In Pursuit of Life Coaching Excellence

An unregulated profession

First off, it is worth reminding readers that life coaching is not a regulated profession (at least not in the markets we operate in).

That’s doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. At least the industry is free from the burden of unnecessary red tape. And there are minimal barriers to entry – encouraging the entry of those who have a natural passion for people but no appetite for having to jump through bureaucratic hoops.

Lack of quality control

On the downside, and speaking in general terms, there is little objective quality control applied to the practising of life coaching.

For one thing, there is nothing, from a legal point of view, to prevent one from starting a ‘life coaching practice’ even if you haven’t spent even a single, solitary hour in dedicated training.

Admittedly, there are a great many practising life coaches who have undergone some form of training. But, wittingly or unwittingly, many will have chosen training that lacked suitable breadth, depth and rigour.

This will have left them poorly prepared and equipped to play an active role in a profession that promises such life altering potential.

The best chance of transformation

At New Insights, we have always been strong proponents of the importance of providing training that promotes life coaching excellence.

By striving for excellence we believe we can offer the clients of our trained coaches the best prospect of experiencing lasting personal transformation and the many associated benefits that go with that.

The rationale for this belief is rooted both in ethics and good business, and has two parts to it.

Ability to attract clients

Firstly, it stands to reason that one’s ability to maintain a successful, or thriving life coaching practice depends on one’s ability to attract clients.

Research clearly demonstrates that the strongest determinant of this is the coach’s ability to consistently deliver great results for their clients.

When it comes to a prospective client’s decision to seek out and choose a coach, word of mouth endorsements far outweigh glitzy certificates and ‘accreditations’ that look and sound more impressive than they really are.

Transformation of mindset and behaviour

Secondly, truly effective life coaching involves bringing about a genuine transformation of the client’s mindset and behaviour – and instilling a passionate sense of purpose.

Life coaching is not about providing advice, giving guidance or offering mentoring. Though it should always be practised with great compassion, it is certainly not about being an ‘agony aunt’ or ‘a shoulder to cry on’.

Life coaches are skilled facilitators who bring out the best in their clients by encouraging and supporting a step change in the client’s awareness, attitude, and – resultantly – quality of life!

Transformation takes a little time

Of course, as one might expect, the process of personal transformation takes some time; very little time in the overall context of a person’s life, but time nonetheless.

A disturbing trend

A somewhat disturbing trend in today’s fast paced world is the tendency for people to seek out and expect inexpensive ‘quick fixes’. Instant ‘gratification’ is often prioritised over quality, lasting solutions.

This tendency has even crept into life coaching and, by extension, life coach training.

We see clients, who have spent many years accumulating limiting beliefs and associated disempowering attitudes and behaviours, expect life coaches to resolve their problems and change their lives in no more than a few sessions.

Those life coaches, reluctant to turn away potential clients, or do anything to upset them, use their best endeavours to help their clients set a short term goal or goals, expose them to some useful tools, and map out a rough way forward, before the premature separation.

That, in itself can be useful … but without addressing the underlying beliefs, attitudes, behaviours – and values that drive those attitudes and behaviours – there is little chance that anything genuinely transformational will result for the client.

Helpful ‘sticking plaster’

And that, unwittingly, militates against ringing endorsements of the life coach concerned, or life coaching in general, because it adds to the misguided perception that some have about life coaching being a ‘helpful sticking plaster’, rather than the comprehensive, life changing solution it should be.

Life coaches who feel reluctant, unwilling, or unable to sell their clients on the benefits of transformational coaching (which can take several months) end up using a very limited repertoire of life coaching skills, tools and techniques.

Capitalising on this trend

Many training institutes, especially those starting out, eyeing the rapid growth of the life coaching industry, see the business value in capitalising on this trend.

In an effort to reduce cost and complexity, the quality and integrity of training is slowly dumbed down. We are witnessing a growing trend towards simpler, shorter courses that lack the necessary depth but still offer the promise of ‘life coach certification’.

Not what is called for

This is not what our amazing industry needs.

Life coaching, when done well, is truly life changing. It deserves to be perceived as such and not as some simple problem resolution, or short-term, feel good intervention!

Life coaches who have done the hard yards to complete reputable training programmes that involve the study of comprehensive theory, in depth exposure to coaching ethics, extensive practical application, and meaningful self reflection, deserve to be treated as the consummate professionals they are.

A commitment to excellence

At New Insights, we are, and always will remain, committed to promoting excellence in life coaching and life coach training, even if that comes at the expense of our bottom line.

Life coaching, and what it is capable of achieving for humanity, especially in these turbulent times, is far too important to be approached with an attitude of anything less than excellence.