Friday, July 17, 2009

Working With A Great Coach

By Lynn Lopez

So you are looking for a good coach, now what? In your search for good and effective coaching, keep in mind that there are important characteristics that you should look for in a coach regardless of what coaching expertise you are looking for. Of course, not all coaches will have all of these vital traits. You have to determine for yourself which qualities are most important to you.

When searching for coaching assistance, you must look for a coach who can communicate and share his knowledge in a clear and comprehensible way. Your coach should be organized and prepared for your classes; in fact, class materials should be available and ready for your use. This requires a skill in planning. Good coaches plan their materials and go through everything with a fine-toothed comb. Most coaching classes might seem spontaneous or improvised, but it is not. It only seems like it. Sometimes, they are so good that the level of attention and degree of preparation seems nil.

Another quality of a good coach is in knowing how to motivate their students. This is a challenge in itself because each student is unique. A good coach recognizes that every student is a distinctive individual. They are flexible enough in ensuring that their coaching approaches can accommodate differences in personality and temperament. There can be no one-size-fits-all nature to their motivational skills. A good coach knows how and when to give praise and encouragement in order to motivate their students.

A knowledgeable coach is a confident coach, who will then inspire confidence in their students. If you have ever been under the tutelage of someone who seems unsure of what they know and what they are teaching you, then you know that as a student, your tendency is to be unconvinced and doubtful of what you will learn, if you will learn anything at all. Now, if you have ever been under the supervision of someone who is assertive, self-assured and self-possessed, then you end up feeling positive and secure about the whole learning experience.

Lastly, you need a dedicated coaching expert. You should look for someone who is always willing to learn new things and apply them in their field of expertise. You should stay away from coaches who seem to exude the vibe that they already know all there is to know about their field. There are always developments in any field. They must be up-to-date on what is going on by attending seminars and conferences pertaining to their capability, reading and researching for new information on coaching, meeting with fellow coaches. This open-minded approach will not only benefit the coach, but more importantly, the students. It is dedication that fuels people to rise up to high expectations.

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