Life Coaching: Why Quality Training is Essential

“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.”

– Beverly Sills

Evolving questions

I’ve been involved in this industry for nearly twelve years now and am always taken aback by how quickly the dynamics have changed.

When I started New Insights Africa in 2007, our marketing efforts were almost entirely focused on trying to answer the question: “What is life coaching and why might it interest me?” Fast forward to today and the dominant question is “Why should I choose to train with New Insights?”

Of course, this has been the dominant question in the UK for a lot longer as the rise in importance of life coaching began some years earlier there.

Confusing array of courses

The life coaching industry is not government regulated in either country, or for that matter, most other countries. As a consequence, the rapid development in public interest in life coaching has quickly been matched by a confusing array of ‘training courses’ of wildly varying quality.

Not what they are cracked up to be

Unfortunately, many of these are just not what they are cracked up to be.

Less scrupulous operators, who look for an easy entry into the market and the chance to skim off a little of the cream before moving on to the next big thing, will take advantage of some impressive sounding but often rather dubious niche product or service, trumpeting it as the latest ‘essential toolkit’ for life coaches.

Others will throw together short courses that offer an inexpensive, ‘quick fix’ solution to members of the public who place higher value on gaining a certificate than on the inherent quality and rigour of the certification process.

Soon disillusioned

The end result of all this is that many people, lured by the excitement of a potential new career helping others, soon become disillusioned as they realise, soon after completion of their training, that they are simply not equipped with the confidence, skill or practical experience to put their new found knowledge to practice in a business of their own.

Life experience is not enough

At the other end of the scale there are many well intending, but sadly naive people out there who believe that life experience alone qualifies them to print the words ‘life coach’ on a business card.

Just the other day, I spoke with a gentleman who told me he was not convinced of the need for specialist training in life coaching.

“You see, I’ve done so much in my life. I’ve been through the school of hard knocks. I’ve been here and there and I’ve done this and that and I always find that people gravitate to me to seek out my wisdom and advice. It all just comes naturally.”

He sounded a little taken aback when I explained to him that he should perhaps consider taking up mentoring rather than coaching. The primary role of a coach is not to offer ‘wisdom’ or ‘advice’ but rather to empower people to uncover and follow their own inner wisdom and advice – a different skill altogether!

Please don’t get me wrong. I’m not suggesting that life experience is an obstacle to being a great life coach. To the contrary. It is just that life experience without proper life coach training can result in one’s efforts being misdirected.

Best of both worlds

Of course, a well trained life coach who has extensive life experience offers the best of both worlds.

However, if I were forced to choose between being coached by a comprehensively trained person without a lot of life experience and an untrained person with lots of life experience, I would choose the former every time.

More skill than many may appreciate

The true business of life coaching involves a lot more skill than many may appreciate. There are numerous concepts, tools, techniques and exercises that need to be mastered.

As I was constantly reminded in corporate life, many leaders and others in high places seem conditioned to undervalue the so called ‘soft skills’, such as the ability to work with, understand and motivate people.

That mentality is, I think, slowly but steadily changing … but until it does, it can be intensely frustrating for those of us who appreciate that this skill actually lies at the very heart of any successful business, organisation or relationship.

Don’t compromise on training!

The nub of my message today, for anyone who is considering becoming a life coach (or hiring a life coach, for that matter) is that you underestimate the extent and quality of the training that is required at your peril.

Becoming a life coach, and acting in service to other people and humanity in general, is an admirable aspiration and one that can lead to an amazingly fulfilling and wonderfully rewarding career … but only if you invest in doing it properly without taking short cuts.

Please – don’t compromise on your training!