Gill Moakes 0:00
thrilled to have you with me again today. This episode is for my coaches out there. This is a really important topic. Okay, we're going to talk today. Well, I'm going to talk. I feel like it's always a way I like to use where you but actually, it's me talking and you're listening. I get that. So I'm going to talk today about what makes someone coachable. And why it's so vitally important for coaches to be able to identify potential clients who are either coachable or not coachable. Welcome, welcome to the heads together podcast, I'm Gill Moakes. And I am obsessed with cutting through the noise when it comes to growing your business each week via intimate coaching conversations and inspirational stories, I share what it really takes to get the results you want, in a way that feels right to you. I am all about attracting higher ticket opportunities, building authentic relationships, and creating the abundant or fat version of your dream business. I mean, how many of us have been put away creating a light version of what we really want? The thing is, I honestly believe, when you're outstanding at what you do, there is no limit to what you can achieve. So are you ready to put our heads together and make it happen? Let's go.
Gill Moakes 1:44
So, as coaches, we are absolutely committed to bring in about a transformation for our clients. And this is the same whether you're a business coach, a life coach, a health coach, a leadership coach, a career coach, it doesn't matter what kind of coach you are, what your coaching niche is, there is one thing that we are all committed to, and that is bringing about transformational results for our clients. Our reputation as a coach. And our ability to grow and scale our businesses, as coaches depends on us working with people who are coachable. Because with the best will in the world with the best coaching talent in the world. If someone simply isn't coachable, then they are not going to get the results they're hoping for. You're not going to get that glowing testimonial. They're not going to be referring you to people. And it won't be your fault. Well, it will in a way, it will in a way, if you take on a client who clearly isn't coachable. So this is why you need to do this due diligence before you sign up a new client. This is why I'm such a fan of having these breakthrough sessions or discovery calls or whatever you call them. Because it isn't just to give the client a taste of what it's like to work with you. Or be it for me, that is how you create a client. Okay. It's also an opportunity for you to establish whether that potential client is coachable or not. So I thought what would be helpful today would be for me to run through my kind of checklist, if you like, in terms of what I look for in a client that tells me whether that is a coachable client or not. And the first one I'll kick off with is that I will ask myself, does this client have a tolerance for discomfort? Are they okay, getting uncomfortable? Well, I mean, no one likes to feel uncomfortable, right? But there are some people who simply cannot tolerate it. And the truth is that successful coaching sessions really do require the client to be like proactive in how they embrace new ways of looking at things, new ways of doing things. And sometimes that means they're going to experience fear, or they're gonna it's going to bring up emotions in them. They're uncomfortable, and they need to be able to endure that. They need to be able to get through feeling uncomfortable. Right, for you to be able to get that breakthrough for them, for them to be able to see the reward of taking, like a different action, a different approach to something. So really looking out for how, okay, is this client, this potential client with being uncomfortable? Ask them the stretching questions, ask them the powerful questions, and really see whether they have that capacity for discomfort that they're going to need to get a transformational coaching. Outcome. Okay. And I think you know, and similarly, really, this kind of runs on from that one, but you know, they need to be open to try new things. Right, they can't be so risk averse, that they won't try anything new. And we sometimes we see this come up with the clients who will say that something's not the right time for them. Or perfectionism is another thing that will sometimes be an indicator that a client just simply isn't open right now to trying something new. Another thing we sometimes see is where a client genuinely believes they already have the answers, actually, and will tend to shut down avenues, exploring new avenues with you, that can definitely be a sign that that client
Gill Moakes 6:43
isn't open right now, to experimenting or trying something new. Right? If their fear of failure, if their perfectionism if their timidness around, doing something differently, means that they are simply not open to trying, that's going to be a tricky client to get a result with. All right, and all the time, while we're going through these things, I just want you to keep remembering how important it is to your reputation as a coach, that you pick the right clients to work with, that you create the right clients for you. The clients, you know, you can get the results for, you know, I often talk about money mindset. And this is where strengthening your money mindset is going to pay dividends here. Because when you are in a lack mindset, there's a temptation to work with any client that comes up on the horizon. Any lead is, suddenly, you know, I have to win this client, I have to sign this client. And the truth is that there are so many pitfalls when you are working from that place of scarcity. And I hope going through these things is going to really embed that with you that it isn't worth working with just anyone. And actually the most successful coaches are the coaches who create the right clients for them. The coaches who say no to the wrong clients, because they know it's not going to be a good outcome for either the client or for them. Okay, little tangent there. But I'm coming back, I'm coming back to my little checklist. Another thing that I definitely look out for is whether a client is willing to take responsibility for change. Right. If a client doesn't believe that they have any power over their future, over their success or failure, it's something over their desired outcome that they want for their life over the improvement to their health that they're looking for. If a client doesn't believe that they have any power to influence that outcome, then that is not a coachable client. And this tends to manifest in a bit of a blame obsession. So in other words, the reason that they've come to you and that they need this coaching is someone else's fault. The reason that they're not already proficient at this is that they have too much else on their plate. There's always something there'll be something that they will blame and that will stop them from taking the responsibility for change or for believe thing, that the change is possible for them. I'm not saying that there is there isn't often truth in the reasons or the things that they are causing them to have the issue. But if they are unwilling to take any responsibility or, and most of the point, if they're unwilling to even consider that they have any power over change, then that's going to be super hard to coach that client. Because you know, as a coach, you know, accountability is huge. They absolutely need to be able to hold themselves accountable. And they need you to help with that as their coach. But it's a partnership. It's a partnership, it's not you doing all the work for them. The next thing I look for as well is I like to work with clients who will consider things that might on the surface seem irrational. Okay, so I like them to consider the fact that all behaviour No, in fact, I'm gonna go as far as saying no behaviour is rational, because it's always driven by our feelings, of emotions. And if it wasn't, let's face it, if it wasn't, then we would know something to be true, and always act accordingly. And clearly,
