Your clients seek you out because they want something. What is it?
As a coach, you want to discover the origin of these wants. Recognize that despite how your client words the request, wants can always be traced back to the individual. When you and your client come to an agreement about the wants, you can together move forward to achieve these goals.
Something for Themselves (The Individual)
- Financial Situation—many people either want to make more money or keep more money. What can you do as a coach?
- Suggest investing a set percentage
- Seriously discuss all aspects of life (what does your lifestyle actually look like?)
- Work towards increasing income by a set percentage (set goals)
- Do not shy away from financial difficulties (debt and crises do not disappear if they are ignored)
- Reconfigure and stabilize the monetary influx
- Time management—many people want to optimize the amount of work that gets done in a set amount of time. What can you do as a coach?
- Focus on the task at hand
- Reinforce the concepts of decluttering and simplicity
- Highlight how technology can simplify life (automated systems, websites, email responses, etc.)
- Teach the end of endless to-do lists
- Eliminate the “shoulda, coulda, woulda” talk
- Communication—many people want to have better communication skills. What can you do as a coach?
- Be honest about your needs and foster honesty
- Be a motivation to others through your actions AND words
- Listen
- Respond appropriately
- Keep asking questions
- Get healthy—many people are unsatisfied with how they feel physically, emotionally, spiritually. What can you do as a coach?
- Suggest decluttering
- Have an honest discussion about lifestyle and things that could be deemed frivolous
- Focus on “Me Time”
- Look at habits that can drain energy (unhealthy diets, lack of exercise, addiction)
- Set goals to meet needs first, then wants
- Increase quality of life—many people want every aspect of their life to be just a bit better, run a bit more smoothly, or be more fulfilling. What can you do as a coach?
- Balance life inside and outside of the office
- Set high standards for life
- Refocus on network and community
- Play! Life can be fun; it doesn’t have to be a chore.
- Rekindle friendships—many people want to have closer relationships with those around them. What can you do as a coach?
- Recognize what a quality friend/acquaintance looks like
- Learn how to attract the right type of people
- Be honest
- Keep standards high
- Reinforce the idea that everyone can enjoy others and life
- Take out the trash—many people want to simplify their life and get rid of the unnecessary obstacles. What can you do as a coach?
- Nix the tolerating habits—expect much/set high standards
- Illuminate self-control—teach your client that sometimes the biggest obstacles originate from themselves; if you step out of your own way, much can be achieved
- Foster calm and tranquility
- Help strategize how to eliminate past baggage scars and move on
- Find whatever it is—many people are searching for something, wandering aimlessly with no set path or end-goal. What can you do as a coach?
- Foster awareness of the intangible (allow spirituality to come into the conversation)
- Work on self-discovery
- Reorient life—center on needs, values, then wants
- Emphasize the importance of having a relationship with yourself
- Nurture peace
