In the long term our client needs to achieve their motivation internally and it is worth our while to discuss with them what they can do to keep their focus and remain motivated to achieve their goals. We can refer them back to their identified visions and goals as this can serve as a strong anchor whenever our client feels like they are getting lost. We can also help our client by explaining that goals are not set in stone and if they have to their goals can be modified or fine tuned – this might remove some unnecessary pressure.

5. Focus on the amazing

A coach should focus on the strengths of the young person, what they seem to be doing right, their talents, the things that make them the amazing, unique talented individual that they are. A coach should strive to find out about what excites the young person, what they love doing and help them to identify what they are good at and where they are amazing.

This exercise it itself, that of encouraging the young person, talking about how they are amazing and hearing from them what they feel they are good at, ways that they have succeeded or unique gifts that they have is an incredibly powerful tool that a coach can use to bring the young person on a path of forward progress. Inside their sub-conscious many young people feel insecure, apprehensive about the future and conscious about others view them. They desperately need an outside voice encouraging them to never give up. Reminding them constantly of all that they have achieved and telling them how proud you are of them for any steps of progress or even efforts of progress.

6. Coaching the parents of young people and teenagers

A common side effect of coaching is that a coach will receive request for coaching from the parents of the young person, specifically the teenage young person. To be an effective coach you can consider coaching the parents as well as it can help you in understanding the environment in which the young person lives, interacts and forms relationships. It is a very important part of their lives and who they are.

A coach can guide or coach the parent of the young person in trying out certain types of interaction with their young person and observing what brings the positive results. An effective tool that can be used with the parents is encouraging them to take the time to focus on the good points of their teenager. Parents tend to pressure themselves about their young person and what they feel they should be, so helping and guiding a parent to relax and enjoy their young person can make a world of difference in their interaction with them and helps to minimize the intensities that can happen. A coach can also encourage the parents to not tell their young person what to do and how to do it, but rather being there to help them find ways of doing it themselves. Being vulnerable and sharing their own experiences, mistakes and challenges which they faced when young or how they made decisions regarding education and work etc. can also help a parent to be more relatable and thus a better communicator. Take time with their young person – it’s an investment that always pays

Conclusion

In summary, teenagers and young people can benefit enormously from life coaching and career coaching. There are three main ingredients that can help a coach to be successful in coaching young people and these are; trust, non-judgmental listening, logical objective self-assessment. By using these ingredients in coaching of young people you will create an atmosphere that is conducive to them making progress towards their unique and individual life goals.