Life Coaching

[liv1978]

I am a qualified teacher and life coach and want to set up my own business as a Youth and Parenting Coach here in Singapore.

Before I do, I wanted to ascertain if there's a market out there, so would you consider paying for this sort of service?

Many thanks for taking the time to answer.

[beppi]

No.

[Strong Eagle]

Maybe yes... locals only beginning to absorb the idea but many expats open, particularly if translated into achieving career goals.

I've been there, done that. Are you able to work in SG?

[sundaymorningstaple]

....would you consider paying for this sort of service?

No. But to qualify that, I'm already 64 years old.....

[nutnut]

What do you do as a life coach, are you one of these motivational sorts? It sounds very American, not really my sort of thing to be honest. Maybe it's because I'm British.

If you were doing it for free then I'd give it a pop. What kind of results should you expect and how quickly?

[nakatago]

I'm wary of life coaches maybe because a lot of them don't know what they're doing or saying. But if you're going through with it, please don't fall into this trap: http://www.dumblittleman.com/2012/01/fi ... gurus.html

[Strong Eagle]

I'm wary of life coaches maybe because a lot of them don't know what they're doing or saying. But if you're going through with it, please don't fall into this trap: http://www.dumblittleman.com/2012/01/fi ... gurus.html

True - and I also know a fellow who is a personal development coach who rents out to large corporations for large sums of money... he grooms the future leaders. So, there are all kinds out there, some good, some not.

Personal growth is a good thing, both in career and private life.

[liv1978]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

You're right 'nutnut', Coaching did originate in America but is now utilised globally by many people in all walks of life and with great effect. It's in demand in the UK too, especially as people are needing some extra 'edge' to improve their working lives given the economic situation. Parenting and youth concerns are also big UK issues at the moment. I appreciate your input though as I may well be moving back there at some point so British feedback is useful.

Thanks for the posts on Career Coaching, 'Strong Eagle'. There are a number of business coaches already operating in Singapore and there's a growing market for this in Asia. It's an area I would be interested in but as I have been a teacher and youth worker for 15 years with specialisms in emotional wellbeing and personal, social and health education, I understand young people, schools and parenting issues better, so would feel more equipped to coach in this area rather than business. To answer your question about working in SG, I already do, but aim to change my Pass to an entrepreneurial one in the next few months.

'Nakatago', the link you posted was useful and thought provoking - thanks. I have taught in a number of schools internationally, am an NLP Practitioner and qualified as a Life Coach through an ICF accredited program. I have also completed a Post Grad University Diploma in Personal, Social and Health Education and worked within schools and with agencies on issues related to this. I have done professional Mentoring courses and have been a line manager for Newly Qualified UK Teachers. I did a PGCE, my degree was in Psychology and I am about to finish a Masters in Creative Thinking, so hope I have the necessary skills and experience to coach young people and those who are pivotal in their lives.

I appreciate people's honesty here and to those who answered 'no' or 'probably not', it's good to hear your feedback as I want to get a broad perspective. I imagine it's a little like any health and wellbeing practice, some like it, some don't.

Any further comments welcome.

Thanks again.

[JR8]

I still don't understand what you do.

[nutnut]

Liv, my main issue is that "life coaching" sounds like something you'd get from an airy fairy person who is basically full of &%*. This is because I, like JR8, do not know what you actually do.

Please could you let us know what it is, do you just tell us how to do stuff from day to day life? do you stand with us once a week and say What was hard this week" and "What do you think you can do better" and such? If so, what value can you add, what would be the return on my investment.

I am becoming more interested, more for the fact that I still have no idea.

[beppi]

I replied "No" for the same reason: I only do (or agree to pay for) things I understand.
If a financial adviser cannot clearly explain the chances or risks of a product, I won't invest.
If a "Life Coach" (or other prophet or personal happiness) cannot clearly explain the benefits of his/her treatment, I won't participate.
You are not the first I encounter in the "cannot explain" category.

[Strong Eagle]

I replied "No" for the same reason: I only do (or agree to pay for) things I understand.
If a financial adviser cannot clearly explain the chances or risks of a product, I won't invest.
If a "Life Coach" (or other prophet or personal happiness) cannot clearly explain the benefits of his/her treatment, I won't participate.
You are not the first I encounter in the "cannot explain" category.

If a person could explain to you how your world view limits and directs your judgments, would you want to know?

If a person could explain how your "shadow", your automatic reactions to various stimuli affects how you are perceived by others, would you want to know?

If you could see how you interact with other people from the perspective of a third set of eyes, would you want to know?

If you could learn to place your interactions with other people in a context other than you think they are in, would you want to know?

There is no "prophet". In some respects, life coaching is no different that teaching someone how to act/react in front of a camera with an interviewer.

And yet, life coaching can address deeper ways that you think about yourself, and the way you interact with other people. It can show you your destructive behaviors that cause you to be self limited.

Example: Nutnut: You regularly come across as defensive when your posts are challenged. You try to "prove" that your position is right... if someone could show you a more effective way of getting your point across and getting what you want, would that be the work of a "prophet"?

[beppi]

So, you are saying a "Life Coach" can make me see the shortcomings of my behaviour and teach me how to act in order to overcome them?
That would indeed be worth spending for.
Unfortunately my wife fails miserly in this (she calls me "stubborn goat"). I don't see how somebody who knows me much less can be more successful?

[Strong Eagle]

So, you are saying a "Life Coach" can make me see the shortcomings of my behaviour and teach me how to act in order to overcome them?
That would indeed be worth spending for.
Unfortunately my wife fails miserly in this (and then calls me "stubborn goat"). I don't see how somebody who knows me less can be more successful in this?

She's not trained... and never will be... sorry ladies.

You're not some sort of inscrutable stone monolith... unknowable... you are a human being that quickly reveals lots of things to the trained eye. Everything from your tells... your eye contact and movement, body movements, reactions to questions, what you do with your hands, body posture... to what you say and do in response to questions asked.


But... I'm not selling my coaching skills... I'll let the OP chime in.

[nutnut]

Ok, so I see what this is. Yes, this does sound interesting.

However, how do you know you are using a good life coach and they know what they are doing?