Gill Moakes 11:43
we don't, you know, if, if behaviour was rational, someone like me, for example, who's overweight, would never eat too much. Because that's irrational, I want to lose weight, but I'm eating too much. That's irrational. And it's because of all the feelings that come into play. So I think clients need to be able to really look beyond the rational, and understand that all of those feelings that come in need to be explored, because those feelings and those emotions, having that deeper understanding of those things is what's going to move them forward. So that's, that's the key thing to look out for, you know, are they do they have that ability to look beyond what on the surface is rational or irrational or irrational? Okay. And then this one, I don't know if this is going to be popular, because, you know, I've spoken recently about my kind of a little bit obsessed at the moment with how we're continuously lied to. In the media, particularly online, in digital marketing, for example, we're constantly lied to about how everything should be easy, how everything should come naturally to us how everything should flow, how we should be able to manifest anything we want, you know, and this, this one might fall a little bit, it might land a little bit like that with you, but in my opinion, I want to work with clients who have some self discipline. God, that is a strong word, isn't it? I'm not going to change it. That is what I mean. So I'm sorry, but I'm going to stick with it, but I'm going to explain it. So that might help. But to, to get the sustaita to have the sustainable change that the clients are looking for, when they work with a coach. They are going to have to let go of some of the ways they used to do things and the ways they used to think about things to be able to move forward with sustained change. And not only can that be tricky for them, but it can also be hard for people around them to accept changes in that person. So whilst that client while they're coaching with you may feel super committed to the change in and absolutely determined to move forward with their new paradigm, their new way of thinking about things outside of your coaching sessions. They have relationships they have partners They have children, they have relatives, they have friends, they have bosses, they have colleagues, they have friends, they have a lot of people who may find it difficult to accept changes in them. And that can almost be harder for your client to deal with, than their own commitment to change. So I think getting discipline, getting self discipline around, committing to the change. And by really being self disciplined around making this change, more important than pleasing the people around them more important than saying yes, to things that perhaps they used to say yes to, but are now going to need to dig deep and have the discipline to say no to.
Gill Moakes 16:09
Right. When you've agreed a coaching goal with your client, you've got to remember that their life exists outside of the coaching session. So and this really is tied up with that the last thing I want to talk about as well, actually sorry, the the last thing is really around there. Are they a person who's going to have that ability to ask for support? And do they have a support network? Because this is so tied in with this self discipline thing? You know, they they need other supporters in their life, not just you as their coach. Right. You know, and one of the things I think we often ask as a coach is we will ask our clients, you know, is there someone that you can share this with that will hold you accountable? And I think that is an essential question. You know, if it's a long time, since you did your coach training, just remember how important that one is that it's not, the coaching session between you and the client is a moment in time. It's what happens outside of the session with you, that really bolster bolsters the sustainable change for that client. Right. So I hope that's been helpful. Some of those things you will really think about? Uh, no, no, don't get me wrong, I know that when you're having a call with a potential client, there's a lot to think about. You want to give them that taste of working with you, you really want to showcase your coaching skill with them on that discovery call, because that is the thing that will have them interrupting you to give you their credit card details. You know, that's the thing that's going to actually make them realise that they found the coach for them, the coach that can help them. But I really want you to temper that with making sure you are the coach that can help them. And if they are not a coachable person, or if they're not ready to be coached right now. And that's probably more to the point, I think, you know, most people at some time and in some circumstances will be coachable. But it could be that a client that you're talking to just isn't ready for coaching right now, as a coach, you know, you're not their therapist, you know, and if it's therapy that they need, redirect them, make sure you've always got someone to redirect a client to for therapy, if that's what they need. But if it's coaching that they need and want, then they need and they need to be coachable. Right. Simple as. So I hope that's given you food for thought for this beautiful Monday. It's beautiful, but day to day of course it could be completely raining by the time this one goes out in July. But as I'm recording this now in sunny June it is swelteringly warm. So we will see we will see. Anyway, I hope whatever you're doing, you're having a fantastic summer and enjoying it and taking some time off. I hope you have a great week and I will see you again same time, same place next week. And thanks so much for joining me. Oh, and before I head off, I just want to let you know that I have put together for coaches, a nice of a PDF. Just a little freebie. If you're already on my email list you'll you'll get it anyway. If you're not, there'll be a little link to sign up in the show notes. To grab this. It's a guide and workbook and it's for life coaches, business coaches, health coaches, it's got a grandiose title of what the title is what it really takes to grow a highly profitable coaching business. So there are kind of seven real non negotiables in there that you can work through and just kind of audit or benchmark your business, your coaching practice, and see how you're performing against those things. And of course, I will also put the link in to apply for a breakthrough session with me, and that is in the PDF too. Alright, everyone, have a great week. Bye for now.
Gill Moakes 20:52
I hope you enjoyed this episode, and getting our heads together this week has filled your mind with what's possible. If you love the show, would you do me a massive favour please? Would you leave a five star rating on Apple podcasts? It would really help you put more heads together, reach more ears and expand more minds. Until next week. Bye for now.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
