Take Note: What Do Coaches Learn from their Clients?

I like this question, and frankly I never thought about it before (perhaps because I am a coaching client). In a recent opinion article from Training Zone, author Olivia Stefanino flips the coin to explore what clients are teaching their coaches.

I was particularly intrigued by her acknowledgement that ” there’s always some kind of ‘energy exchange’ (beyond money), that can offer you (the coach) some rich insights into what’s going on in your own life.”

Are you, as a coach, routinely aware of this valuable energy exchange?Do you reflect on the wisdom your clients may offer inadvertently in a coaching session?

Stefanino suggests that coaches take a step back and observe what type of clients they attract. Are your clients bringing the same issues and goals you are currently facing? Or have you personally resolved similar issues or reached similar goals, which inherently help you supply the right questions to help your client?

So let’s explore the win-win of coaching. Great coaches, what have you learned from your clients?