Coaching: why you don’t need to be a full-time coach to reap the benefits
As coaching is becoming increasingly popular, you might wonder why you would still need to take a coaching course. It feels like everyone is a coach nowadays, is there any room left? Rest assured, not all coaches are the same, and certainly, not all (certified) coaching programs are alike. So why should you take that step and how can you differentiate yourself from the crowd? Let’s explore this further in this blog series.
Do you enjoy coaching but don’t want to do it full-time? We completely understand. Coaching should inspire and energise, and definitely not become a daily grind. The beauty of coaching is that multiple scenarios exist: it can be applied in different forms and at various levels. Whether you’re a manager, team leader or entrepreneur, coaching skills can enrich your work without requiring you to carry the title of ‘full-time coach’. You can do this by choosing the right education.
The essence of coaching is deeper listening
When you take a coaching course, you learn far more than just practical skills. You develop tools to work not only with behaviour but also with mindset and emotions. This allows you to help people without it feeling like work but rather as a valuable addition to your professional and personal life. So if you want to enjoy the benefits of coaching without committing to it full-time, a certified coaching program gives you the opportunity to work with people in a deeper and richer way. It enables you to help people find their own answers, making you a more effective and empathetic leader.
Coaching: one size does NOT fit all
One coach is not like the other, and the same goes for coaching programs. Every program or course has a different approach to achieve and work towards a certain goal. There are distinct levels to highlights, and understanding these differences can help tailor the right approach for individuals or teams.
First off, you have superficial versus in-depth programs. Superficial programs often provide a broad overview, touching on key concepts. These can be great for general awareness but may not drive long-lasting change. In contrast, in-depth programs focus on comprehensive understanding and skill development.
“Becoming is better than being” – American psychologist Carol Dweck
Another distinction is between programs designed for a broad audience versus those targeted at specific groups. While general programs can serve diverse teams, targeted programs (such as those specifically designed for leaders) focus on the unique challenges and opportunities relevant to that audience.
It is the in-depth programs for leaders that truly make a difference. Leaders require more than just a surface-level understanding: they need to develop the critical thinking, problem-solving, and strategic skills that come from immersive, specialised coaching. These programs help leaders to not only grow but also lead their teams more effectively.
Ask the right questions
One of the challenges in coaching is that people often expect immediate solutions, the desired ‘quick fixes’. Action based questions (do-questions) such as “Why haven’t you done this?” or “When are you going to fix this?” usually backfire. They focus on the problem or the action without addressing the underlying mindset. This is very directive, behaviour-focused and competency-driven, whereas double loop coaching first asks about mindset: it always requires an opposition of ideas for comparison. Let’s be honest: when someone is stuck, true exploration is often needed than just a few practical steps forward.
What if you set aside those practical do-questions and dig deeper, explore?
When people can’t see clearly anymore or chaos takes over, our miracle questions can help remove confusion and helplessness. The goal is to create a shift in mindset through exploration that leads to new insights and possibilities, allowing you to think along without immediately correcting or expecting certain behaviour. When the mindset explores and shifts to ‘possibility thinking’, new insights can emerge, making collaboration smoother and restoring order to chaos.
Take a moment with each question before moving on to the next:
- What if you looked at this from a different perspective?
- And what if you imagined that this approach could work?
- What is your reasoning behind choosing this approach?
- How do you feel about this suggestion?
- What exactly are you running into right now?
- What prejudices might be at play here?
- What do you think about these principles?
- How do your values align or conflict with the values central to this situation?
- What is the significance of this perspective and/or these values in this situation?
- What reasoning underlies your decisions?
Expansive, right? These questions can have magical effects, but only if you ask them the right way. When you take your time and seriously consider these questions, they ensure that you don’t immediately judge or offer solutions but help the other person come to their own insights. This not only makes coaching more effective but also extremely valuable for both parties.
From mindset to emotional intelligence
In addition to working on mindset, it’s essential not to forget the emotional aspect. Thoughts drive behaviour, especially when emotions are involved. By coaching at this level, you can empower people to regain control over their situation. Coaching, therefore, is much more than just offering solutions. It’s about creating a safe environment where people can explore their beliefs and emotions without judgement or jumping to conclusions.
Now that we’ve explored the power of the right questions at the mindset level, it’s time to go further. In the next blog, we’ll dive into emotional intelligence: the ability to recognize, understand and effectively manage emotions. Beyond mindset, it’s also crucial to work on emotional involvement and awareness within yourself and others. Make sure to look out for this follow-up blog!
The shortest route to credibility as a Certified Coach
Coaches who obtain a certificate at Training & Coaching Square are trained as goal-oriented ‘effect coaches’. They are focused on sustainable evolution – far away from the superficial quick fixes – and bring others into contact with their intrinsic motivation.