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Becoming a coach - what do you need to know about it?

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Becoming a coach - what do you need to know about it?

Becoming a coach sounds tempting for many people. No wonder, because it is indeed a very interesting and varied field of activity. However, you should by no means underestimate the task.

As a coach, you must have sound expertise in your respective field. After all, you want to impart your knowledge to other people and help them achieve a certain goal. If you want to become a coach, there are various aspects to consider. These include, above all, the training opportunities, the time and financial factors as well as the willingness for personal development.

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What does it mean to be a coach?

Training as a coach first promotes your own personal development. Acquiring knowledge and passing on knowledge are two different things. As a coach you should be open and communicative. Shyness is out of place. However, this does not mean that naturally reserved people cannot become good coaches. Through training, shy people learn to shed their shyness and appear more confident.

Not infrequently, undreamt-of talents are revealed in the process. People who have never had much confidence in themselves learn to exploit their own potential within the framework of coaching training. But now we come to the core question: What does a coach do at all? At Coaching is generally understood as the professional accompaniment and counseling of people seeking advice. Coaching can take place in the form of conversations (individually or in a group) or in the form of practical exercises.

The topics that comprise coaching are diverse. Frequently, people in leadership positions make use of coaching offers. After all, leadership positions demand a lot of personal and interpersonal skills. The work of the executive has immediate effect on the motivation of the employees.

Managers should act as role models and be able to instill in their employees a sense of Appreciation to convey. Through open communication crises can be avoided and motivation increased.

But also people who want to develop themselves further in the private sphere can benefit from coaching. Personal development is always at the forefront of almost all coaching offers. Often one blocks oneself and one's Life goals unconsciously yourself. Professional coaching can help you to release these blockages.

You want to become a coach? Christina and Walter Hommelsheim feed you the facts

Is a coach a protected professional title?

This question can be answered in the negative. The term coach is not protected, so anyone can call themselves a coach. This makes it difficult for you to find a reputable coach. Unfortunately, there are many black sheep out there who are not interested in the personal development of their clients, but only want to lighten their wallet.

However, this advice is not intended to discourage you from contacting a coach or starting your own coach training. We just want to point out that you should check the references of the offer thoroughly.

You can recognize a serious coaching offer by the following criteria:

  • Cost transparency: Professional coaching providers will tell you exactly what costs you will incur. By the way, this also applies to the training as a coach!
  • References: Professional training, studies or diploma (coaching training) in the respective field.
  • Contracts: A reputable coach will never pressure you to sign a contract hastily.
  • Travel expenses: Professional coaches have a network of colleagues and can recommend the latter to you if the physical distance between you is too great. Travel expenses should never exceed the coaching costs.
  • Behaviour of the coach: A serious coach acts professionally and at eye level with his client. He neither wants to proselytize you nor present himself as a jack of all trades.

With the criteria for serious coaching offers have developed over the years many experts deals with.

How do you know if you're cut out to be a coach?

If you are thinking about training to become a coach, you should be honest with yourself. To train as a coach without being one hundred percent convinced of this intention is neither productive for you nor for your future clients. The basic requirement you should have is an interest in the subject of personal development. Furthermore, it is an advantage if you enjoy working with people. As already mentioned, formerly shy people can also turn out to be wonderful coaches.

Quiet personalities who are good listeners instead of pushing themselves to the fore fulfil an important criterion for good coaches. Another important criterion is your (life) experience. You should radiate maturity and competence if you want to advise other people. Therefore, some training programmes require a minimum age of 25 years. If you are still very young (or look very young), it might be difficult to convince clients of your competence.

Fortunately, young age or simply young appearance can be compensated for by self-confidence and true expertise. But be aware of the fact that as a young coach you have to be doubly convincing. It can be tiring or even hurtful if clients initially meet you with scepticism. Don't take this personally and instead prove what you can do.

Before you start training to become a coach, it's best to ask yourself the following questions:

  • Do I like to work with people?
  • Am I willing to work on myself?
  • Do I like to learn?
  • Am I self-confident enough to master even difficult situations?
  • Is the topic of personality development important to me?
  • Can I express myself well verbally?
What type of coach are you?
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How do you become a coach? Is training necessary in any case?

You may have extensive knowledge in a particular subject area that you have acquired over the years. Now you are asking yourself whether you should invest money in a coaching training at all if you are already familiar with the topic of personal development? In principle, it is possible to become a coach without training, as this is not a protected professional title. However, if you want to earn a living as a coach and, for example, be booked by companies for executives, you need a certificate.

