STEP EIGHT Master the Soft Skills of Coaching Flashcards
What is the primary focus of soft skills in coaching?
Building trust with clients
Soft skills are essential for a coach’s success as they directly influence the relationship with clients.
Why is it important for coaches to accept their role as a guide?
It enhances the client’s experience and outcomes
A guide helps the client navigate challenges based on their own experiences.
List two important characteristics of a guide in coaching.
- Empathetic
- Competent
What should coaches remember about the pace of their clients’ progress?
Clients may take longer to understand concepts
Patience is crucial as clients may feel overwhelmed by new information.
How do great coaches facilitate self-discovery in their clients?
By asking questions rather than giving direct orders
This approach helps clients realize principles for themselves.
What percentage of coaching work is about listening and understanding the client?
50 percent
The majority of effective coaching involves empathy and understanding rather than just giving advice.
What is one key element in creating a safe and trusting coaching environment?
Active listening
Understanding the client’s struggles is essential for building trust.
True or False: Coaches should assume they know what’s going on in their client’s life.
False
Assumptions can lead to misunderstandings and a lack of trust.
What should coaches do to affirm their clients’ transformations?
Celebrate their victories and acknowledge their changes
Affirmation boosts clients’ confidence and reinforces their growth.
Fill in the blank: Coaches should never assume they know the _______.
client’s problem
What is one of the top ten rules of coaching?
Never break a client’s trust
Trust is foundational for a successful coaching relationship.
What is the significance of creating a personal list of coaching rules?
It helps coaches own and practice their soft skills
A personal list reinforces commitment to character and integrity.
What is the relationship between frameworks and soft skills in coaching?
Soft skills enhance the effectiveness of frameworks
Trusted guides deliver frameworks that clients are more likely to follow.
What does a successful week look like for a small business coach?
Varies based on client load and business goals
Coaches may have different routines depending on their career stage.
What is the estimated annual income of the fictional coach, Sam?
$256,000
How long did it take Sam to achieve his $256,000 run rate?
Thirty-six months
What is the purpose of defining a ‘perfect week’ for a coach?
To fully understand best practices and assign those practices to specific times on specific days
What does Sam prioritize during his Monday mornings?
Delivering coaching collateral to his clients
During which hours does Sam spend time with his family on Monday?
7:00 A.M. to 8:00 A.M.
What activity does Sam do from 8:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M. on Mondays?
Works out by swimming laps
What is the focus of Sam’s first Small Business Mastermind session?
Understanding the week’s assignment and reviewing the last week’s assignment
What does Sam do during his lunch on Mondays?
Meets with potential clients
How many one-on-one coaching sessions does Sam conduct in a week?
Four
What is Sam’s routine for preparing between coaching sessions?
Takes a half-hour break to be ready and present
On which day does Sam focus on marketing and business building?
Wednesday
What does Sam review during his marketing and client acquisition time?
His personal CRM and automated email campaigns
What does Sam do on Thursdays if he doesn’t have a workshop scheduled?
Facilitates Small Business Community Groups
What does Sam do on Fridays from 8:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M.?
Prepares for upcoming masterminds and coaching sessions
What is Sam’s focus during the weekends?
Family, fun, and rest
True or False: Sam reschedules clients based on their schedules.
False
What is a major challenge of scaling a coaching business?
Life gets complicated with hiring and managing people
What must a coach do to scale their business into a seven-figure agency?
Bring on people, create systems, and manage workflows
What is the key reason many people enter the coaching business?
They love working with small business owners
Fill in the blank: The ‘perfect week’ helps coaches identify when their lives are becoming too _______.
chaotic
What is a common concern for coaches when scaling their business?
You will be one step removed from close contact with clients.
Why might scaling a coaching business decrease quality of life?
It may require sacrificing time spent with family and personal interests.
What are some personal costs involved in building a seven-figure coaching business?
Worry, stress, time away from family, and reduced personal hobbies.
True or False: All coaches should scale their business into the millions of dollars.
False
What type of coach is suggested to scale their business?
Coaches who have no choice and are driven by ambition.
What is essential for building a seven-figure coaching business?
Hiring decisions and building a team.
What departments should a coaching business include as it scales?
- Administrative help
- Marketing department
- Sales department
- Content department
- Coaching department
What is the role of Howard Partridge in his coaching business?
He hosts events, leads small groups, and writes books.
What does Howard’s business model include?
- Large annual event
- Multiple small groups
- Elite small group retreat
- Book writing and speaking engagements
What is the first recommended hire for a solo coaching business?
A virtual assistant.
What is the job overview of a solo coach?
Work with small business owners to transform their leadership ability and manage their overall revenue.
Fill in the blank: A solo coach should create and manage a ______ to acquire new clients.
[CRM]
What is the purpose of hiring a virtual assistant?
To free up time for coaching and focus on high-impact activities.
What should a virtual assistant manage?
