When you’re considering working with a coach, it’s important that you are a good fit with each other. Now, in theory any coach should be able to coach any client, but we all just seem to gel better with some people more than others, and when we’re coaching it’s useful to be on the same wavelength.
The way I think of a discovery call is kind of like a job interview. And I think of a job interview as a two way process. So the employer is hiring and looking to find the right person for their team. But also the potential employee is interviewing their future leader too. Much like you can’t choose your family, you can’t always choose your boss...sometimes circumstances dictate and you’re gifted someone. But if you’re applying for a new job, the interview is your opportunity to make sure this is someone that you can work with (and for).
In my mind, this is the same with a discovery call. By which I mean that, as the coach I’m thinking about how we will gel and whether we’re a good fit to work together. I’ve had training in a number of differently personality type tests over the years and so during the call I’ll be looking for clues about yours. Don’t let that freak you out though, I’m not judging! It just helps me to get to know your personality and that’s one part of the equation. If you’ve done a personality test and you’re a cut-to-the-chase type of person, feel free to just tell me where you sit on whichever spectrum 😂
So, that’s one part of the call. Another important one to me is that you are serious about achieving your goal. By which I mean it’s not just a pipe dream, but it’s well thought through. You’re prepared to make sacrifices to get there, rather than tell me you don’t have time to follow up and take action because you’re in the middle of a gripping Netflix box set. And I love a box set as much as the next person, I really do. I just watch them very occasionally when I have the time to get drawn in, like when I’m on holiday. Designated survivor is the latest fave in case you’re looking for a recommendation while you’re here! Save it until you’re on holiday though (!)
One of the other key things I’m looking to find out is what you’ve already done so far about your goals. Are you trying and failing, or is something stopping you trying? These are important because the first shows you’re an action taker but you’d likely benefit from working with someone who has the right experience and can guide the way so you start doing more of the right things to take you to your goal.
The second is something that’s very common. Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will. I get it. I’ve been there. And I can help you get to the other side too. I’m not saying I can take away every ounce of self doubt, but I can help you take action, and stand behind you when you’re doing the scary thing, cheering you on and reminding you exactly what you’re capable of. Because we seem to forget. We play down our accomplishments. We’ve been taught not to show off, not to brag, that being over confident is cocky and sets us up for a fall. So when we achieve something, we brush it off. To ourselves as much as everyone else. We don’t pat ourselves on the back and congratulate ourselves for being bloody awesome. Even when what we’ve done was really hard, because we can see the things we should have done differently. We remember what a struggle it was. We think that good only looks like ace-ing it immediately without a hair out of place. The overnight success story.
Well that’s not true. The years of work that went into the overnight success story are what counts. I want to know you’re in this for the hard yards too and if you are, I reckon I can help you tap into what you’ve already achieved to help you go further and quieten down that self doubt. I don’t think it ever goes away, at least not in my experience, because we keep growing. When we achieve a goal we don’t stop there. We look for the next one. And the doubt creeps in again. But we can get very good at recognising it and stopping it from holding us back.
The final thing I’m looking for in a discovery call is whether you are ready to invest in yourself. Put your money where your mouth is, so to speak. Honestly, I love coaching, I could (and did) happily do it for free. The problem is that not charging (enough) seriously limits my ability to have a positive impact, not just on you, but on everyone I want to serve. And you know we don’t value the stuff we get for free. Or cheap.
I have two very lovely designer coats, and at the end of winter they are dry cleaned and lovingly and carefully stored away until next winter. I also have a supermarket-chic coat that was a steal and which I know will go through summer balled up in a bag in the loft. I take care of the good coats because I invested in them. Hundreds of pounds each. I thought long and hard before I bought them. And I love them both, my black Vivienne Westwood coat that dresses anything up and looks stylish and timeless, and my navy Ted baker coat with rose gold trim and a subtle sparkle that runs through it that makes me feel more polished whenever I put it on, even over jeans and trainers.
And that really sums up the point of a discovery call. You’re investing in something that will transform your life. Think long and hard about the choice you make, so you know it’s the right one. When you make that investment, you’ll need to make it worthwhile. Like wearing the coat to recoup the investment, you need to take action to get the value from your coaching. And you will. Excuses will fall away, because you’re committed. And that’s when you get results.
So, when you sign up for the discovery call, come prepared to talk about what you want, and why you want it. Not to justify it, but to help me understand what’s driving you. Be prepared to talk about how badly you want this. And be prepared to do the majority of the talking. My role is to ask questions, probe, and find out more so that we know if I’m the right coach for you, and you’re the right client for me. Because, like that job interview, we both need to agree it’s the right thing.
If you’d like to book a discovery call there’s a form on the “work with me” page of my website. I look forward to our mutual interview!
