Whether you’re wanting a change in career or a way to challenge and extend yourself, business coaching may be just what you’re looking for. If you’re motivated to help others, have plenty of life experience, are known as the go-to person in your industry and are willing to open yourself up, you are likely ready to take the next step in your career and become a business coach. We’ve put together a checklist that will help you determine if now is the right time for you!
If you’re constantly juggling different projects and are excited by the prospect of taking on new ventures, you’re probably what they call a motivated self-starter. Basically, nobody needs to tell you what to do – you automatically do it yourself. You are a visionary and when you’re inspired to take on a new project, so is everyone else around you. Yet being a self-starter isn’t all you need to be.
As a business coach, you’ll have to create your own schedule and choose your own hours. This means you’ll need to ensure you are motivated and focused at all times. However, if you’re not a natural motivated self-starter, don’t let this deter you if business coaching is your next career goal. All you need to do is make sure you have a good network and support system around you. Having your own coach is a great way to help you stay motivated and on schedule.
Often – but not always – business coaches start out as clients themselves. If you’re ready to become a business coach, most likely you’ve spent years working on your own personal growth. Whether you’ve spent a lot of time reading coaching books and blogs, partaking in workshops or working with your own business coach, your self-education and personal growth can help you assist others to grow.
Furthermore, it’s often the case that people who are looking for a coach are in a period of change and personal growth themselves. Whether they’re looking for a career change or need help transitioning from one phase of their life to the next, your own history of personal growth can greatly help others make it through similar times.
Do people often come to you for advice? Are you a good listener? Are you your industry’s go-to person? If people often come to you for advice and you feel comfortable enough providing it, it’s a good sign you’re ready to become a business coach. And, when you join the ActionCOACH franchise, we will teach you everything you need to know about going above and beyond in order to help your clients.
The thing most people don’t understand about being a great coach is that it takes more than industry experience and being able to offer good advice. The really important factor here is that you know how to really listen, and possess the ability to help a client realise the possibilities and to tap into their true potential.
It’s not a necessity to have solid life experience for you to be ready to become a business coach, but it certainly helps. If you’ve undergone a major transformation in your life and know what it means to face hardship or overcome hurdles and learn and grow from it, it can really help you guide others who are going through a similar thing. Empathy goes a long way when it comes to being a successful business coach.
As we mentioned before, being able to listen, and listen deeply, is a vital skill you need to check off before you’re ready to become a business coach. Furthermore, being able to communicate effectively is crucial for any business coach.
If you are the type of person who thinks it’s your way or the highway, perhaps business coaching isn’t for you. While yes, you are there to coach your client, being able to listen to their suggestions and what they have to say is important. You must communicate openly and work together to get the best results for your client.
While it’s true that a client needs to be open and honest with their coach, the same is true in reverse. If you aren’t comfortable communicating with people about your past and how you got to where you are today, chances are clients won’t easily trust you. Trust between coach and client is so important, and trust only happens when both parties are open and honest about what brought them here today. Click here to find out more about ActionCOACH Franchise opportunity.