General
Description:
At a time when people
increasingly operate as "Lone Cowboys" both in their personal
and professional lives, it is no surprise that the appeal of having a life coach is on the rise. A good coach can help people get on
track, set goals and reach new levels of fulfillment and success.
According to the
International Coaching Federation, "Professional coaches provide an ongoing
partnership designed to help clients produce fulfilling results in their
personal and professional lives. Coaches help people improve their performances
and enhance the quality of their lives."
Coaching emerged as a
distinct field in 1992, when Thomas Leonard founded Coach University.
Today, some coaches have general practices while others specialize in a specific
interest area (career, fitness, financial, weight loss, etc.) or focus on
working with specific populations (i.e., executives, people with ADD, divorced
women, etc.)
People come into
coaching from a wide variety of backgrounds. While there are a number of
coaches who have prior training as therapists or counselors, it is not necessary
to have this type of background to become a successful coach. In fact, at
the moment, virtually anyone can call themselves a coach -- there is no one
established credential/licensing requirement for becoming a coach.
The length and quality of coaching training programs vary tremendously, so it is
important to find a program that provides you with a real base of skills,
knowledge and information to turn your interest in coaching into a viable
business.
Income
Potential:
Fees earned vary by specialty, number of client hours and by the level of
experience of the coach. Some coaches charge as little as $35/hour while
others are able to command $750/month for three half-hour telephone
consultations.
Options
for Flexibility:
This is a very
flexible career. Coaching is generally done by telephone so your work can
be performed anywhere.
Resources
for Further Exploration:
Associations
International
Coaching Federation (ICF)
Coach
Training Institute
Coach University
Instantly Downloadable E-Books:
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