If you want to become a personal development coach, there are a few personal assessments to make and a few steps to take. Since there is no accrediting process or licensing requirements, anyone can call themselves a personal development coach, or as they are commonly known, life coaches. But, before you just claim the title of life coach, here are a few things to consider.
The Top 10 Characteristics of Great Coaches
Who are you? Do you have what it takes to be a coach? Here are the top ten characteristics of great coaches:
- A student of coaching and someone who yearns to learn as much as possible.
- Care deeply about people and have a strong sense of empathy.
- Have high personal standards.
- Have high emotional intelligence.
- The ability to be creative, innovative, and adaptable.
- Humble and grateful.
- A since interest in helping others improve and reach their goals.
- A high level of self-awareness.
- Can understand that coaching is both an art (talent and creativity) and a science (process, skills, and learned knowledge).
- Able to talk the talk and walk the walk.
3 Steps to Become a Personal Development Coach
Only three steps? Yes, but these steps, though not difficult, take some time, patience, and hard work. If you want to be a successful life coach, these steps are all vital.
Education and Training
Though you can enter the Coaching für Persönlichkeitsentwicklung in Berlin, Deutschland business without any training, it is definitely not advisable. Coaching is now a very competitive industry and there are plenty of coaches who want your potential clients. Just to keep up with the other coaches you need a basic level of training.
If you are in or just entering college, a few degrees that match up well with coaching are sociology, psychology, social work, business, and communications. The degree doesn’t really matter that much – don’t let your lack of a compatible degree keep you out of coaching.
You definitely need coach training. You want to take an accredited life coaching program – look at the International Coach Federation (ICF) to find certified programs that are widely recognized. Take the right program for your needs, budget, and coaching development. Take your time to find the right program and you will be rewarded!
Credentialing
Since you aren’t required to have any training, you certainly aren’t required to have a credential. But, if you want to be a personal development coach who attracts clients, you better have one! Once again, look to the ICF for programs that offer their credentialing. The ICF has some power and recognition in the industry and their credential carries some weight!
Get Started as a Coach
Sounds like an easy last step, but this is the one that often trips up people. It’s not easy to take the plunge and start looking for clients. It takes some marketing efforts to attract clients and it takes some confidence to believe you can actually help them. Don’t hesitate, don’t procrastinate – you have the skills and the training, it’s time to go out and be the best personal development coach you can be!