7 Habits of Successful Coaches

Coaches are one of the most sought-after professionals in today’s world, and for a good reason.

It is getting increasingly hard for professionals from all walks of life to navigate their way their through everyday obligations and business challenges.

This is why companies are turning toward hiring professional coaches that will help them organise their teams and have them function as a one harmonious whole.

Besides having a wide set of skills, coaches also need to be able to manage people and inspire them at the same time.

Only then can they expect people to fully implement their coaching strategies and motivate the people they are coaching to give 100% percent of their abilities.

Besides that, they should be able to help anyone tap into their unlocked potentials, and to eliminate any obstacles that prevent them from fulfilling their professional goals.

They should be figures of authority, but still approachable enough, so that the people they are coaching are not intimidated by them.

They need to be able to inspire trust, above all else.

If you are considering a career in coaching, or if you already are a professional coach, but would like to improve your performance, we are going to share 7 tips that will let you take a peek inside the habits of the most successful coaches.

1. They Are Positive

Since coaches need to be able to inspire and motivate people, they need to have the right attitude in order to be able to do that. Being positive in your personal and professional life is one of the prerequisites for being a great coach.

Of course, there is a difference between being reckless and positive, and you should be able to distinguish between the two.

You should be able to look at things from a clear perspective and to look at every problem as part of the solution, as corny as it sounds. If the team you are coaching senses any negativity or apathy coming from you, it will hinder their progress.

Also, your goal as a coach is to lift up the spirits of the team you are coaching, and if negativity is what you have to offer, your team’s morale will not be very high as a result. If you can provide a positive example, they will look up to you, and will place their trust with you.

2. They Have Exceptional Communication Skills

One of the most crucial elements of the corporate culture is communication, both when it comes to large and small companies, or even individuals collaborating with other individuals.

Being able to communicate in a clear, open manner, while being respectful toward the people around, and receiving the same respect back is an absolute must. The most successful coaches know this, and they work hard at developing their communication skills.

Good communication in coaching works on multiple levels. If you are able to establish good communication with your clients, you will be able to give them clear instructions and guidelines on what they need to do in order to achieve their goals.

It will take your collaboration to an entirely new level, and will create a productive and stimulating working environment.

You should also be able to help your clients manage their stress levels by talking to them openly, hearing about their problems, and providing your feedback.

Only then can you make the most out of your coaching skills.

3. They Are Always Learning

All successful coaches have gotten to where they are by focusing on developing their skills constantly and learning from their mistakes.

Sometimes you will give it your best shot and the results will be less than stellar. You need to be ok with that. Despite your best intentions and the effort you have put into a coaching project of yours, you can get sidetracked.

The answer to this particular problem is keep on learning and tweaking your approach to coaching.

Sometimes you may need to learn from other coaches, because, even coaches need coaching. You can look even look for help online, as there are plenty of resources that are dedicated to providing help and advice to professional coaches.

What you must never do is let your mistakes influence your future coaching engagements. Letting self-doubt settle in is not an option.

There will always be ups and downs in life, and you need to be able to make their most of them, and turn them into a valuable learning experience.

4. They Are Passionate About What They Do

If you have ever had a chance to witness a time-out during a basketball game, you would have been able to see that basketball coaches don’t have a whole lot of time to discuss tactics with their players.

They will draw a play, but that’s only part of the equation. The other part is their ability to motivate players and get them to give their best on the court.

But how do they do it?

By being passionate about the game and about winning.

We have used this example, because the principle is pretty much the same when it comes to personal coaching, or coaching inside a large corporate institution.

Being passionate means you are able to get behind 100% behind what you do and not afraid to demonstrate that passion.

Once your clients see how passionate you are about coaching them and helping them succeed, they will start to show the same sort of passion when it comes to their professional and personal lives.

5. They Are Role Models

If you want your clients to fall in line behind you and maximize the benefit of having a professional coach guiding them through their lives, you need to be able to show of your best qualities, so that they are able to see a role model in you.

This means you should be able to demonstrate confidence in your skills and your success. Basically, you should set an example for them.

For instance, if you are hired as a coach in order to improve the productivity of a team, you can only do that by working harder than the team itself. You cannot expect them to be at their most productive if you are going to give them a few tips, and then be out the door.

Also, if you are hired to improve the atmosphere inside the company and the relationships between the workers, you need to be communicative, positive, and confident, and it will rub off on your clients, as well.

6. They Know When To Help And When To Give Space

As you may have been able to conclude so far, being a great coach is all about people.

It is also about being able to recognize what approach works best for every individual, because we are all different.

Some of your clients may benefit from a more hands-off approach, where they are given more freedom to make their decisions. Others may benefit from being closely coached by you and guiding them every step of the way.

But there is one thing these significantly different approaches have in common, and that’s your ability to commend their efforts and make them feel appreciated.

In a way, being a professional coach is a lot like being a boss, knowing when to take over the wheel, and when to give more responsibility to your employees.

The goal is to make your clients feel like they can rely on you whenever they need your help.

7. They Accept Ideas from Others

Being a coach is not just about implementing your own ideas, but also about being able to identify the best solution and use it, even if you are not the one who suggested it in the first place.

As a successful coach, you must never let your ego or your position get in the way of doing what’s best for your client.

If they have a particular suggestion or an idea, hear them out. If it makes sense, go with it. It will provide them with a much-needed boost of confidence.

Every person has their ideas and opinions, and you need to be able to hear the most relevant ones, within the confines of your coaching practice.

Ultimately, it is about your clients and having them achieve their goals. Whether it’s better productivity, a healthier working environment, or just about anything else, if the goals are met, your job as a coach will be a sure success.

Being a great coach involves a lot of hard work, but it is also one of the most rewarding jobs in the world, especially when you get to watch your clients improve their lives because of your leadership and advice.

It takes a lot patience, balancing, and good communication skills, but it’s far from being impossible, as is evident in this article.

Start implement these useful habits today and improve your coaching ability for good.