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I am trying to change my life and am interested in training
| Carol: I am trying to change my life and am interested in training | March 28, 2008, 11:00 am |
| I am trying to change my life and am interested in training as a life coach and/or NLP. Can you give me any advice firstly re the qualities needed and secondly the best place to study. | |
| re: I am trying to change my life and am interested in training by Experience Matters | March 28, 2008, 11:38 am | |
| Dear Carol Thank you for your question. I am interested in why you have decided you would like to be life coach. What is it that draws you to this as a career? Is it because it is an extension of your present career? Or is it a complete jump? I think it is very important to ask youself this question and write down all the reasons you want to do it. Life coaching seems to be a career that appeals to many people as they become older. It offers flexibility, an opportunity to be your own boss and a chance to pass on your experience. What concerns me is that these are the reasons, all very valid, but they are all about the coach and not the coachee. You have to be seriously interested in people and helping them find their own solutions to their issues to become a life coach. It is a career that can't be gone into lightly without proper training that enables you to understand how people tick, as well as how to help people to set goals and achieve them. It isn't, as many believe, a chance to tell people what they should be doing! Have you had any coaching yourself? If not I suggest that you have a few sessions so you can see if it is a career you wish to pursue yourself. I'd also suggest that you look at the criteria the Association of Coaching require as this will give you an idea of what is required to be accredited in the profession When looking for a course I suggest you write down on one side of a piece of paper all the skills you have and on the other side all the skills needed to be a life coach, such as being a good listener, a good empathiser, having the ability to ask appropriate questions; an enabler of others and an ability to help others to clarify their issues and create goals. Now match up your skills with the necessary skills. Divide them into those you do well, those you are OK at and those you need to get more proficient in. These are the skills you need to focus on in your training so look for courses that offer this. Also decide if you plan to work in organisations with executives or at your own premises, and who would be your client group? Would you specialise in the field you already know about or be more of a generalist? Don't get carried away with the fantasy that you can earn a fast buck. Many coaches take a while to get established and although they earn a reasonable living they are not wealthy. In my opinion a course that offers you some theoretical support, some coaching practice both theoretical and practical, an assessment process and one that runs over a period of time are the ones to aim for. There are lots of courses, so get on the internet and have a look. Some universities are now offering masters in coaching as are some of the management colleges, so take a look at these as well as the commercial enterprises. Choose a course that will also offer you some practical skills such as how to set up a business, get insured, practise in how to keep appropriate notes and one that offers supervision. From my experience it is a very interesting and rewarding career. Good luck with it. |
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