The Collaborative Nature of Life Coaching



Becoming a life coach and earning your coach certification has been on trend for many years. But what does becoming a life coach really mean, how can you ensure you are getting the best life coach certification training, and why do you need to excel in collaborating? Life coaching is a two-way relationship between coach and client – collaboration and a safe space in which to communicate is vital. 

Why is Collaboration Important? 


First of all, to get a client is not easy so when you do get one you want to ensure you are doing your best to cultivate trust and create a safe, supportive environment that allows the client to share freely. In your first session with a client, the goal is to establish a rapport and learn why your client wants a life coach and what in their life they want to change. This could be anything from establishing life/career goals to strengthening communication skills and their relationships.  During these sessions, coach and client work off each other reading verbal and nonverbal cues trying to understand each other. A lot of what you will need to pick up as a coach are nonverbal cues, when you ask them about relationships, do they cross their arms or avoid eye contact? This may show they are uncomfortable or not ready to talk about that topic, so it is up to you to take a step back and build a strong foundation first.   

Just as a conversation is a two-way collaborative effort, so is coaching. As a coach, you will need to encourage your clients to talk about deep, personal, and sometimes uncomfortable topics. This means you need a strong foundation and partnership, which can be done through establishing a relationship, providing support outside of sessions, and always being fully present in the sessions – clients can pick up on if you are not fully conscious and present. As there is no one size fits all coaching plan, getting the information you need from your clients to help them achieve what they came to you for is essential. 


Improve Your Collaboration Skills 


Now that we have talked about why collaboration is so important, you are probably asking yourself how do I develop these skills? Well, there are many ways you can do this, first, any worthwhile coaching program should have modules about communication and relationship building. Second, here are some simple tips to improve your collaboration skills: 

  • Be an active listener 
  • Refine your communication skills through an online communication course or learn about people’s different communication styles 
  • Develop your emotional intelligence 
  • Seek out different perspectives, being able to understand different perspectives is a key part to being a successful collaborator  
  • Recognize others 
  • Be accountable and do you part, this allows people to trust you and want to collaborate and work with you more 

These tips are helpful to anyone in all aspects of life, not just life coaches. If you are interested in learning more about professional coaching or the path to become a certified coach, take your time and do your research to ensure you are taking an industry-recognized accredited program.  


Written by Lindsay McKay

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