The Right Fit
I once had the most interesting Strategy Session with a prospective client. To start off, I must say that there’s always something to be learned — good or bad — in each experience. In fairness, while this particular client was willing to sign up and move forward with coaching, I could sense some deep-rooted negativity from the beginning. At the end of the day, I am a Coach, not a therapist or attorney.
During the call, I asked about 75 questions, and some of the questions I asked her were a bit repetitive. I do this on purpose, because you can truly get to know your client and their anxieties around building their intentional business by focusing on different angles. It helps to get to the root of their bleeding issue, and find a way to turn it into something positive.
As a coach, my role is to get my client to their goal, in the fastest and most desired way possible with the least amount of discomfort. I strategize with them to make their businesses successful while giving them a proven roadmap to that success.
During this session, however, the client and I were not aligned AT ALL. Every time I tried to bring her back to her mindset or root issue, she said she already felt “really good” about it all and informed me that I needed to move on and clarify something else for her. Spotting the red flags, I stopped the call immediately. I politely thanked her for her time, and shared some parting advice:
Before reaching out to a coach, always do your research! The right coach will be forthcoming with their wins AND their failures. If they haven’t failed, trust me… you don’t want them.
Plan on working AND learning. Our goal as coaches is to teach and to train — NOT do the work for you. Only YOU can bring your success to fruition!
Absolutely DO NOT reach out unless you are ready. I don’t mean ‘ready’ like you’ve researched for hours before going into it. I mean ready to be purely honest, authentic, and open to take on new knowledge. If you have it all figured out, DON’T CALL! If you truly need help and you can rise to the occasion, call us.
My main piece of advice is… If you are looking for a coach, choose one that only wants to serve YOU and truly help YOU be better. Only you have all the gifts and expertise within you to get where you wish to be! A good coach draws from your natural ability, focusing on what you’re best at. I am simply a guide to pull out all of your amazing talent, and structure a roadmap. I am not a magician!
On the other side of things, it is NEVER a good idea to change the way that you coach for a client. In this sense, you are the expert! You have already done it… and done it successfully! Trust yourself to assist your clients to achieve the next level of their success. Frame your calls and show a deep respect for both your time and your client’s. Remember, every journey is unique! No matter the situation we all have something to learn from one another. We can reap the benefits flawlessly. It simply takes the proper respect for each other and a willingness to be open minded.
