Coaching Is A Two-Way Street

As a personal trainer for over 15 years and a blog writer for over 10, I’ve realized that coaching is a two-way street.

The most successful clients I’ve trained have been actively involved in the change process. Clients who listen, learn, and incorporate what they learn inside a training session into their daily lives are more likely to succeed than those who don’t.

Admitting you need the help of a coach is not always easy. Paying for exercise, which you can do for free, is another difficult step. Being involved in the change process, listening, learning, and instituting advice is another tricky step in this game.

Are you starting to sense a theme here? Change is hard, and paying someone to change you is difficult. Once this is accepted, most realize they need to be active partners in the process.

Some see coaching as a one-way street, where the coach tells someone what to do, and then the person does it. But I’m here to tell you that coaching is a two-way street if you’re getting coached or considering hiring one.

Let’s dive in so you can understand what the heck I’m raving about.

Coaching Is a Conversation

When I was mulling over this subject, I posted a similar question on Facebook, and a coach responded with this.

Coaching is a conversation.

It’s so good; I wish I had thought of it, but here is what it means. Imagine ( it is not a stretch, is it?) you hire a trainer, business coach, or mentor, and they have all the knowledge and credentials that make them experts in their field. You hire them to shorten your learning curve and get to where you want to go faster.

But they don’t know you.

They don’t know your preferences, personality, or learning style. To customize your experience and maximize your time together, guess what needs to happen? If you guessed the conversation, proceed to go and collect your $200.

You could shut your trap and listen, learn, and implement what they say, and it’s probably worth the investment. However, to get the most out of the experience, asking questions and having an open-ended conversation with your coach makes things smoother. When the coach knows what you want, you’re more likely to get it.

One of my clients has this to say.

“I’ve learned a lot from you since I’ve been with you. I’m always interested in learning how/why exercises work or ways to improve them, and I often find that information affects other areas of my life. Plus, I love challenging myself, so if I’m going to keep getting stronger and hopefully harder to kill, I want as much information as possible.”

Coaching Is a Two Way Street

Have you ever watched sports on TV and seen a coach chewing a player out? It’s probably because the player did something wrong. Then, in some cases, the player tries to explain himself, the coach doesn’t listen, and the chewing out continues.

What do you think happens?

Well, the player might get the point and do better, but little by little, the relationship may get worse because the player doesn’t feel heard. So far, I’ve discussed how the client actively participates in the coaching process, but what about the coach? Just because a coach knows a lot, knows how to teach it, and improves the people around him, it’s not the entire picture.

A coach who doesn’t listen and runs a coaching relationship like a dictatorship probably has a few unhappy players/clients. That used to be me, but opening the gates and accepting client input has made me a better coach. Being a dictator in a coaching relationship doesn’t work because why?

The best coaching is a conversation and a two-way street. When a coach, client, or player realizes that, the magic happens, and so does improvement. Improvement is not easy when a coach and a player are in the heat of a battle. But when there are conversations, listening, and understanding, you better believe some good coaching is going on.

There’s much more to a coaching relationship than I’ve explained, but realizing it is a two-way street is a great start.

Wrapping Up

Coaching has been described to me as a guide by the side because the coach is taking someone on a journey they cannot navigate on their own. But if neither the coach nor the client is having conversations, the journey is fraught with danger and may not work. Why?

Let me flog a dead horse again; Coaching is a two-way street.

If you want a coach who will listen, please hit me up here.