Today, I wanted to talk about about the CLARITY that we desire, (and NEED) as we grow and develop our coaching.

The sweet spot between the WORK WE LOVE TO DO and WHAT OUR CLIENTS ARE LOOKING FOR.

There’s a fundamental paradox between two schools of thought about our work:

Method One says that we make our work our own, never do anything we don’t want to do – only do work we LOVE. This is the “build it and they will come” method.

Method Two says it’s important that we do work that our potential CLIENTS actually want. That we can know our people – the ones who are looking for us to help them – inside out, so we can use their language, address their concerns, and meet them exactly where they are.

Method One

I was initially pretty much trained in Method One. Perhaps you were too. We got very good at coaching other coaches. We got very good at building the perfect coaching offers that would work for US, the coach. We reworked our branding and marketing, and we made offers – and, in response we got…crickets. Nada. Zilch. Or very little. 

Why? Because nobody actually knew, or cared, what we were doing. Because we didn’t find out what they wanted, and how they described what they wanted, and who they were, and what kept them awake at night… so it wasn’t really targeted at anyone!

Method Two

So now, I use Method Two. There are no guarantees of anything, of course – and this is where Vorth and Walue (see my last email) come in – because we NEED to know, and believe, that

1. Our work matters
2. Someone out there needs to see someone just like me delivering this message.
3. I’m building a large, meaningful body of work – nothing needs to be everything.
4. Nothing I do needs to be perfect to be good enough.

I believe these things implicitly, and they enable me – and ALL of us – to try, tweak, redirect, and try again, without becoming disheartened, and without giving up.

And, of course, I haven’t thrown Method One out completely – because I DON’T do any work I don’t love, ever. 

It’s just that the work I DO do, and the offers I make, are based on my clients’ experience, their stories, their desires, and their actual language.

To be clear, also, dear coaches, the work we do together in The Art of Coaching is not simply a nebulous, fuzzy exercise in good coaching practice (though we will address our coaching). 

It’s also a clear, uncompromising call to action and accountability. 

Why? Because people are hurting, and they need what we have, and someone out there is waiting for specifically what YOU have to offer. 

So let’s work together to support you in offering it.

Written by: Ali Duffey
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