If you already have specialist knowledge in the area of leadership training, psychology and / or pedagogy, a targeted further training may be sufficient instead of a complete training. The question of whether you want to complete training as a coach is, of course, also dependent on your personal time factor. If you are working full time, an education on the side is a real challenge. The training to become a coach can be completed either as a classroom course or as a distance learning course.

For working people, a distance learning course is often more suitable, as you can usually choose the modules. This means that it is up to you how long you need for the training. Only when you have successfully completed a module, you start with the next module.

How much does it cost to train as a coach?

If you want to become a coach, the financial aspect plays a role as well as the time aspect. There are a variety of training offers, which vary greatly in price. According to Stiftung Warentest, the prices for training as a coach range from €300.00 to €17,000.00. The costs of the training are mainly depending on the scope and service.

If you do not have a large financial budget, it is worth comparing different offers. If becoming a coach is really your dream, you should consider the cost as a kind of future investment. Of course, it is tempting to choose the cheapest offer. Cheap doesn't necessarily mean bad either. However, always look at the training content and the degree you will receive.

A qualified training as a coach is not a cheap product. If you later work as a successful coach, the costs for your training are quickly put into perspective in most cases.

how do you become a coach

What makes a good coach?

We have already answered the question of whether anyone can become a coach in the affirmative. Provided, of course, that you have a basic interest in the topic of personal development and that you are willing to work on yourself and develop yourself further.

Every client has individual demands on coaching. Therefore, a good coach is first and foremost in a position to respond to different personality types to enter into. This requires a high degree of emotional intelligence and social skills. If you want to become a coach, you may also have to advise difficult clients at some point who drive you to the limits of despair. Here it is important to remain calm and professional.

How much does a coach make anyway?

If you want to become a coach, you are naturally interested in what a coach earns. Even if the financial gain should not be your main motivation for the training, this question is of course important and legitimate. If you want to pursue coaching full-time, you can't avoid thinking about the finances.

According to a Coaching survey from 2016, the average hourly fee of a business coach is € 184.00. People who want to take advantage of private coaching pay the coach an average of €125.00 per coaching hour.

As a coach, you set your own fee. However, you should orient yourself to the usual values in the industry. In principle, a business coach can charge the highest hourly fee. If you advise private individuals, you will earn less. However, your fee depends not only on the target group, but also on your professional experience as a coach.

A coach who has years or even decades of professional experience as well as satisfied clients has already made a name for himself in the industry. An experienced coach can naturally charge a higher fee than someone who has just completed coaching training. Business coaches also have the option of negotiating flat rates. Granted, the hourly fee sounds tempting. However, you should definitely not be under the illusion that clients will be lining up shortly after your training and you can quit your day job.

Establishing yourself as a coach until you can really make a living at it requires Patience and stamina. Those who only have their eyes on the money therefore quickly lose heart and give up. At this point, we would like to remind you once again: Becoming a coach should be a matter of the heart. If you expect quick money, becoming a coach is not a suitable option for you.

We don't want to discourage you at all. It is entirely possible to make a (good) living from your work as a coach. But not from one day to the next. Whether you succeed depends solely on whether you convince your clients of your competence. Proving this takes time. Think of all the celebrities in music, film and literature today: Many of them have done the proverbial legwork before their big breakthrough. The same can happen to you before you establish yourself as a sought-after coach. Don't lose heart!

become a coach

What are the different types of coaches?

Coaching is a broad field. Coaching offers now exist for almost every area of life. In the basic training to become a coach, you usually acquire general psychological knowledge and basic communication techniques (the right questions, etc.). After completing the training, you can specialize if you wish, e.g. become a life coach.

If you want the latter, further training courses are interesting for you. These build on your basic training. In the further training courses, the respective aspects that you need for your specialization (e.g. spirituality, couple coaching, etc.) are dealt with in more detail. In the following we would like to offer you a small overview of which Types coaching you could specialize in the context of a further education:

Business Coach: A business coach has expertise in the field of business development. Many business coaches have studied business administration or business psychology and later trained as a coach.

Lifecoach: As a life coach, you help people live happier lives. Lifecoaching is a generic term and can refer to many areas: Partnership, self-realization, career orientation and much more.

Entrepreneur Coach: An entrepreneur coach advises companies, e.g. in relation to current projects. Entrepreneur coaches are often retired entrepreneurs or former business coaches who now advise start-ups.

