What to Look for in Life Coaching Training Curriculum

Although life coaching is a relatively new area, its popularity has grown significantly. And as more and more people access life coaching, they are becoming more sophisticated in their choice of a life coach¾and in their prospective coach’s training and experience.

In the early days of the coaching industry, a few of the pioneers who led the field didn’t belong to an accredited training school, or didn’t have any particular training. In today’s market, however, it’s almost impossible to establish yourself as a coach without the right training.

Life coach training varies widely. And with so many training courses offered, it’s sometimes difficult for prospective coaches to understand the specific skills they need to develop to become effective coaches. For example, well-trained, successful life coaches use a variety of techniques to: (1) promote basic life skills in others, (2) show others how to motivate themselves to enjoy success, and (3) develop effective leadership relationships with others. (“Untrained” coaches often overlook these core skills all life coaches should offer.)

Coaching and Development Training

Life coaching “evolved” from the executive coaching industry and utilizes many of the techniques previously developed from management science and the study of leadership. Any coaching training provider should offer courses in psychology, adult development, leadership, communication, and learning techniques as being a core part of the coaching process. Further areas of study that are covered by most reputable training courses include sociology, behaviorism, and goal-setting and strategies.

All of these subjects are important to the full development of an effective coach’s abilities and the higher level of subject matter along these lines, the better the course and future coach will be. Prospective life coaches should look at the qualifications of the training program’s tutors or the organization as a whole to find out the level of expertise of those who teach these core subjects.

Coaching as a Discipline

Experience is a very important aspect of a coach’s personal attributes, and there is a great need for well- trained, experienced coaches in the marketplace. Remember: The better the course, the more effective you will become as a coach. The two most important aspects to look for in a course are the subject matter and the way it’s delivered.

More and more frequently, colleges, coaching institutions, and accredited training providers are offering their services over the Internet. While some in the industry feel that there is not enough “face” time involved to develop in-depth coaching skills, online courses do offer trainees the ability to set their own pace and to choose content that they feel is relevant to them.