Mastering Coaching Skills

Keina Newell is a financial coach who helps her clients fall in love with budgets and create the systems that allow them to spend money, free from drama. I work with her personally, and she's joining me today to talk about all things money. Whether you're a new coach or you've been around a while, Keina is full of practical tips you can implement right away to look after your money. She's walking us through her transition from teacher to coach, why she decided to coach on money, the common money drama that comes up for Keina's clients, and her tips for loving and growing the money you're making. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/153

This week I'm joined by my friend and colleague, Dielle Charon. She is a sales coach for Women of Color, and she has a ton of valuable insights to share about how to stay in the coaching industry when it seems like a lot of other coaches are leaving, and the why behind doing so. Tune in this week for a conversation about the coaching industry, the shifts we're seeing, and how to get unstuck when you're not sure about how to move forward as a coach. We're discussing how to bring purpose back to your work as a coach and why it's normal for all businesses to evolve over time. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/152

Last week, I answered all of your business questions on the podcast. In this episode, I'm answering questions specifically about coaching, how I tend to approach certain situations, and my advice on how to consider these scenarios in your own practice. I'm also answering a couple of fun personal questions toward the end. Discover how I make decisions around investing in coaching and the importance of consent when it comes to coaching, whether casually or in a client session. I'm sharing situations in which I invested in coaching that I probably didn't need at the time, the skills I'm working on as a coach, and how to meet your clients with love and care when they need it most. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/151

Whether you're a newer coach or you've been around for years, there's tons of value to be taken from the answers I'm giving today. I'm answering through my perspective as a business owner and from what I've observed others in the industry doing. Tune in this week to get your business questions answered. I'm sharing how to generate confidence as a new coach, how to avoid burnout, what you can do when you feel discouraged, especially in the early days of your coaching business, and I'm giving you my tips for standing out from the crowd as a coach. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/150

Can you coach your friends? Can you become friends with your clients? Is it okay to be friends with your coach? These are the three questions I'm diving into on today's show. Discover my four rules for being friends with your coaching clients. I'm discussing how to see the motivation behind your client friendships, how to set appropriate boundaries around these friendships, and I'm also sharing my thoughts on coaching your existing friends. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/149

Today, I'm talking about one of my least favorite things: the feeling of shame. Shame is a super common feeling, and it's likely one of the things you help your clients with on a regular basis. I'm showing you a more productive way to deal with shame, to lighten the load when you need it most. Discover how to deal with shame in your personal and professional life, and how to help your clients when they feel weighed down by feelings of shame. I'm discussing the long-term impacts of untreated shame, and giving you tips for being there for your clients in moments of deep shame. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/148

I've noticed recently that many coaches tend to fall into the trap of overlapping their personal growth with their coaching businesses. This can turn your healing into a double-edged sword. If you've noticed that your goals are attached to your worth as a human, or if how you show up in business is dependent on how your life is going, listen in. Discover how you might be unintentionally turning your personal development into a chronic problem to solve. Hear specific examples of how this can show up, the importance of not letting your personal work and your business overlap, and how to check in with yourself if you've developed a sense of codependency between the two. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/147

I recently received a question that I'll be offering my full answer to in a few weeks, but it included a thought I felt compelled to address today. The question I received was this: "With so many new coaches entering the industry every day, what is one thing you can do to gain and maintain clients?" The concern that so many coaches experience regarding new individuals joining this industry is something I used to share. Discover my thoughts on new coaches entering the industry every day, and make sure to come back for the 150th episode to hear my answer on how to gain and maintain clients. I'm offering you a more useful way to think about this question, and my experience of all the different ways you get to work as a coach to put you at ease. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/146

Tune in this week to get your coaching questions answered. If you want to know about charging your friends for coaching when you're first starting out, how to structure your consult calls, how you can start transitioning from one-on-one to group coaching, or how you can grow in terms of sales and marketing, this episode is for you. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/145

