3 secrets to becoming an excellent coach

Being a coach is not just a job, and it sure isn’t as easy as it looks. I’ve noticed that a lot of people in this space are ‘overeducating’ themselves and another group is ‘undereducating’ themselves. Both approaches can be harmful to the coach, and can be even worse to the coachee.

A surgeon has to go to medical school for many years and after that they have to study even more for their surgery specialisation. How different it is in the coaching industry. Anybody can call themselves a coach without knowledge or credentials, and with minimal experience.

Anyone can call themselves a coach

I do believe most coaches have good intentions, but the majority are bad or at the most okay coaches. I think there is just a small percentage that are really making a difference in the world and in the life or businesses of their clients.

I’ve been studying human behaviour (including my own) and have been in the coaching and business consulting industry for two decades now. I’ve discovered exactly what works and what doesn’t, why some things work better than other things, and so on. And over time, I’ve come to that there are 3 ‘secret’ ingredients in becoming a good coach and having a successful coaching practice.

It’s hard to beat decades of experience

I’ve learned by doing, both in business and in my personal life. The first half of my career I was doing system implementations, quality management, process optimisation and project management. After I had a heavy burnout and depression I reeducated myself and followed intensive six to nine month programs to become a life coach, a trainer and a consultant on the subject of learning.

I’ve focused on the human factor in business: talent development and company culture. Over the years, I have coached hundreds and hundreds of entrepreneurs, leaders and individuals. After setting up LightWorks, more and more people felt attracted to my Academy and its transformative coaching programs. I offered them a start in coaching, training them on the job, free of charge. After a while somebody said that I should charge these new coaches instead.

3 coaching secrets

Nowadays we run an international training program for new and existing coaches. Our goal is to take people, make them good coaches, and then lift them to a level of excellence. Needless to say, we apply the 3 ‘secret’ ingredients to our coaching students. In fact, I can reveal them right here.

► 1. Personal development
Many coaches become a coach in a subject they had to overcome an hardship in. But overcoming something and mastering it are two different things.

I believe in practicing what you preach. For example, if you don’t really love yourself, please don’t try to guide people on this matter. Coach people in an area that you’ve really mastered well. If you are not a living example and you don’t practice what you preach, please stop coaching or figure out what it is that you are the very best in and change the area of expertise in which you coach.

So guys, stay humble and take a good look in the mirror. I’ve noticed that too many people overestimate themself with this. Remember overcoming and mastering are two different things. the difference is about 10.000 hours of real life experience in (successfully) guiding others!

► 2. Coaching skills
Having a coach certificate from some fancy coach training doesn’t mean that you are a good coach, nor that you will have a successful coaching practice. It simply means that you’ve invested in your new profession.

And on the other hand, being able to listen well, giving good advice to your friends or feeling that you have healing powers, doesn’t mean that you are a good coach. It means that you have the potential to, one day and with the right guidance, become a good or even great coach.

► 3. Entrepreneurship
Okay, so you’re good at what you do, you have a beautiful website and irresistible business cards. But if you don’t know how to attract and keep clients, then your coaching days won’t last very long. Unless you score a job contract as a dedicated company coach, or figure out a way to cheat the system…

How to achieve coaching success

A good or even an excellent coach with a successful coaching business…

…has a strong internal foundation. One part of this foundation is that he or she has discovered their gift, has put that gift to work and is having amazing impact and achieves lasting results with their clients.

…has developed their coach craftsmanship in a simple ‘coach the coach’ program (learning by doing).

…thinks like an entrepreneur, adding massive value, with rates that match the value they offer.

If you are –or want to become– a coach that is not only good, but amazing in what they do, contact us to see what we can do for you.

International Speaker | Manifestation Coach | Published Author

Shanti Silos is a Manifestation Expert who guides individuals and teams to a higher level of fulfilment, business success and community development.

Shanti inspires you to connect with your inner power and discover your full potential: become who you want to be, do what you where meant to do, be your own hero.

If you want to inspire others to live a life of purpose and service, you’re at the right place. Contact Shanti to find out how you can gain maximum impact through low effort, while having fun.