Working with a great life coach can be the most valuable investment one can make in a lifetime. However, given the humongous number of coaches out there, some clients may end up hiring a bad life coach. How to separate the wheat from the chaff? Hopefully, there are ways to identify ineffective life coaches in just one session. Let’s see what these red flags are.
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They Have Poor Listening Skills
A coach’s primary job is to listen. If you are working with a life coach who talks more than twenty percent of the time, you have gotten yourself an unprofessional life coach. Great coaching schools spare many hours teaching coaching students the importance of active listening and how to practice it. If your coach isn’t listening actively, is interrupting, won’t ask questions based on what you say, then it’s time you hire someone else.
They Want to Keep the Client Hooked on Coaching
Coaching, more than any other self-development services, promotes client’s autonomy. Effective coaches collaborate with coachees to discover answers to their questions. Metaphorically speaking, we don’t give clients fish; we teach them to fish. If your coach is treating you like a passive and dependent partner, you have the wrong coach. If your coach won’t support you in becoming an independent problem-solver, it’s probably time for a change.
They Value Money Over Results
Clients usually pay per hour for coaching services. While this is the most common payment method, it doesn’t capture the full essence of coaching. Coaching isn’t about spending a predetermined amount of time with a coach, it’s about delivering results. Your life coach should provide you with support outside normal coaching hours. An extra ten or fifteen-minute call, emails, or texts outside your scheduled sessions shouldn’t be a problem for your life coach. If they won’t lift a finger without getting paid, you’ve hired the wrong coach. Get another one!
They Won’t Stop Giving Advice
Coaching is not about making suggestions, it’s about empowering the client. Everyone is unique and resourceful; no two-situations are identical. While a life coach may relate to a client’s situation, they mustn’t let that prevent them from letting the client develop their own solutions. Hire another coach if your current coach won’t stop giving you recommendations.
They Don’t Embody Their Own Teachings
Coaching helps clients become the best version of themselves. If your life coach isn’t demanding more of themselves, it’s unlikely they’ll ask the same of their coachees. Search elsewhere if your coach isn’t practising what they preach.
They Are Not Trained
If a coach isn’t even willing to pay for a training for themselves, why would I even believe them with my personal problems? While trainings don’t make an excellent coach, but it reveals those who will learn and improve. Be wary of self-proclaimed coaches.
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May these ideas guide you to recognize the ideal coach that will enable you to bring your life to the next level.
Spot on comments about what a coach should and shouldn’t do. I would also say that beyond talking too much, they want to talk about themselves rather than be focused on encouraging their coachees. I like your 20% talk time ratio.
I do think sometimes too that people being coached don’t understand the relationship, so a good coach should also establish this at the beginning of the relationship
You are right Brenda. I write those explicitly in my coaching contract and review them with my clients. Getting the coachee to understand the relationship is also important. Maybe that should also be a red flag. Thank you Brenda for stopping by.
My pleasure Bachir
🙂