Maggie Reyes is a marriage coach who has made it her mission to save the world one marriage at a time. She has a ton of experience working with women who want more fulfilling relationships, and she's giving us a candid insight into her journey as a coach, how she picked her niche at the very start of her business, and so much more. I'm sharing how Maggie has helped me as my personal coach, and we're diving into the dynamics of having a spouse who doesn't necessarily understand your aspirations as a coach. You don't want to miss this one! Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/144

Depending on where you learned your trade as a coach, you may already be familiar with self-coaching. But whatever kind of exposure you've had to self-coaching before, you'll learn something today because, as I found out recently, I have an approach to self-coaching that is different than what's already out there. Discover everything you need to know about self-coaching. I'm sharing how I choose to coach myself, the reasons why we should use self-coaching, and some things you really need to avoid when it comes to self-coaching. I'm giving you some specific examples of me coaching myself, and the differences I've noticed between coaching myself versus going to someone else for coaching. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/143

This summer, I've noticed that people are rebelling. After COVID, people have been isolated for a long time, and they have heavily adjusted to operating in those environments. I've noticed a rebellion against structure, introspection, and healing. Instead, people are really looking for connection and freedom. Discover how to talk about coaching in a world where people are tired of being with themselves. I'm also discussing some of the drama I've experienced in my own coaching business, and I'm giving you the best way to get out of drama in your coaching business. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/142

As coaches, especially if you're a mindset coach, something we don't talk about enough is what to do when our clients come to us with objectively bad circumstances and thought work doesn't seem to be helping. While it's true that you can change your thoughts, no matter how bad the circumstance is, it's not always helpful to approach your clients with this message. Discover how to help your clients without needing them to change their thoughts. I'm sharing why it's okay to let your clients hold onto their thoughts about how their situation sucks, and I'm showing you how to communicate effectively with your clients when they feel like they're just stuck in a bad situation. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/141

David Vox is a spiritual business coach who helps his clients with marketing and branding, but also with healing and transformational work. David has a story of a difficult upbringing and childhood trauma. However, working through all of that trauma as an adult led him to coaching, and it has helped him become a phenomenal coach. Discover what spiritual business coaching is and how David helps his clients create abundance. David is sharing his advice for translating your coaching talent into your marketing, where you might be overcomplicating your messaging, and the deep inner work it takes to be an amazing coach. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/140

I'm bringing back one of my most important episodes because I've been getting a ton of questions about this topic lately. This is all about checking in with how you feel and reacting to those feelings when you coach your clients. Discover why some of the emotions that come up on your client calls are really not serving you. I'm discussing why you might not have realized this was happening before, how to get clear on how you're really feeling when you're on your calls, and what you can do to address your emotions before they have a negative impact on your coaching. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/139

Decisions about significant changes are something every coach has to deal with at some point. In fact, I recently made a major pivot in my business. I'm taking this episode to explain how I made this tough decision and how this pivot is impacting what I offer as a coach. Discover the changes I'm making to my business and the decision-making process behind this pivot. I'm going through some of the challenges that came up for me when offering something new, and showing you how to deal with these challenges in a way that aligns with what you want to create as a coach. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/138

Being able to take time off work is one of the beautiful aspects of being an entrepreneur, and something I've been hearing frequently among my clients, friends, and colleagues in the industry is the notion of pausing. This may involve pinning an idea or project for the fall or avoiding big commitments due to the fear of overcomplicating things. Whether you feel the desire to put your work on the back burner during summer, find yourself rushing through coaching calls, want to speed up evaluations of your coaching calls, or discover what your next launch is going to look like, I'm sharing my top recommendations for becoming a better coach in just five minutes a day. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/137

Over the next couple episodes, I'm sharing the story of my journey through coaching, discussing my decision-making, and giving you super-specific timelines of different decisions and milestones in my business. I'm sharing what is currently going on in my business, how it has evolved over the years, my thoughts every step of the way, and my process for bringing my clients as much value as possible. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/136

