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Why You Should Hire a Life Coach

March 6, 2009 RSS Feed Print

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For a recent story on life coaching, I interviewed several coaches and clients who benefited from hiring them. Sometimes the coach provided extra confidence to launch a business or learn how to interact better with colleagues. In the case of style coach Rachael Shayne, she counsels people on how to feel good by looking good. (For example, people often wear pants that are too short, which ruins their silhouette. Pants should be about one half-inch off the ground with shoes on.)

While hiring a coach can seem like a wasteful indulgence during a recession, the people I interviewed told me that it was during tough times, or times of transition, that they most valued such targeted mentoring. Still, with the average coach costing around $500 per hour, it doesn't come cheap.

I recently hired a voice coach to help me improve my Alpha Consumer Podcast. While I haven't turned into Cokie Roberts over night, I do think that that my coach's advice will help me improve over time. Have you ever invested in a coach, and was it worth it?

For more, read "In a Recession, Hiring Celebrity-Style Coaching Pays."

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My personal stance is that life with a "coach" is better.
Chances are if you have a special request or need, there is a coach who also specializes in coaching on that very particular topic. And this is a GOOD thing. What professional coaches share in common TYPICALLY is an understanding of what is the difference between coaching, counseling, mentoring and consulting. Coaches don't do it for you. They do though help you learn to do for yourself what you wish. And that is the best reason to invest in a coach for a short or long time or a lifetime. I can't imagine working and living without a coach in my corner for that special project, or on going desire to be stretched. And I imagine I will work with many wonderful coaches in the years to come. Sharing me with them as they share themselves with me.
And yes, coaching by phone and even email support between calls WORKS for me. And it travels with me and works according to my schedule. So it's the ultimate win-win-win in my book.
And when I think of what I no longer choose to spend energy, time or money on, because of the additional contentment that exists in my life--as I have gotten to know my self better
and gotten better at the things I wanted to master, well that check I write my various coaches is one I look forward to writing each month. Retail therapy is done with more intention and consciously. Business choices are made more proactively and with more commitment.
And I suppsoe at some point I could do well at self-coaching but I suspect I will never be as objective and neutral as the coach I hire is. Accountability within a system of checks and balances is the way I view the relationship I have with my life coach or the marketing coach I engage.
One fine coach and trainer I know refers to coaching as "friendship without the advice" and "a bold individual journey coupled with relationship and community." And where once there was more of coach-like behavior in society and family organically, it's as if the BIG work of professional coaches (however specialized they are) is to re-instill and re-instate this style of communication and relating to work and family and daily living.
My favorite question to answer is what is coaching? And why should I engage one?
Great article to find in such a well-read publication. This indicates to me that "coaching" as a profession and a style of communicating/interacting is becoming potentially more mainstream.
Gratitude!

Deborah Drake of WA 6:33PM August 08, 2009

Coaching is something everyone deserves but few take advantage of. There's nothing like having your own personal champion who makes you make your own decisions, holds you accountable for what you say you'll do and supports you unconditionally. As an independent coach who provides career transition, life and leadership coaching, I have been working with a phenomenal coach who has no-doubt helped move me and my ideas forward. I do the same for my clients, regardless of the issue. And, you can find good coaches for well under $500. It's one of the best ways to grow and aren't you worth it?

Sara Swenson of MN 10:02PM March 08, 2009

There is a world of difference between a "life" coach, a "business coach" and an executive coach. An executive coach who understands what women (or men) need to learn about leadership in order to advance in organizations is an invaluable resource.
Unfortunately, many coaches and leadership development programs focus on what women already do well (interpersonal skills) and not enough in areas where we are consistently rated as underperforming men. The reasons for that are too many to go into here.
At LeadingWomen.biz, those areas are the very ones on which our services for women and companies with internal women's networks/affinity groups, focus.
John A's comment has identified one of those areas: strategic business communications.On the other hand, communicating "like a woman" has many advantages that leadership development programs have tried to teach men for decades - to be inclusive and collaborative, to empower rather than command others and to give credit where deserved rather than claiming it for themselves.

Susan Colantuono, CEO of RI 12:06PM March 07, 2009

Why You Should Hire a Life Coach

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