Editor's Note: As a follow up to last month's Inside Scoop and feature article about Learning Agreements, here is even more motivation for coaches to get excited about continuing education.
The Importance of Continued Coach Education
by Mike Goonan, MCC (IAC)
Continued coach education should not seem like an unnecessary burden on credentialed coaches, but rather an opportunity and an asset to the coaching profession. As with any improvement strategy in business, continued coach education should be thoughtfully considered. A simple analysis of your coaching and business competencies (coaching skills, business building, self-care, etc.) can help you identifying key areas that may require improvement.
Use the following questions to support you in creating a plan for your continued coach education:
1) What are my strengths?
2) What are my weaknesses?
3) What opportunities are available to me?
4) What am I willing to do?
The last question, “What am I willing to do?” is probably the most important question in the analysis because this is the ACTION! What action steps are you willing to take? Hire a mentor? Attend a coach networking event? Participate in a weekend coach training workshop? Join up with a coach buddy and practice coaching? Re-listen to recorded coaching calls to increase awareness of coaching skill deficiencies?
I encourage all coaches to invest in continued coach education. The more tools, skills and knowledge we can have under our belts, the better we will be able to support our clients.
For example, I hire a mentor coach each year for a minimum of five sessions to listen to my coaching and offer feedback and guidance on how to improve my coaching. I also like to listen to at least two recorded client calls every month so I can personally assess my coaching. And no, it is not fun to listen to myself, and I sometimes notice myself cringing while I listen to the audio playback. However, this was one of the pivotal steps that supported me in becoming a masterful coach.
So I ask you again, what are you willing to do?
Mike Goonan, MCC (IAC), CFLC II is a Certified Fearless Living Coach and has been coaching individuals and couples for over five years. At the age of 24, Mike became the youngest MCC (IAC) to date, and now he is leading the way for coaches among the Millennial Generation. http://www.jumpingintofreedom.webs.com