As a coach, there are going to be people out there who disagree with the work you're putting out in the world, or who just don't like you as a person, and they have no problem expressing their opinions. I personally have been doing some work in this area lately, so I'm giving you the exact process I use when I receive hateful comments. Discover how to deal with haters. I'm sharing a bunch of comments I've received that range from light-hearted complaints to hateful, unkind observations and everything in between, and I'm giving you some questions for you to filter your haters through so you can decide how you want to deal with them. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/135

While having someone else watch your coaching sessions and offer honest feedback can lead to positive outcomes, there are numerous factors that make this approach ineffective for improving your coaching. Instead, there are better methods for examining and analyzing a coaching session, and that's what I'm sharing with you today. Explore the concept of peer supervision in coaching and learn how it can enhance your coaching skills. I'm sharing my thoughts on why I don't believe getting someone else to watch and evaluate your calls is useful, and what you can do instead right after a call that feels sticky or challenging. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/134

I'm diving into something that is essential for all coaches at all levels to consider this week: the difference between being an expert at what you do versus thinking that you have to solve every problem your client brings you. Hear why it's enough to be an expert at one thing, and how believing it's not enough takes you out of the expert energy. I'm sharing common examples of what it looks like when you try to come up with a strategy for something you're not well-versed in, and how to lean into the client-centered approach of coaching instead. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/133

If you've been to coaching schools, trainings, or gone through coach certification, you've likely been taught some form of coaching that often looks like an equation. These tools are amazing, and there's a reason we use them. However, when we use tools like this to pick out one single thought or emotion at any given time, it can get a little messy and sometimes isn't actually useful. This is what I'm diving into today. Hear when it's useful and when it isn't to explore one thought or feeling at a time, whether in relation to working with your clients or in your self-coaching. I'm sharing my thoughts on what you might miss out on when you prioritize this over exploration, and examples from my own life of where this practice can be valuable. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/132

Who comes to mind when you think of an icon? What is it about that person that makes them an icon in your eyes? How can becoming an icon be translated into the coaching industry, and what might that look like for you? Hear my equation for what creates iconic work, and how you might be preventing yourself from creating coaching mastery. I'm showing you what becoming an icon means and doesn't mean. I'm also sharing my answers to your questions about the Advanced Certification in Coaching Mastery. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/131

Deb Malkin is a feminist mind/body coach, specializing in using the tools of neuroplasticity, bioplasticity, and consciously curious hypno-coaching to help her people unlearn pain and emotional stress symptoms. She works with her clients to act with their human experience and transform their lives so they can feel better and pursue their amazing lifestyles. Discover the magic that happens in my Advanced Certification in Coaching Mastery. Deb is sharing how being in this certification has helped her get to know herself more deeply, serve her clients at the highest level, and the power of showing up with commitment and vulnerability to master your craft. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/130

Christine Stuart helps folks do what they love the way they love doing it and works with creatives with disparate skills and experiences that fit perfectly together. Christine is a life coach, herbalist, and lover of the outdoors, and she teaches marketing and selling through the lens of nature. Christine shares how her love for childhood summer camp inspired her to develop a coaching offering to help creative entrepreneurs develop their marketing and selling skills through their sense of play. Christine unpacks how my coaching container has provided the security and feedback necessary to create her dream offering. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/129

You might think coaching coaches is taking the easy route, that too many coaches are doing it, or that coaching coaches is the only way to make money in this industry. Whatever your thoughts are in this area, I'm discussing how these beliefs might stop you from showing up as the best possible coach for your clients, whoever they are. Tune in this week to get clear on your thoughts about coaches coaching coaches, and get some much-needed perspective on some alternative viewpoints on this subject. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/128

No matter where you are in your coaching journey or what kind of coaching you provide, this episode is packed with useful tips to help you with your coaching process especially if you have some clients that aren't getting results yet. Discover what to do when your clients aren't getting results. I'm sharing how to dig in and figure out how to solve this problem without making it mean anything about you or your clients, and I'm showing you some common mistakes you need to avoid when deciding on your next move in this situation. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/127

