It is important for coaching clients to distinguish between coaches who are professionally trained and/or accredited and those who “hang their name plate” out as a coach. Coaching skills are transferable across a variety of areas in which a coach may be employed. The coaches job is to help clients claim their dreams, desires, and aspirations, help then clarify their mission, purpose, and goals, and help them achieve that outcome in any area of life. A coach provides a place for clients to be held accountable to themselves by monitoring the clients’ progress towards implementation of their action plans. Together they evolve and modify the plan to best suit the client’s needs and environmental relationships. A Professional Coach acts as a human mirror for clients by sharing an outside and unbiased perspective on what they are observing about their clients. A coach may share specific insights and skills to empower the client toward their goals. Finally, a coach encourages the client to celebrate the achievement of milestones and goals.

Certification:  Not all who call themselves coaches are certified by an accredited professional school, nor are they even true coaches for that matter.  In fact, many self-proclaimed coaches are neither.  Regardless of what some may try to tell you life experience and other type of experiences or training are simply not enough.