongoing coaching for the coaches, and a contact person for questions and concerns.
  
  
• Resources for coachees include access to training when appropriate for skill development, access to information for self-directed learning, access to a form for reporting on progress, and a contact person for questions and concerns.

Planning the program includes planning the budget and the time. In the initial stages coach training and / or consulting services are also explored and put in place. In developing a program manual, include listings or create directories of forms, resources for training and learning, options for meeting space, and contacts. Provide the information to both coaches and coachees during a program orientation.

Creating Opportunities for Coaching After Business Coaching Training, Career Coach Certification, Executive Coaching Certification, and Life Coach Training

After business coaching training, career coach certification, executive coaching certification, and life coach training, many coaches build their businesses with more than one service. For example, some do consulting and also do coaching. Others provide training and also offer coaching. These different services are natural complements for each other. Additionally, providing one of these services often creates opportunities to provide the other too.

A great service to include is training. The Center for Coaching Certification provides business coaching training, career coach certification, executive coaching certification, and life coach training in addition to offering other workshops or seminars. This is an opportunity to provide valuable information, create an additional income stream, and to connect with future coaching clients. Like speaking, training demonstrates your expertise. Participants often feel connected and will ask you about coaching. The key is to provide great content and mention coaching as an opportunity for them as they apply their learning.

For example, if you offer a one hour program online and sell it for as little as $10 per person, for every ten that participate you earn $100. If you offer a one-day class and sell it for $100 per person then with ten people there you earn $1000 for the day. The idea is you create the programs and then are able to update and reuse the content on a regular basis.

Workshops and seminars are both an earning opportunity and a great place to connect with future coaching clients. Consider promoting specific programs to businesses where you ideal client works. Explore options for marketing a class in your area. Offer training programs online. Then, teach people the difference between training and coaching and let them know you are a certified coach.

Please see the Center for Coaching Certification FAQs for our business coaching training, career coach certification, executive coaching certification and life coach training for considerations regarding online courses.

Executive Coaching Certification, Business Coaching Training, Career Coach Certification, or Life Coach Training to Differentiate Between Coaching, Mentoring, Training, and Managing

While these roles are often inter-mingled and misunderstood, a clear awareness of the value and distinctions of each role enhances positive results. In executive coaching certification, business coaching training, career coach certification, or life coach training, the Center for Coaching Certification teaches each role is truly unique and distinct, serves a specific purpose, and is handled differently. Knowing how coaching is different and understanding the role is essential for a successful program. What does each do?

Mentor

• Provide expertise
• Gives advice
• Offers input

Manager

• Informs of decisions
• Provides direction
• Gives feedback

Trainer

• Assesses learning needs
• Develops training programs
• Manages learning environment
• Provides information
• Creates learning exercises

Coach

• Elicits the direction and expertise from the coachee
• Provides the process for the coachee to strategize and plan
• Empowers the coachee to make their own decisions and determine actions
• Asks the coachee how it is working and what they want to adjust
• Affirms coachee progress and success

Bottom line: through executive coaching certification, business coaching training, career coach certification, or life coach training learn how coaching is different from the other roles for effective application of coaching skills. Coaching certification ensures that the coach asks instead of telling, makes it about the client’s opinion, empowers the client to determine direction, and supports the client to decide on their strategy or actions. The coach serves as a sounding board to give the client space to explore, asks probing and clarifying questions to expand and challenge thinking, then asks the coachee to define what they want and how they will make it happen.

Evaluating the Efficacy of Coaching After Business Coach Training, Career Coach Certification, Executive Coaching Certification and Life Coach Training

Companies that invest in coaching are interested in ensuring the money is well spent. Clients who hire a coach want to know the investment is a smart one. Coaches building their business after business coach training, career coach certification, executive coaching certification and life coach training want to share information on the impact of their services.

During coach training researching the studies that are available on coaching provides great insight as to what is measured and how it is measured. TIP: Simply go to Google and enter “Coaching ROI” or “Efficacy of Coaching” or “studies on coaching” and review the information.

For coaching programs inside of organizations, managing an evaluation process is smart. Understanding the evaluation process is also vital to coaches after business coach training, career coach certification, executive coaching certification and life coach training. The first step is determining what you want from the coaching itself and what you want from evaluating the coaching.

1. Start with Objectives

Coaching Goals

• What is the objective of the coaching?
  • Bottom-line impact – for example: sales numbers, turnover costs, productivity metrics, profitability
  • Behavioral Change – for example: specific leaders developing skills that impact outcomes
  • Cultural Change – for example: employee engagement and employee satisfaction metrics
• What are the reasons for measuring?
  • Prove – specifically, to prove the coaching is making a difference
  • Improve – to learn how to improve the coaching program
  • Learn – to learn about what is happening as a result of coaching

Coaching Measures

• What will you measure?
  • Action – this means tracking specific actions ties to performance metrics
  • Feelings – this is often simply having the coachee give their feedback in a qualitative format
  • Feedback – often pre and post 360 evaluations provide excellent feedback
  • Dollar Impact – this means tracking the bottom line and determining what percentage of change is attributable to coaching.

