By Cathy Liska
What does it mean to be respectful as a coach? Respect includes respecting yourself and respecting others. Respect means caring about how you take care of yourself and how you treat people. Respect means being a true professional when working as a coach and that demonstrates caring about yourself with the proper coach training and caring about clients with the proper preparation.
Apply the many elements covered during coach training to respect:
- Learning and enhancing the Core Competencies of a Coach is respectful because it enhances the quality of the services you provide.
- Living the Coaching Code of Ethics demonstrates respect because as a professional service provider knowing and demonstrating the nuances of Ethics is essential.
- Focusing on the client is respectful because it really is all about them.
- Creating a safe space for the client to open up and talk is respecting the purpose of coaching.
- Really listening is respecting the job of a coach.
- Asking short, simple questions is respecting the client’s abilities, control, and choices.
- Empowering the client to explore, consider different possibilities, identify possible challenges, discover alternatives, and choose independently is respectful because that is the service they are paying to receive.
- Partnering with the client for accountability is respectful because it supports their success.
- Affirming client progress and success plus asking them how they are acknowledging themselves is respectful because it builds confidence and motivation.
Ultimately, demonstrating respect as a coach means being a professional. Being a professional means getting the appropriate training, learning and using the Code of Ethics, and skillfully applying the coaching competencies taught in coaching certification.