My clients recently shared that one of their favorite things about working with me is my calm energy and the ease with which I coach them, and it got me thinking about the skill of being calm as a coach. I share five thoughts that keep me in a calm mindset while I'm coaching and how you can implement these in your coaching sessions to cultivate a calm energy. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/126

What thoughts do you have about yourself as a coach? Getting clear on how you think about yourself as a coach is a super simple way to improve your coaching skills because whether you notice them or not, these thoughts are always reflected in how you coach your clients. Discover the thoughts that are currently holding you back from showing up as the best coach you can be. Learn how to use these thoughts to gain awareness and knowledge to start improving your coaching. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/125

I'm excited to bring you another episode with a couple of my students from The Coach Lab! Chelsea Simone is a general life coach who partners with humans and their spirits to cocreate different realities through clarity and embodiment. Jolene Hermanson is a life and health coach for women that are in sciences, engineering, and tech, and she helps them with everything from confidence and finding their voice, to health, wellbeing, and stress management. Chelsea and Jolene are sharing what they found most useful about this environment, and everything you need to consider to build a simple and welcoming space to deliver effective coaching. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/124

Something I see come up in my communities of coaches is this belief that we always need to be changing and evolving our coaching styles or as I call it: transformation chasing. Trust me, you don't want to miss this one. I'm sharing everything we get wrong about transformation, showing you how to recognize where your thoughts about transformation are preventing you from being the best coach possible, and most importantly, what you can do about it. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/123

I invited three coaches from inside The Coach Lab onto the show this week to give you a taste of what it's really like in there. Deb Anderson is a general life coach who runs a group program that helps people transition to whole-food plant-based living. Dominique Bell is a life and mindset coach that works with high-achieving women over the age of 40. Mia Countryman is a general life coach who helps her clients really look at their lives, dive deep, and decide what they want to change. Discover what really goes on inside The Coach Lab, how we're reimagining the way we set goals as coaches, and the value of being around a group of coaches who show up in service of their clients. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/122

When it comes to being an excellent coach, one thing is super important: how you think about skills and the way skills are supposed to be developed. Discover why the learning never stops and there's nothing wrong with you if it's taking a little extra time to grasp something new. I'm sharing how too many coaches use this reality against themselves, and I'm showing how to see the best way for you to refine whatever it is you're working on, without beating yourself up in the process. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/121

Discover the importance of talking about coaching in the simplest terms. I'm sharing why it doesn't matter whether you're working exclusively with coaches or people new to coaching, why coaching jargon always has the potential to confuse, and how to find the best way for you to talk about coaching to someone who has never heard of it before. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/120

Discover how to create a client experience that your people will appreciate. I'm sharing the importance of your thoughts as you enter into a client relationship, the value of flexibility, and how to start seeing the humanity in others so you can give your clients exactly what they need when they come into your space. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/119

Here to celebrate the power of coaching with me is a previous one-on-one client of mine, Gabrielle Smith. Gabrielle helps other coaches figure out if coaching is right for them and if they're in the right niche. Tune in to hear Gabrielle share the impact coaching has had on every area of her life, how it has helped her understand her family and their needs better, and how coaching has allowed her to leave her job and help others do the same. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/118

Join me this week to discover how to hire the right coach for you. You'll hear why, even though we love coaching, not every coach is for us, why you don't have to have a coach by your side all the time, how to be honest with yourself about your reasons for hiring a coach, and questions to ask yourself in this process. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/117

I'm bringing you a conversation with another one of my clients, Nina Lacher. Nina is a personal branding coach for coaches and service-based businesses who teaches her clients the secrets of soulful marketing. She's giving her advice to coaches at all levels in this industry about how to find your voice, operate from your zone of genius, be playful, align your message with who you are, and share your brilliance with everyone who needs to experience it. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/116

Discover all the things you can celebrate and help your clients celebrate, apart from money. I'm sharing a story from 2022 about how I didn't hit my money goals, and I'm showing you how to find all the other things you're proud of achieving last year, so you can keep doing them in the future. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/115

