Becoming a coaching client

So let’s say you have decided to take the plunge and find a coach. What happens next?

Your free initial coaching call

Most coaches offer a free introductory coaching call. This is so that you can find out more about life coaching, your coach, and how well you might work together. Generally this call will last about half an hour.

The coach will demonstrate, by initiating a coaching conversation with you, what coaching is and how it works. They will do this by asking a series of questions to find out how coaching can be of benefit to you where you are at in your life today.

SEE ALSO: If you want to get more from your life, and are looking for concrete action steps to get you there, check out our Request a Coach page. It’s a “cut the fence-sitting and take action” way to tackle your issues and actually find success. You’ll be matched with the coaches most suited to you to get you from where you are to where you want to be. To get off the fence and start to take action, click or tap here.

What happens when you become a coaching client?

Let’s look at what happens when you become a life coaching client. First, you will receive a coaching welcome package. Then, you will have your first, or foundation, session with your life coach.

After that, you will speak or report online to your coach at a regular interval, such as once a week or once every two weeks. This keeps you motivated and accountable on a regular basis.

You’ll generally receive a life coaching welcome packet which contains a number of items designed to kick start your coaching.

• A welcome letter.
• A personal information form.
• A coaching information form. This form will ask you a series of coaching questions to allow your coach to get a much better picture of who you are, and what you want to accomplish, so he or she can offer you the most valuable life coaching for you.
• A coaching agreement.

Your first life coaching session is called the foundation session. Here, your will generally:

• Review the welcome package material.
• Determine a good ongoing time and day for your regular calls or online sessions.
• Beginning mapping out your goals, both short and longer term.
• Begin working on an issue.

After sorting out the first major goals to work towards, you’ll start your regular work together.

Private coaching.  As we mentioned earlier, the most common type of coaching is over the phone. You talk to your coach for anywhere from 30 minutes to over an hour. You’ll talk at a regular interval, such as once a week. They’ll set other coaching tools for you to interact with, such as action items you commit to, journaling, goal-tracking and assessments.

Online coaching. You might decide you’d rather keep your coaching online. You’ll then report on your coaching progress at regular intervals, and your coach will comment back on your progress, asking you the right questions to move you towards your goals. They’ll also set coaching tools to complement your work together.

Group coaching. Another popular choice, here you’ll be coached alongside other people. Group coaching tends to be cheaper. It can also help you have a really dynamic and varied coaching experience by interacting with others in your coaching group. You’ll end up learning from their challenges and successes as much as your own.

SEE ALSO: If you want to get more from your life, and are looking for concrete action steps to get you there, check out our Request a Coach page. It’s a “cut the fence-sitting and take action” way to tackle your issues and actually find success. You’ll be matched with the coaches most suited to you to get you from where you are to where you want to be. To get off the fence and start to take action, click or tap here.

How long will you work with your coach?

You might accomplish your goals in as little as one to three months. Most often, people stay with their coaches an average of about 9 months (ICF 1998). You may also want to keep a less intensive coaching schedule after you have done the majority of your work, and keep checking in once a month or so.

SEE ALSO: If you want to get more from your life, and are looking for concrete action steps to get you there, check out our Request a Coach page. It’s a “cut the fence-sitting and take action” way to tackle your issues and actually find success. You’ll be matched with the coaches most suited to you to get you from where you are to where you want to be. To get off the fence and start to take action, click or tap here.

How do I choose a coach?

Choosing a life coach may seem like a daunting task, but it’s actually a fun one. You get to find someone who you gel with, who will be in your corner, cheering on your successes and helping you reach your goals.

When choosing a life coach, find out as much as you can about their basic philosophy, values, and areas of expertise first. That way you are more likely to make a great match from the start. To find a great life coach, just follow these three simple steps:

1. Check out the brief life coach profiles in the coaching directory, specifying what type of life coaching you are looking for. Associated with every profile is a coach portfolio listing the articles and tips the coaches have written; browse through these articles and posts to get a better sense of who each coach is, where their life coaching expertise lies, and how good a fit you will be.
2. After reading their articles, make a short list of the life coaches you like. Then check out each coach’s full profile to read about the results they can help you achieve, how they like to coach, their experience, qualifications and training, and a description of their offerings.
3. Finally, browse the courses the life coach runs, and other products and services they offer—you may want to start with a short course or an e-book until you get to know them. Or dive right in and book an introductory session. Choose the Book a Free Call tab of their profile. Each coach’s free times for appointments will show up in the calendar on this page.

Chapter 6

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