One of the foundational principles that I learned in my coach training applies to any type of coaching, training, or leading others.
Coach the what based on the who.
This applies no matter what type of coaching or training you offer. It also applies to parenting.
Whether your client wants to lift heavier, be more productive in the workplace, create a better relationship with their spouse or kids, or close more deals, you’re dealing with a person who has an outcome.
You can work with 10 different people who have the same desired outcome, but each of those people has different strengths and capacities.
An approach that works well for one person might not work at all for another.
Helping clients get results requires understanding the client you’re working with.
- What motivates them?
- What frustrates them?
- What energizes them?
- What drains them?
- What dysregulates them?
- What regulates them?
- What are the contexts in which they’ll push harder to find their true capacity?
- What are the contexts in which they shut down?
- How do they process information?
- What types of structures support them?
- What types of structures suffocate them?
- How do they typically display resistance?
People often think that to be an effective coach you must be knowledgeable about the industry or area in which your client wants results.
In the attempt to distinguish between life coaches, business coaches, parenting coaches, performance coaches, fitness coaches, and all the other types of subject matter disciplines, we’ve lost track of the core thread:
Coaches and trainers work with people. What matters most is the person in front of you.
The better you understand your client and attune to how they perform best, the more effective you can be as a coach.
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