What Does a Life Coach Do?
The International Coach Federation 2020 Client Study confirms that professional coaching brings many wonderful benefits and can impact people's lives through: fresh perspectives on personal challenges, enhanced decision-making, greater interpersonal effectiveness, and increased confidence. Life coaching has a practical element. A life coach believes that clients are the source of their solutions and uses the coaching conversation and powerful questions to expand awareness and insight. Each coach has their style each life coach shares the benefit of their unique experience and knowledge in a way that helps clients move forward. The four pragmatic roles that life coaches play include educator, thinking partner, resource, and champion.
As an educator, if clients are working within a specific set of challenges or goals, the life coach will be of service in helping them to see the bigger picture. To help clients get better outcomes in a difficult process, at times the life coach will educate the client about options or pitfalls of going through the process or system. The life coach may know of resources the client can check into, but life coaches are coaches, not advisors.
As a thinking partner, when a life coach works with clients for many months or longer, clients may be impacted by crises or stress. Clients may be operating from their reptilian brain. They need a voice of reason and a reminder about where they are going when they get overwhelmed; in other words, a thinking partner. A life coach helps clients to think through options including how to maintain relationships with important support people and track steps in their process, such as dealing with the loss of a job or the death of a loved one. Many times, a valued life coach is the trusted professional who can bring stability amid life's instability by believing their clients are capable and resourceful. Also by helping them to remember who they are as their best selves.
As a resource, a life coach can help clients relate to other vital people in their care. A life coach can identify professionals such as mental health professionals. A life coach can also make referrals to people who have specific roles in a difficult process or situation the client encounters. A life coach also curates resources like books, blogs, journals, support networks, etc. which can inform and inspire the client.
As a champion, clients need a person who is in their corner helping them to explore how to make what they want to have happen, celebrate big wins and small, and help them gain clarity, confidence, and courage for the journey. A life coach has a tremendous capacity to help clients find their inner resources to pass through their stuck places when their goals seem unattainable.
Outstanding life coaches will have the following qualities. A strong sense of integrity, a sense of ethical standards, and an attitude of excellence. Second, optimism, setting a tone of positive expectation, encouraging, caring, and empathetic demeanor. Third, motivation and inspiration. An excellent life coach will get in rapport and listen well, using powerful questions and following professional protocols.