One of the greatest joys of Christian Life Coaching is the freedom to represent Jesus, His love, and Kingdom principles. An important way we do this is by coaching people rather than problems.
So what does it mean to coach people, not problems? After all, aren't people coming to Life Coaches for help solving problems? The answer is – sort of.
When a person seeks out a Christian Life Coach, what they really want is to move from where they are to where they desire to be. But something is blocking their progress, and the client requires help identifying and overcoming those blocks.
In order to do that, what clients need is transformation over simple problem-solving. Transformational coaching considers clients' values, so their goals align, providing them with cohesiveness, authenticity, and inner peace. That's what it means to coach people, not problems!
Coaching People, Not Problems
Clients need a safe space where they feel seen, understood, and valued to explore what prevents them from implementing action steps to reach their goals.
Imagine you're a client in a session with your Christian Life Coach. You tell your coach that your job is at risk because you are always late. If your coach keeps both of you focused on the problem of your job being at risk or being late, they aren't coaching you; they are coaching the problem.
Now imagine that your Christian Life Coach stays curious about you, which is very different from focusing on the problem. In that case, your Life Coach will make insightful inquiries, such as:
· Tell me more about how that feels when _______.
· What would life look like for you if ________?
· How does _________ align with your value of __________?
How would you feel if you experienced these two styles of coaching? You would most likely feel seen and understood if your coach stayed curious and focused on you rather than the presenting problem.
We have the best model of seeing and understanding people: Jesus. One of many examples is in John 11:33-35. "When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 'Where have you laid him?' he asked. 'Come and see, Lord,' they replied. Jesus wept."
If Jesus had focused on the problem, He never would have wept because He already knew the problem would be solved. But He compassionately valued seeing Mary over the problem.
As Christian Life Coaches, Jesus is our example!
If you have a heart for people and want to learn more about becoming a Christian Life Coach, contact us at the Center for Christian Life Coaching for more information. We look forward to hearing from you!