Renegade Professional News 

You have just decided to become an entrepreneur, and you have taken the necessary steps to get your business in order.  For instance, those of you who just completed your coach training with Coaching Cognition are now equipped with the skills and knowledge to begin your coaching practice.

It’s a new experience that is both exciting and motivating.  However, it is also natural to feel a bit overwhelmed by the fact that you have not yet had what you might consider a ‘real’ coaching session.  You realize that you are a ‘new coach’.

It’s time to continue the process of building self-confidence, which may seem difficult when you are brand new to a profession.  For example, when I was hired to work at a gift shop, I was really excited!  I was ready to learn about the job, the products, my co-workers, and the customers.

I also understood the fact that I knew nothing about the day-to-day duties of working for that particular store.  At first, I found myself afraid to answer the phone or greet customers.  What if someone asks a question that I do not know the answer to?

So then I thought about what I DO know.  I know how to talk to people, how to make them feel comfortable, how to find the answers they are looking for even if I do not already know them myself, how to run a cash register, how to ask them questions about what type of gift they are looking for…etc…

I realized I was spending my time worrying about what I don’t know, and not appreciating and using what I do know.  Just because I am new, does not mean that I cannot help customers find the perfect gift.  Once I took this perspective on being ‘the new girl’, I discovered a way to handle those situations in which I didn’t know the answer.  My new response to those questions came from an honest place, and let the customer know they would get valuable service from me.  6 little words made the difference for me.

“I don’t know.  Let’s learn together!”

Suddenly, their questions did not just present an opportunity to educate them on our products, but also to educate me!  Each time was a learning experience.  But the major lesson for me was that I had fallen victim to the myth that being ‘new’ meant that I couldn’t give good customer service.

When the Coaching Cognition training ended last week, I thought about my gift shop experience.  Many of you, our students, are planning to go on and become coaches for the first time through Coaching Cognition, and you may be feeling the same way I did on my first day at the gift shop.  I started thinking about the different types of fears or concerns that a new coach may experience.

But more importantly, I started thinking about how can we rewrite, or reframe, these myths in a positive way?  How can we draw on our strengths and experiences to build confidence and provide value for our clients?

This article is dedicated to reframing the marketing myths about being ‘new’.

Myths: I’m New, So That Means…

… I Don’t Know What I’m Doing –

What do you mean when you say this to yourself?  You have completed your training, had tons of peer coaching sessions, and a passion for coaching that has led you to pursue it as a profession.  Are you afraid of a client presenting you with a situation through which you do not know how to guide them?  What version of “I don’t know, let’s learn together” can you come up with to help you become confident in your ability to address that situation?

… I Have Nothing To Offer-

Instead of focusing on what you think you do not have, look at what you do have.  You have the learned coaching skills, along with a passion for helping others.  You know how to ask the right questions to help your clients succeed.  You have your personality, and through that, your coaching style.  There may be ten other Coaching Cognition coaches who offer sessions around the 90 Day Action Plan.  But YOU are the only one who will approach the subject in the manner that fits your personality and style.  One coach may take a more relaxed approach, another may take a very personal approach, and you may prefer a more professional approach.  So who do you think the serious executive type will choose?  You ARE what you have to offer.

… I’m Inexperienced-

You are a new coach who has not yet had a scheduled session with a paying client.  Does this mean you are not experienced?  Of course not.  Again, you have the training and practice you need to be great.  Beyond that, if you focus on the fact that you have not yet coached in this particular situation, then you may feel overwhelmed or nervous.  Every client, every situation, every session will be different.  This does not mean you are inexperienced in coaching a 24 year old entrepreneur who is breaking away from the family business to pursue his dream while also juggling a new marriage and setting up the nursery for the unborn twins.  It simply means that this is a new situation, but the process is the same.  Trust yourself and trust the coaching process.  Focus on the experience you DO have.  Perhaps you relate really well with baby boomers, so you market to baby boomers.  Again, use your strengths.

… I’m Not Good Enough Since I Don’t Already Have A Lot Of Clients -

Having a small client list is not a sign of your quality of service; it is simply a sign that you are new.  Let people know that you just started coaching with Coaching Cognition.  Educate them on the coaching levels and what a Level 1 coach means.  It does not mean you are a less qualified coach, it just means that you haven’t coached for THIS company for as long as a level 6 coach.  If your list is not very long yet, it just means that you can’t use “I’ve coached over 300 entrepreneurs!” as a part of your marketing.

… The Value I Have To Offer Is Probably Already Out There-

While this statement may be true to a certain degree, the myth here is that this is a negative thing.  Not every message can reach every person at the right time.  Be the messenger.  You do not have to invent positive thinking in order to share its power.  However, you CAN put your own spin on it.  This is probably not the first article ever written about what it’s like to be new.  However, it is probably the only one that compares becoming a coach to someone’s first day working at a gift shop.  Find your voice, and use it give value in a unique way.  As long as the value you give is from an honest place that says a little bit about who you are, your message WILL be unique.

Being a new coach can itself be a selling point!  Have you ever listened to Lasik eye center radio ads where they tell you that Dr. So-and-So has performed over 3000 Lasik procedures?  Have you ever thought… Doesn’t he get tired, or go into ‘autopilot’?  I wonder if he is always paying close attention to detail or if he makes mistakes as a result of over-confidence!

There are many other benefits to being new, a few of which I’ve listed here.  What other Truths can you come up with?  Share them at the Coaching Cognition Facebook Page.

Truths: I’m New, So…

… My Energy Is Strong And I’m Highly Motivated

… I Can Connect With My Prospects On A More Personal Level

… I’m Learning Along With My Prospects

… I’m Able To Add A Fresh Perspective On My Profession

As A New Coach, Your First Client Is Yourself: Coaching Yourself Through Being ‘New’ – Video by Lee Wise

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