Tune in this week to discover everything you need to know about celebrating the magic of coaching. I'm joined by a former client of mine, Erin Gray, who helps her clients create a life they love and I just know you're going to love her. Erin is sharing her story of learning to truly enjoy everything she chooses for her life, and how all of this was made possible through the powerful magic of coaching and deeply understanding herself. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/114

What do you do when a client comes to a coaching session with nothing to coach on? This is a question I get asked a lot, and this episode gives you the answers. I'm offering 10 different ways to handle this situation and some questions for you to consider so you can explore how you want to navigate the next time a client has nothing to be coached on. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/113

In your business, your professional life, or any kind of goal you're going after, celebration is such a powerful tool, and as a coach, when you can help your clients celebrate themselves, they get results that blow their minds. Tune in this week to carry on the conversation around celebration. I'm discussing why celebrating the small achievements changes everything for you and your clients, how I've worked on my capacity for celebration, what celebration really is, and what it really isn't. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/112

We are closing out my Podcast Party week with two very special guests. Lindsey Mango is a life coach who helps people create anything but average lives and businesses, and her husband Chris Goodman is an executive life coach for CEOs and entrepreneurs. As you can imagine, as a married couple who are both coaches, they have a unique perspective to share on all things celebration, and I can't wait for you to hear our conversation. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/podcast-party-lindsey-chris

When life gets hard, celebrating doesn't always come easy. To discuss this with me is Stephanie Baylor, an online business manager with a unique perspective on celebrating to share with us. As the person who runs the backend of other people's businesses, she's in charge of making sure her clients celebrate themselves even when they don't hit their goals, and she's come a long way in her own personal celebrations too. We're sharing the work we've each had to do to embrace celebration in our lives and Stephanie is sharing how she prioritizes celebration in her work with her clients. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/podcast-party-stephanie-baylor

My Podcast Party guest today is branding and business coach for service-based entrepreneurs, Kathryn Morrison. We've been a part of the same mastermind for over two years, and if you've got a little bit of woo in you or you're into spiritual practices, you are going to absolutely love her. Kathryn and I talk about her perfect birthday party, and how she implements the habit of celebration in her life and business. Plus, Kathryn is sharing the power of deciding ahead of time what you want to celebrate. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/podcast-party-kathryn-morrison/

In today's Podcast Party episode, I'm talking to someone who might arguably know me better than anybody else: My sister Sara. Sara is an EL Collaborative elementary teacher who works with teachers to help them better reach their multilingual students. Join us as I quiz Sara on how she loves to celebrate and her thoughts on the parallels between coaching and teaching. We're discussing the power of celebrating every small win, and how celebrating breakthroughs is essential, both for teachers and students. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/podcast-party-sara-holmes

December marks my birthday month, and I decided I want to celebrate in a way I've never done before. So, in the name of all things celebration, I'm bringing you a whole week of what I'm calling a Podcast Party. This is where I'll be speaking to a different guest every day this week about what celebration means to them, and we're kicking it off with one of my favorite people ever: Master Certified mindset coach for high-achieving Black professionals and career women, Brig Johnson. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/111

Join me this week as I offer you my top ideas for how to take time off from your coaching business. You'll hear why it doesn't serve you or your clients to believe you can't take time away from coaching, an indication that you might need to examine your thoughts about taking time off, and how my own approach to taking time off has changed over the years. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/110

The Holidays are coming up and everyone is thinking a little deeper about their money this time of year. Whether making money sets your soul on fire or it doesn't, there are ways we can use it that light us up. So tune in this week to discover what you really think about money. I'm sharing the way I think about money, what you can do to get clear on your own thoughts about money, and how you can make and use money in a way that makes an impact and truly fills your cup. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/109

Tune in this week to discover my top 10 tips for creating a successful podcast. I'm sharing all of the mindset work I've done in bringing you this podcast every week for two years now, my advice to all of you, and I've got a bunch of questions, both from people who have a podcast and people who want to start their own podcast, and I'm answering all of those as well! Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/108