The Future of Coaching

by
Tripp Braden

The year is 2023. The IAC is getting ready to celebrate their next big anniversary
with a bang. Coaching has changed a lot in the last 10 years. What does it mean
to you, the professional coach, ten years from now? I thought I’d share
the big trends impacting coaching in 2023 and how you might take advantage of
them. My goal is to share the future so that you might work with me to help
create it. I did significant research in preparing for what I’m about
to share with you. Here are five trends that I think will be impacting the coaching
profession in 2023 and a few ideas that can help you take advantage of it in
your coaching practice.

The first trend is that people are living longer. Many experts
predict by the year 2023 people will live to over 100 years of age. What this
means to you is that people will not only have second acts in their lives, but
most likely third and fourth acts. This provides coaches with an opportunity
to provide significant transition coaching to their clients. It also means individuals
who commit themselves to coaching will have plenty of time to develop their
coaching skills far beyond what we have today.

The second trend is that high tech tools continue changing and evolving.
People have devices and technology that dwarfs what is available to us in 2013.
If you saw the Star Trek movie, think that plus 100% more sophisticated devices.
The more we become dependent on the many technologies available to them, the
more we desire interaction with other people. High tech creates openings to
help others grow and learn faster than ever before. The lack of human interaction
prompts many people to seek contact with people they may never have come in
contact with in their pasts. Coaches can provide the human connection that many
people crave in 2023.

The third trend is that we are more connected globally. We
no longer have individual national markets, but by now have a global market
place for our products and services. This provides coaches with an opportunity
to work with many different clients that they might never meet in person. If
we’re not careful, coaching may become a commodity in these global markets.
Coaches need to develop more authentic ways of connecting to the communities
they serve.

The fourth trend is that people who excel in 2023 value creativity
even more than we do in 2013. Virtual business teams recruit and retain
the most creative people available globally. This means that our clients expect
to work not only on their own self-development but also on the increased performance
of their teams. There is an opportunity for coaches to help create these new
team models and then work with stakeholders to enhance their virtual teams.

The fifth and final trend I see is that celebrity and fascination continue
to impact us in ways unseen before in human history. Since most publishing
and entertainment is done with virtual teams, your clients are able to choose
who they want on their teams and how they deploy that talent for the duration
of their projects. The gap between the educated and uneducated continues to
grow. It’s no longer only a financial gap but also an action gap. People
who are well educated and have marketable skills dominate our news cycle. So
what’s the opportunity for coaches? I believe coaches can help provide
tools and direction to individuals to develop their own strengths and gifts.
Coaches may also become facilitators of these virtual teams because they have
developed the skill of understanding talent and can help create virtual teams
with their clients.

Now what’s the good news about all of these trends? You are in control
of your own destiny. You are only limited by your own vision of yourself. Coaches
will be revered as pioneers in this new age of collaboration and innovation.
The best news is that these new trends provide you with an opportunity to create
and evolve at your own rate. In a strengths-based world, you have the opportunity
to create whatever you want when you want. Isn’t that great news for all
of us? See you here in 2023.

I’ve
been coaching and advising leaders around the world for over 25 years.
My blogs are read by over 100,000 leaders monthly. I’ve worked
on teams with two US Presidents, several State Governors and Senators,
over 30 Fortune Global 100 CEOs, well over 1000 emerging technology
business entrepreneurs, and many leading nonprofits and universities.
And yes, I still answer my phone and take calls from people who need
my help. www.trippbraden.com.