- Schedule
- Work-life balance
- Correspondence
- CRM
- Billing
What is an important quality for a solo coach to have?
Empathy and understanding towards small business owners.
What does a seven-figure coaching business require in terms of hiring?
Specific job descriptions and tasks to be assigned.
What is the job overview of a virtual assistant?
Assist a small business coach in daily execution of personal and professional responsibilities.
True or False: A virtual assistant only handles professional tasks.
False
What is the primary responsibility of a solo coach?
Deliver great coaching and retain existing clients.
What is a key benefit of hiring a virtual assistant, according to Susan Trumpler’s story?
It allows the coach to focus on high-impact coaching tasks.
What is the primary focus of a solo coach’s responsibilities?
Growing each client’s overall revenue.
What is the primary role of a Virtual Assistant in a coaching agency?
To manage emails, CRM, billing, expenses, project management, and client interaction
This includes filtering emails for importance and ensuring clients receive necessary follow-ups.
What experience is required for a Virtual Assistant in this context?
Five years of experience working with solopreneurs to help them organize their life and work
Competency with software managing schedules, email, project management, and CRM functions is also necessary.
True or False: A second coach should be able to coach forty clients per year.
True
This is contingent on maintaining a steady influx of qualified leads and recurring clients.
What type of events can a Community Events Coordinator plan?
Workshops, conferences, seminars, breakfasts, webinars, Zoom Q&A calls, and holiday parties
These events aim to create a community for small business owners involved in a coaching community.
Fill in the blank: A Director of Operations oversees the day-to-day operations of a _______.
[small business coaching agency]
What is the purpose of a content manager in a coaching agency?
To manage all aspects of media presence, including social media, copywriting, and content creation
This role involves creating content that engages small business owners and supports the coaching community.
What are the three distinct personalities at the top of most successful small businesses?
- The Artist
- The Operator
- The Entrepreneur
Each plays a crucial role in product creation, operations, and revenue generation respectively.
What is the expected annual revenue for a coaching agency at level six?
Seven figures
At this stage, the agency may be making multiple millions in top-line revenue.
What is one of the primary responsibilities of a Revenue Director?
To develop and implement revenue-generating strategies with the goal of doubling overall revenue
This role focuses on maximizing profitability by increasing revenue and reducing costs.
True or False: A Community Events Coordinator should have at least five years of experience in event planning.
True
This experience is essential for executing successful events.
What should a content strategy aim to achieve for a coaching agency?
To deepen and expand reach, increasing the spread of coaching products and enhancing reputation
This involves producing helpful information for small business owners.
Fill in the blank: The Operator is responsible for managing the _______ and _______ of a coaching agency.
[people] and [processes]
What is a key challenge at level three of agency growth?
Getting forty new clients per year to fill four more coaches’ schedules
This requires an efficient CRM for lead generation and customer acquisition.
What role does an Event Coordinator play in the growth of a coaching agency?
To plan, organize, and execute events that foster community among small business owners
These events help in client retention and engagement.
What is the expected salary for a second coach in the agency?
$85,000 per year
This allows for profitability while ensuring the coach can focus on delivering coaching.
What is a significant benefit of hiring a Virtual Assistant for a coaching agency?
It allows the business owner to focus on revenue-generating activities
The assistant helps reduce the workload by managing various administrative tasks.
What is the primary goal of the Revenue Director in a small business coaching agency?
To double the current revenue
What are the key responsibilities of the Revenue Director?
- Develop revenue-generating strategies
- Build high-functioning sales and marketing teams
- Measure marketing and sales efforts
- Collaborate across departments
- Ensure client satisfaction
- Help achieve goals and create a winning culture
What experience is preferred for the Revenue Director position?
Ten or more years in a sales, marketing, or revenue-generating position, preferably in coaching, consulting, or content-creation agency
What qualities should the Revenue Director possess?
- Goal-oriented
- Creative
- Experienced in sales optimization
- Excellent communication skills
- Proven negotiation ability
- Proven sales ability
Fill in the blank: The Revenue Director is responsible for maximizing profitability by increasing revenue and reducing _______.
costs
What is essential for sustaining a healthy coaching agency?
A ritual of refinement
What should leaders install to navigate economic and cultural disruptions?
A rhythm of review and refinement
List some questions to ask for improving business operations.
- How can we refine lead generation strategies?
- How can we improve post-acquisition marketing strategies?
- How can we increase conversion metrics?
- How can we improve coaching small groups?
- How can we improve upsell coaching offers?
- How can we improve community-building efforts?
- How can we improve internal culture?
True or False: After achieving a dependable operation, the next step is to stop making improvements.
False
What is the potential financial outcome of building a successful coaching agency?
It may be worth selling, providing financial freedom
What is the estimated annual revenue produced by the global executive coaching industry?
Over $9 billion
What does the author hope for aspiring coaches?
That they become successful coaches
