198. Not all coaches just coach
Not all coaches just coach.
Some teach, some advise, some heal, some roll up their sleeves and get into the doing - and some - including myself, are a mix of all of the above!
In this episode I explain my interpretation of the difference between the roles and why it matters.
If you're a coach or in the market for one - this is for you!
Transcript
Hello Hello I’m Sally I’m a voice and public speaking coach ….. and I don’t always coach….
Not all coaches just coach.
Some some teach, some advise, some heal, some roll up their sleeves and get into the doing and some, including myself, do a mix of all of the above.
And in this episode I’m taking you through the difference.
Why is that important?
Well if you call yourself a coach or are looking to get into coaching then it’s important to know your craft and the boundaries within which you work.
And if you’re looking to work with a coach – maybe the reason you tuned into this episode, 198 of That Voice Podcast – so close to 200. My gorgeous man Patrick is joining me next week and then I have a really special topic for episode 200 and then the podcast is on a break for a few weeks.
Bit of a diversion there. If you are looking to work with a coach, understanding what role or roles they do or can fulfill is very important to see if it’s a match for what you want to achieve.
SO we’re going to break down the difference between a coach and a teacher and an advisor and a facilitator and a healer and a do-er.
Before we get into it. On April 29 2024 I am running a free masterclass. It’s called How to channel your speaking magic – unblock your throat chakra so your authentic voice can flow. I would love to see you online, it’s totally free. Link is in the show notes And sets the scene for a brand new LIVE round of Fear to Fierce, where I take you through 12 powerful exercises to break through your speaking fears and show up and speak up with confidence online, on stage on podcasts – there are lives calls with me. It’s the first time I’m running this course live and it’s the lowest investment I’ve ever offered for a live course to make it that little bit easier to dive in and do something for your voice and confidence. The link for that will be in there too. The free class is on April 29th, Fear to Fierce live starts May 13th.
So let’s break down these roles.
We’ll start with a teacher.
You have a question … the teacher says THIS IS THE ANSWER.
They are imparting knowledge. Facts. Techniques. Strategies.
Teachers will have a lineage – teachers before them. Doesn’t mean they teach exactly the same as them, but it’s not made up stuff right it comes from somewhere.
So my beautiful speech and drama teacher Mrs Miller who is sadly no longer with us in physical form, taught me from the age of 9 right up to my licentiate diploma qualification in my 20’s. And the syllabus was set by the AMEB – the Australian Music Examinations Board. And so I did over ten years of practical exams and more than five sit down written exams and I handed in a dissertation – the whole shebang. And that’s why I can write fluent phonetics for example, which isn’t something I teach, but it did come in super handy when I was learning how to pronounce difficult words in my tv and radio broadcasting jobs.
I know this might be a bit boring and if you’ve been listening to the podcast for a while you’ll notice I don’t talk a lot about my qualifications because people actually aren’t that interested. I have very rarely been asked what my credentials are, but if you are looking to work with a coach or teacher in a particular field, it’s worth checking they haven’t just done a course on the internet.
Because with a teacher you’re looking for that depth of knowledge.
And in my online courses and also Soul Speakers in the resource hub - which is my master library of so much of my work – teaching is a predominant feature. Whether I’m sharing how to breathe to project your voice, or how position your tongue to sharpen the clarity of your speech or techniques for structuring a talk.
All that how to – is under the teacher umbrella. And so is a lot of this podcast right, it’s sharing tips that you might take on.
And I love teaching, but just like my own speech and drama teacher throughout my teenage years, when we get to one on one work, we tip over into the land of advisor.
A teacher – this is the answer
Advisor – if I were you this would be the answer
So advising is you listening and putting yourself into the shoes of that person with all the information you have about them and all the experience you have and advising them on their actions.
A teacher is this is what you should know, an advisor this is what I think you should do.
And it’s delicate territory. Because advice needs to be sought. We’ve all been given unsolicited advice, unwanted feedback if you will, and how does that end?
So I will listen for permission questions like ‘what do you think I should do?’ or I’ll ask would you like my advice?
And it’s usually – as it should be – in relation to a path you have walked.
So my young journalism students “DO you think I should reach out to this news director? What do you think I should say”
People starting out in business “what social platforms do you think I should be on?” “What events do you think I should be speaking at?” What do you think I should wear?
And as you can hear some questions are better off being answered by the coach not the advisor ….
Because the advisor is if I were you this would be the answer.
And the skilled coach is I’m going to help you come up with the answer.
