4 Great Habits of Relationship Coaches

4 Great Habits of Relationship Coaches

Life coaches help their clients to overcome obstacles, take positive action and make life more enjoyable. They assist people in moving forward toward a vision while accomplishing life goals. Relationship coaches place a focus on guiding people to have more enjoyable, fulfilling relationships both personally and professionally. A truly great relationship coach does these four things:

1. Have a Stake in Your Clients' Success

To be an effective life coach, you should care about your clients' success and happiness as much as you would a loved one's. Cultivate a relationship of honesty and trust; let your passion for helping others come through in an authentic way. Visualize your clients succeeding in the same way that you ask them to visualize their own success.

2. Encourage and Inspire

Words can be very powerful; be sure to use them wisely to build up your clients. Encourage and inspire them along the way as they make changes. However, avoid being an overly-bubbly cheerleader or "Pollyanna" figure -- make sure every compliment and pep talk comes from a sincere place. Celebrate each success, and be there to pick up the pieces if they have a setback.

3. Insist on Accountability

While your role as a coach should be positive and inspiring, there are times when you might have to be the "bad cop." Ideally, your client will be setting goals and taking steps toward them; make sure they are living up to their end of the bargain. The truth about coaching is that the bulk of the work is done by the client. Hold them accountable to their goals and commitments.

4. Measure Success by True, Lasting Change

Ultimately, the best way to measure the success of your coaching efforts is by observable improvements in your clients' relationships. The number of sessions, the comfort zones challenged and the amount of work done are useful metrics, but positive change is the best measure of success. If your coaching style is yielding real-world benefits, keep it up! If not, consider retooling your methods.