I’d like to be a coach but…
The Importance Of Building a Coaching Mindset
To be the best coach you can be for yourself and your clients, you need to adopt a coaching mindset.
What does it mean to hold a coaching mindset?
It means you’re willing to remain open and curious. It means you engage in a reflective practice and are committed to developing your abilities.
In fact, ‘embodying a coaching mindset’ is a key ICF competency coaches need to demonstrate to become accredited professionals.
According to the ICF (International Coaching Federation), a coach embodies a coaching mindset if he or she…
“Develops and maintains a mindset that is open, curious, flexible and client-centered.”
What are some ways you can begin to develop your coaching mindset? Here are a few things you begin doing this week.
- Check in with what you need
Build your self awareness around what’s going on for you. Tune into your brain, body and emotions. The more that you understand yourself the more you can ensure you are meeting your needs. This will put you in a stronger position to support your clients.
- Ask for help
Great coaches know that they don't operate in a vacuum, so make sure you begin to build your support network. Reach out to other coaches you know and make a habit of holding conversations around coaching. Getting access to different perspectives can help you strengthen your own coaching skills.
- Give yourself time and space in between sessions supporting others
It’s important to process what has happened in a session, and to tune into what is going on for you energetically. Holding this space for yourself allows you to be more present with others when supporting them.
- Help others focus on what’s possible right now
Coaches focus on the positives, which means spending less time fixated on the problem and more time focused on what’s possible. Coaches see the potential and help their clients see those possibilities too. What positives can you see in your clients’ situations? What can they do now to improve their situation? Practise mining for the gold with your clients.
- Tune into your empathetic nature
Try to understand the person in front of you by stepping into their shoes. It’s important to maintain emotional distance to prevent compassion fatigue, but to be an effective coach, connecting with how your client feels is vital for your relationship with them. When you understand what your client is going through, you’re better able to ask the right questions and guide them through their thinking processes.
Having a coaching mindset is essential for your success as a coach. Ask yourself: do you have a coaching mindset? What will you do to build one?
Our Professional Coaching Diploma ensures you meet all ICF competencies. When you choose to study with us, you choose to become an accredited professional with in-depth knowledge and a series of impactful coaching techniques.
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