Getting Fit

I bet you thought this entry would be about physical fitness, didn’t you?

Well, sorry to disappoint -- I’m speaking here about getting the right fit between coach and client. And maybe there will be some similarities, if not analogies or metaphors that can be made between the two concepts.

Why is getting fit important? I think there are a number of obvious reasons. For example, without fit:

· Coach can become an obstacle in coachee’s process

· Coachee may struggle with investing in the process

· Coachee may not feel understood or supported

· Coach may be unable to assist in goal attainment

Although it may not be possible to have a perfect fit, just due to the nature of differing cultural and experiential backgrounds, education, or personalities, there may be a few ways to ensure the best possible match, such as:

· Coach can market to an ideal client niche

· Coach can resist temptation to take on everyone

· Coach can claim her own expertise and stick to it

· Client can be clear about her initial goals

· Client can ask for what she needs and wants

· Client can be view herself as a hiring authority

· Coach can be quick to say when there’s not a close enough fit

It’s not a bad thing to refuse a client, or for a client to decline to hire. In fact, I suggest it’s a sign of integrity to know your limits, know what you want and accept only the best chances of getting that.

Here’s how this resembles physical fitness, which is about toning muscles and improving functional endurance.

Getting fit between coaches and clients is a process of exercising the mental, emotional, spiritual muscles of truth telling, empowering relationships, investing in self-commitment, asking for what you want and need, and knowing that it is in everyone's best interest to do so. And that is what improves the functional endurance of the coaching relationship.