In the Coaching 101 teleclasses, Nick is often asked, do I need to have specific background or expertise to be a successful coach? Watch this video of Nick Bosk explaining a coaches role in coaching a client.
Summary
(0:00) Do I Need To Be An Expert To Coach?
(0:14) The Client Is The Expert
(0:22) Visual: Driving A Vehicle
(0:28) The Client Is The Driving
(0:37) The Coach Is The Passenger
(0:50) Don’t Grab The Steering Wheel!
(1:04) No Pressure For The Coach
(1:20) How To Moving Away From Being The Expert
How Much Does a Coach Need to Know About You?
The simple answer is No. You the coach, are not the expert. In coaching we like to view our clients as experts in their own life. There is a great visual, that I like to keep in my mind, of an image of being in a vehicle with your client. The client is the one who is behind the driver’s wheel; they are in complete control of when they want to move forward, when they want to turn, stop or change direction. You as the coach, you are in the passenger seat. And although you may have a map or GPS device that helps to navigate, ultimately it is up to that client to be the expert, to be the expert in their own life to drive that vehicle.
If you were to step in as the coach, as the expert it would essentially be like grabbing the steering wheel in trying to drive the car alongside with the client. You probably wouldn’t get very far if not, maybe drive off the road so it would not be very successful. So truly important to keep in mind that you are not there to be the expert and actually this helps to alleviate some pressure, some pressure to perform for your clients. Now this is the concept that I must remind myself on a daily basis, when working with every single one of my clients. Now, just know that when going into a coach training, we will help you to move away from being the expert and actually being more of the passenger or the partner as we like to look at in coaching. So, whether you be the passenger with our client and the client is the one who is driving the vehicle.
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