Career Coach: The career coach helps people realize a career that is in line with their personal desires and values.

The Values Coach: The Values Coach is suitable for both companies and private individuals. He helps companies to restructure or define their value system and to set leadership guidelines. Private individuals find out through a values coach what is really important to them in life.

Mental Coach: As a mental coach you are familiar with the principle of cause and effect. The mental attitude and the resulting thoughts and actions are crucial for success or failure. A mental coach shows his clients how they can change their inner attitude to achieve their goals.

These would be the most common coaching variations you should know if you want to become a coach. However, there are many more specialization possibilities:

  • Fitness Coach
  • Nutrition Coach
  • Marketing Coach
  • Youth Coach
  • Parent Coach
  • Couples Coach
  • Finance Coach

How do you find the right coaching training for you?

With so many options to choose from, it's not easy at all to find the find the right coaching training. Before you decide on an apprenticeship, it may be worthwhile to ask former graduates about their experiences. Don't be shy, after all, this is an important decision. Ask yourself further questions:

  • Is it online or face-to-face training?
  • Who trains you? What references can the trainers provide?
  • What certificates do you get?
  • What opportunities do you have after the training?

We have already covered some of the criteria listed above. You can find more information here.

How does starting a business work if you want to be a coach?

You can be the most competent coach in the world: as long as nobody knows you, it won't do you any good. If you are serious about making a living as a coach, you need to do some marketing for yourself. There are several ways to get yourself noticed. Don't retire after completing your training, but make industry contacts. Don't see other coaches as unwelcome competition, but as colleagues.

Mutual support and referral marketing is useful in any industry. As a coach, however, you can especially benefit from the recommendations of your colleagues. To attract clients, it's important to know and market your own assets. What makes you unique? Why should people hire you as a coach? The so-called "Unique Selling Point" is not only important for products, but also for your services as a coach.

Go out and meet people, or rather go to places where you might meet your clients. As a fitness coach, for example, you could ask to post a notice at a gym. As an entry-level coach, you could go to relevant trade shows. Let your creativity run wild.

A professional online presence is also important to attract customers. Your website should look serious and be well listed in the search queries. If you are not familiar with this area, then contact a professional. Furthermore, special online platforms can help you to plan your self-employment as a coach in a structured way and to implement it successfully. If you want to become a coach, you should also consider, how to build your business.

Are you ready to be a coach?

You have now received a comprehensive overview of the topic of "becoming a coach". You now know what skills you should bring with you and what to expect after completing your training. Now the only question that remains is whether you are really ready to take on this exciting challenge. Becoming a coach means, first and foremost, to constantly develop yourself and also to sometimes Leave comfort zone.

If you have the ambition to establish yourself as a serious coach in the industry, you should in any case complete the appropriate training. A completed training gives you seriousness and prepares you optimally for your future as a coach. In this context, we would like to offer you the nine-month Greator Coach Training recommend

What are the benefits of the Greator Coach Training?

The Greator Coach Training follows the highest training standards and still offers you enough flexibility to complete the training alongside your main job. You don't have to incur any travel expenses, the training takes place online. In two high-quality online videos per week, you will learn step by step all the methods and topics that you will need for your future work as a coach.

In addition, you will receive a weekly digital workbook to repeat and deepen what you have learned independently. In weekly tests, you can check whether you have really understood the content. Once a month, the instructors are available to answer all your questions in a live session. Another component of the Greator Coach Training is regular meditation. In each session you will be encouraged to transform old patterns of thinking, behavior and negative emotions.

How does the training work?

The training lasts nine months and consists of two parts:

  • 1. Greator Practioner (6 months)
  • 2. Greator Coach (6 months)

In the first part of the training, the focus is on working through your personal issues. Here you apply under guidance the methods for yourself, with which you will later work as a coach. In the second part of the training, the application of the methods is deepened. You will acquire an extensive repertoire of possible solutions and actions that you will need for your later work as a coach. After completing the training you will be a certified Greator Coach.

Special bonus: Since February 1, 2021, all new starters can receive three free Individual coaching perceive. These serve as optimal preparation for the coaching training. During the three coaching sessions you will work with your inner child. You learn to dissolve fears and blockages and to deal with your emotions. The vision work will help you to create a happy and self-determined life to reach.

Should you be curious, you will find here for more information.

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Reviewed by Dr. med. Stefan Frädrich

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