I was poking around LinkedIn Answers a few minutes ago and came across this question: How do you define a great coach. I couldn’t resist answering this question. Here’s what I said.
A great coach is someone who
a. Sees your blind spots. There are reasons you’re not achieving the vision you set for yourself, but you aren’t sure why. A great coach will see what you don’t through spending time in deep conversation with you and by taking you through assessments and experiences.
b. Is passionate about helping others. In their soul they are joyful when a client achieves a breakthrough in their life. At that moment it matters not that they are being compensated financially, but that they have helped the client do something wonderful.
c. Lives with integrity and seeks excellence in their own life. Coaching is serious business and a great coach lives up to the standards she sets for her clients.
d. Is a very good listener. In coaching sessions clients will tell their coach things that reveal much about who they are. Active listening hears and interprets what’s being said and frames that against present and past experiences to provide a mirror to the client that helps them really see themselves. This paves the way to new growth.
e. Holds their clients accountable to their commitments. I ended my LinkedIn answer here, but for my blog readers I’m going to add one more quality that I think is important.
f. Tailors their coaching to the client’s needs. Coaching is very personal. It is definitely a business where one size hardly even fits most. Therefore, a great coach works with each client in a unique and tailored way that helps that client get the best experience possible.
This was a good question to answer. If you have other qualities you believe define a great coach, let me know what they are. I’d love to hear them.
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