And I love the land of coaching because when you guide someone to their own answers that’s where you get the big light bulb moments, that’s where aha’s and the long-lasting shifts. Often you don’t get these by listening to a podcast, it’s when you’re face to face with a coach who can zero in on what I call the knot and through questions, while carefully reading body language and in my case especially listening to the words and the subtext of the tone of the voice … you can unravel that knot.
And I got a beautiful LinkedIn recommendation the other day that said my ability to hone in on what our inner struggles are is at the core of my uniqueness. So that was lovely to read, and when I’m doing this, I have the coach hat on.
And there are courses you can do in coaching and books you can read on coaching but the best coaches go beyond the theory and bring their intuition to the work. Every coach has a different style, which is why it’s important to find someone who suits you – and a lot of clients who come my way have listened to this podcast because it gives you a really accurate impression of my personality and style and expertise and way of working.
So that’s the coach – I’m going to help you come up with the answer.
Now we move onto the healer or practitioner – I’m going to guide you through this process to find the answer.
So I’m Master NLP and Hypnosis trained, and in the process of getting my Reiki certification too.
So in a session, I’ll clock the need for a process.
Maybe it’s Emotional Change Technique ECT, a process which guides someone through their timeline to shift a belief, heal a childhood wound, rewrite the narrative.
So in my work, the belief around knowing wanting to listen to them stems from an experience where their voice was shutdown, they might have been told to shut up or it may have been a volatile household where your body as a child locked in the belief that being quiet meant keeping the peace.
If you’re intrigued by this, book in a one on one session, it’s really the only way for this to work.
And there’s lots of other NLP processes I will guide clients through. Some of them in my Fear to Fierce course, we usually have at least one of these at my in-person events, my Speak up for Your Business workshops.
Sometimes I’ll guide clients through hypnosis and as my Reiki training continues I can use that process to clear throat chakra blockages or any other sort of energetic snag.
I should add a lot of NLP techniques are used in coaching as well.
Ok so the healer or practitioner is I’m going to take you through this process to find the answer.
A do-er – is I will deliver you the answer.
Now this is something I reserve for my private clients because of the time and energy commitment. It’s also where your expertise comes to the fore. For example my client needs a speech, I write the speech and send it back, or adjust the speech with them on the call to make it 10x more impactful and those of you who’ve worked with me on a speech know this is a freaky skill of mine, and why in person the phone will be recording and online they’re always saying thank god for the transcript.
My private clients who are often busy executives also need outside the box things done, graphics in canva or video editing and it’s not my core business but I’ll get in and get it done so they can move forward.
It’s the answer delivered with a bow and a smile.
And by the way my private clients get unlimited sessions and support. Because it’s outcomes based not time based.
And it’s not just having a voice and speaking coach on call, you have a teacher, an advisor, a practitioner and a do-er all wrapped into one.
So altogether.
The teacher – THIS is the answer
The advisor – If I were you THIS would be the answer.
The Coach – I’ll help you come up with the answer
The Healer or Practitioner – I’ll take you through this process to find the answer
The Do-er – I will deliver you the answer
A professional will not only know how to operate effectively in these different roles, they will be able to move seamlessly between based on what the person needs. And optimise the beautiful overlaps between them.
So in my Soul Speakers Monthly Calls. There is always a mix of teaching and coaching and facilitating so people don’t just leave with notes they leave with a shift in the way they think and feel.
In one on one it’s not unusual for there to be a some teaching on vocal techniques, some advice on an issue, some coaching on a decision, some healing through a somatic exercise or hypnosis and some doing, like drafting an email on the call.
If you are a coach or call yourself any of the titles, ask yourself where you sit predominantly and how you could improve in each. DM me let me know if this resonated.
And if you are in the market for a coach, ask yourself these questions ….
Do you want to learn? And what depth of knowledge and experience does the person have in the field.
Do you want advice? And is this somebody who shares your values and has done something you aspire to do?
Do you want to experience a certain modality? Or does this person have a toolkit of healing processes to draw upon?
Do you want an expert to get stuck in and save you time? If you speak a lot in your role and don’t have time to be drafting speeches and losing sleep stressing then having a coach like myself on retainer is a really great investment.
And overall, check out what other people have to say. Read the recommendations on LinkedIn, watch the testimonials on the website and regardless of the titles they have or hats they wear tune into your intuition your inner knowing, close your eyes take a breath and take that moment to ask is this someone I want in my corner, what does the thought of working with this person feel like in my body.. and does it excite me and scare me a little bit to take that step?
If you’re ready to overcome your speaking fears and amplify your voice to grow your profile and share your message … DM me and if it’s not the right fit, I have a beautiful network of other coaches and teachers and advisors and practitioners I can direct you to.