Caring for Self and Clients After Business Coaching Training, Career Coach Certification, Executive Coaching Certification, or Life Coach Training

Summer time – a time to relax, a time to have fun, a time to get away. Summer is a great opportunity to refresh and rejuvenate. Now consider this perspective: when schools explored a year-round calendar versus the traditional nine-month calendar, the key benefits included having a shorter gap between classes and having a longer vacation in the fall and the spring. This positively impacted student learning. How does this apply to life after business coaching training, career coach certification, executive coaching certification or life coach training? Manage the gap between sessions and plan vacations too. After all, coaches take vacations and clients take vacations. What is the plan for coaching sessions? Keep in mind that schedules may impact the ability to maintain consistency.

Specific Tips:

• Review your scheduling to manage time between sessions with clients given both your and their vacation schedules. For example, perhaps schedule sessions ten days apart before and after vacations to maintain consistency and the number of sessions. Alternatively, if your vacations are scheduled at different times look at the last days before and the first days after the combined vacation dates.
• Explore the possibility of planning a longer time between coaching sessions during the summer. With this approach, strategize with your client on how they will maintain their momentum.
• Invite the client to explore how they want to both maximize their vacation time and maintain their positive, forward focus. As you learned in your business coaching training, career coach certification, executive coaching certification or life coach training, ask them for their action plan.

Enjoy your vacation time and come back ready for more successes!

Options For Measuring ROI After Business Coach Training, Career Coach Certification, Executive Coaching Certification And Life Coach Training

Coaches, companies, and individual coachees think about the value and return for their investment in the coaching relationship. Sometimes the focus is heavily on the quantifiable bottom-line impact. Other times measures for qualitative improvements are developed. The importance of these differences is covered in the client focus taught in quality business coach training, career coach certification, executive coaching certification and life coach training.

One option for measuring coaching ROI is Kirkpatrick’s 4 level formula:

Level 1—Reaction: How satisfied are you with the coaching experience?

Level 2—Learning: What did you learn through this experience?

Level 3—Behavior: What are you doing differently because of the coaching?

Level 4—Results: What difference has this made in your outcomes?

This measure may be used conversationally, or values may be assigned to both the qualitative and quantitative components.

A factor in determining a true coaching ROI figure is the degree to which the results can be attributed to coaching. Specifically, the change in the coachee’s outcomes and how much of that change has been the direct result of the coaching.

Hence, another option for measuring ROI is this equation:

X = Sum total of coaching impact
÷ Total cost of coaching

(Note: To obtain results in percentages multiply X by 100.)

It is important to note that whatever the formula is, choosing what to measure and how for the ROI will come from the sponsor or coachee because of the client focus taught in quality business coach training, career coach certification, executive coaching certification, and life coach training. Therefore it is critical to engage coachees and sponsors in determining their criteria for measuring ROI in advance, and to check-in with them throughout the coaching relationship.

Measuring Coaching ROI After Business Coaching Training, Career Coach Certification, Executive Coaching Certification And Life Coach Training

In business coaching training, career coach certification, executive coaching certification, and life coach training there is more than one bottom line to consider when measuring ROI: both the intangible (qualitative) and the tangible (quantitative) impact are equally important. Additionally, there are multiple intangible and tangible outcomes.

As your research during business coaching training, career coach certification, executive coaching certification and life coach training program will teach, intangible benefits include enhanced inter-personal relationships, a more positive attitude, improved process for strategizing and decision making, and a greater level of awareness. The intangible ROI is unique to every coaching situation because what the coachee learns and changes is different. A note: the comfort level of the coachee with their coach impacts skill development.

The tangible ROI can be quantified through numbers and formulas and it also varies based on the coaching situation. For example, in a business setting, bottom line measures may include productivity, sales, and turnover costs. The tangible number, how much achieving the goal changed the bottom line, is divided by how much the coaching cost in terms of hours spent plus dollars invested.

A best practice for measuring ROI taught in business coaching training, career coach certification, executive coaching certification, and life coach training is to talk with a sponsor and / or with individual coachees prior to starting the coaching relationship(s). In the conversation, ask what they want to gain from the coaching and ask how they want to measure it. Then, throughout the coaching relationship, check in with them on whether they are gaining what they want from the coaching. When a sponsor or coachee focuses on only tangible or intangible benefits, then ask questions about the other type too.