Three Frequent Errors Health Coaches Commit and How to Correct Them Right Away

“I work alongside coaches and experts.”

Kate Solovieva, a previous psychology educator, is a PN master coach and the chief of community engagement at PN.

This statement has turned into one of her signature lines.

Although Coach Kate has mentored thousands of typical clients, her main concentration is on coaching other coaches.

Through her position as an educator for PN’s Level 2 Master Health Coaching Certification, a facilitator for PN’s unique online coaching groups, and her own private practice, she gathers perspectives on the inquiries and obstacles encountered by both new and seasoned coaches.

Coach Kate is acutely aware of what her fellow coaches are facing.

Having observed the achievements and failures of numerous coaches, she will disclose three frequent mistakes she notices.

Coach Kate’s objective is to support her colleagues in attaining extraordinary success, and through this article, she hopes to help coaches with:

• Overcoming feelings of insecurity and self-doubt to advance their businesses
• Assessing their clients more impartially to better fulfill their needs and goals
• Clearly outlining their roles as coaches (which may differ from typical beliefs)
• Directing their innate passion for a client’s success without feeling burned out

We will examine three typical coaching blunders and how to fix them. Let’s get started.

Coaching mistake #1: Putting coaching ahead of selling

Coach Kate compares a coaching enterprise to a three-legged stool.

• The coaching leg (symbolizing your abilities and knowledge as a coach),
• A selling leg (your capability to promote and draw in clients), and
• An administrative leg (encompassing client appointments, payments, and organizational structures).

“Most newcomers to coaching concentrate on the coaching leg,” Kate points out.

“They desire to become the best coach they can be, which is admirable. However, to truly succeed, knowledge and theory alone are not enough.”

As Kate highlights, “You cannot evolve into the best coach in solitude, simply conversing with yourself in your office.”

Consequently, she urges coaches to resist waiting until they feel entirely knowledgeable before they start selling.

Why?

Coaches who commence selling sooner also start coaching earlier.

Ultimately, they secure an advantage over those who believe they must earn numerous certifications before promoting their offerings.

In contrast, a coach who may not have everything sorted but begins practicing will start developing their business and coaching experience, likely increasing their chances for success.

Solution: Approach as a COACH, not an EXPERT

A prevalent inclination among new coaches is to seek several certifications before they engage in coaching.

“We often hold onto the belief that we’ll reach a level of confidence where we can address any question that comes up,” Kate observes.

As every coach understands, once you communicate what you do, clients will pose questions—many of which you might not be prepared to answer, resulting in discomfort.

(After all, you’re expected to be the expert, right?)

Coach Kate contends that this notion—that you must be a specialist with all the answers—is misplaced.

“When I enter a coaching dialogue, my position isn’t ‘the expert,’” she asserts.

Coaches should have a solid foundational knowledge of nutrition. (For example, if a client asks about adequate protein sources, you should be able to share a few examples.)

However, coaches don’t need to show up with an organized presentation or complete knowledge of every aspect of nutrition or biochemistry. (It’s acceptable if you can’t recollect the omega 3 to omega 6 ratio in flax oil or the details of the Krebs cycle.)

Even when you know the answer, Kate suggests that not providing an immediate response can be more advantageous.

“If a client inquires about seed oils, you might say, ‘That’s