Mentoring for Coaches

The importance of having a mentor

We all need mentors: people who can act as guides, advisors, and coaches. The mentoring relationship is powerful, intimate and productive. For coaches, a mentor can provide you with reassurance and reinforcement when you need to make important personal and professional decisions.

My first mentor was a physician who ran the alcoholism treatment program at Long Beach General Hospital. Without her I would never have developed the skill to effectively diagnose and treat those who were suffering with dual diagnoses: substance abuse and depression. She brought out the best in me because she had confidence in me. As a result I flourished as a clinical psychologist.

I recreate that mentoring relationship with every coach I support. It’s difficult enough to do your best with the people you coach. How wonderful to have a sounding board with someone who has “been around the block” a few times.

Many reasons to have a mentor

You may have gone through a coach training program and now need mentoring hours in order to get your certification. You may already have a Professional Coach Certification and want to become a Master Certified Coach. Or, you may be considering a formalized course of study to become a coach and you want to work with someone who could help you see your options.

Finally, you may simply want a mentor because you’ve been in a solo practice and would enjoy someone who supports you in challenging your skills and assumptions as a coach. I have been a mentor to people for all the above reasons. But one reason is near and dear to my heart: a mentor will help you see if you a charging enough for your services. Yes! So many coaches undercharge and over deliver. Are you one of them?

Take your practice to the next level

A mentor will encourage you to look at your coaching practice with fresh eyes. Would you like to earn more money? Believe it or not, when you charge what your services are worth, you take your skill set and practice to the next level. You have something more at stake. I’ve seen it time and again and have written about it in one of my books, "The Energy of Money".

Would you prefer to work with a specific kind of client? Lead coaching groups in person or as a teleseminar? If I work with you, together we will “sculpt” your practice. In other words, you will see how many people, at what fee, you want to see. And then we will set attainable goals and action steps to get you there. I have done this with literally hundreds of people over the years. I’d be happy to do it with you. All I ask is that you be willing to take action on the promises that you generate. Then consider it done!