6 Reasons Why I Don’t Coach Everyone

I remember when I first started training as a coach, I was building up my coaching hours for my final assessment. I coached so many people from all walks of life and they all had different problems and goals. Some I could relate to more easily than others and that meant I was able to help those people more easily too. When I completed my training I set out trying to help anyone and everyone, partly because that was what I thought I needed to do build my reputation as a coach and partly because I really just wanted to coach.

I soon realised that I wasn’t helping my clients as much as I wanted to even though I knew I was a great coach. I couldn’t figure it out until I met my business coach. That was when I learned that in order to be the best coach I could be, I needed to focus my energy on helping one type of client. That way I could give more value and expertise to those people than I ever could being a jack of all trades but a master of none. I already knew which group of people I wanted to help and my career as a woman in finance had set me up perfectly to help them.

I now specialize in helping women leaders become confident and resilient so that they get the results they want for their career and their business. I’m doing this through 1:1 coaching and working with organisations, both of which I probably wouldn’t be doing if I hadn’t changed my focus to where my passion lies.

Reflecting back, I can think of 6 reasons why I don’t coach everyone.

#1 - I'm not a Jack of all Trades

I can either do one thing really well or lots of things reasonably well. I'd prefer the one thing. When clients work with me, they are making an investment in themselves and I'm responsible for helping them get results. I do that by fully committed to serving one type of person.

#2 - My Messaging wouldn't provide Value

My messaging in my content wouldn't be focused enough to reach my ideal audience and provide them with the value they need. Generic coaching messages could relate to anyone and no one.

#3 - The people I want to help wouldn't know that I can

Without a clear idea of who I serve, the people I want to help wouldn't know what I do or how I can help them. I used to struggle with telling people what being a coach meant and exactly who I helped when I first started out.

#4 - I don't have the bandwidth or time

This is a big one because if I pushed myself to help everyone without having the energy or time to do it, I'd end up helping no one. I'd rather focus on being a specialist, working with one type of person.

#5 - My Passion is helping to develop female talent

It's important to do work that you're passionate about and I enjoy helping women advance in their careers. Having the passion means I'm more engaged in my work and providing more value for women who've decided to invest in themselves.

#6 - I've been there and I know what it's like

I had moments in my career when I struggled and felt like I wasn't good enough to do the job. I know what it's like to feel stuck and overwhelmed, which is why I want to help other women get unstuck and find their confidence. Being a specialist coach means I can do that.

Think about it like this..

• Need heart surgery: see a GP or a heart surgeon?

• Need braces: see a dentist or an orthodontist?

• Need wedding hair done: see a hairdresser or a wedding hair stylist?

My focus on helping women leaders means I can give so much more to my clients through my messaging, expertise and experience. It’s easy to explain to others what I do and how I do it, while seeing first-hand the transformation that the coaching intervention brings to women leaders and their organisation.

What do you think about either being a Generalist vs. Specialist?