Communication Coaching 101: Definitions & FAQs
Read up on the most important predictors of healthy relationships, and you’ll find that “great communication” consistently ranks near the top of most lists. Perhaps that’s why communication coaching has become one of today’s most popular self-improvement resources. When we embrace the challenge of becoming great communicators, our personal and professional lives flourish.
In this article, learn the ins and outs of communication coaching—what it is, how it works, and some of the most common FAQs clients ask.
What Is a Communication Coach?
A communication coach is a professional who specializes in helping clients improve their communication skills. Communication coaching focuses on developing cornerstone abilities, like confident speech, active listening, and clear articulation. This type of work serves individuals in a number of contexts including romantic relationships, entrepreneurship, and family dynamics.
To help clients develop key communication skills, coaches use a range of techniques, from role-playing exercises to personalized feedback. As a result, clients learn to overcome barriers like fear of public speaking, difficulty in articulating thoughts, or challenges in maintaining engaging conversations. In addition to working on shortcomings, clients also gain opportunities to double down on their strengths.
Communication coaches serve a diverse array of clients, including business executives, public speakers, couples, and individuals looking to improve their everyday relationships. Remember, at its core, communication involves at least two people. That means any relationship in your life may benefit from the support of a communication coach.
What Does a Communication Coach Do?
With this general understanding of communication coaching, you may still wonder what it looks like to actually work with one. While every coach offers their own methods, ideologies, and packages, here are some key functions you can expect from most coaches in the space:
Initial Assessment: You and your coach will start by reflecting on your current situation. Where are you today vs. where you want to be in the future? This initial step is crucial for setting a clear benchmark and understanding where you’re at in your communication journey.
Strengths and Challenges Analysis: As you get started, your coach may help you document your existing strengths and top challenges. This personalized approach informs the development of a highly personalized plan.
Goal Setting and Prioritization: After laying some initial groundwork, your coach will help turn those findings into actionable plans. This work typically takes place in the form of goal-setting and action planning. Coaches help identify the highest value areas to focus time and attention, optimizing the roadmap to reach your goals.
Check-Ins and Tailored Support: Consistent meetings between coach and client facilitate a deeper understanding of how they work best together. In-session work can be spent on any number of focuses. Think: practicing speeches, preparing for difficult conversations, discussing roadblocks, skill development, etc.
Great coaches adapt their approaches to suit the bespoke needs of each client. For many, that’s the ultimate value of coaching; it’s highly effective because it’s highly customized. As many find, the benefits of such a personalized journey don’t end at improved communication. Don’t be surprised if coaching also generates a boost in confidence, smoother relationships, and even career opportunities over the long term.
Examples & Use Cases
Communication coaching generally seeks to achieve predictable goals, however it serves people in different ways. For that reason, there are a handful of common use cases for this type of coaching. Think of these as “sub-niches” within the greater communication coaching landscape.
Couples Communication Coaching
Couples communication coaching is grounded in the belief that great communication is a cornerstone of healthy relationships. Coaching for couples helps with managing conflict, expressing gratitude, offering reassurance, and fostering vulnerability between partners. By developing these areas, couples can greatly improve the quality and depth of their interactions, leading to a more fulfilling and harmonious relationship.
The coaching process can be tailored to the needs of the couple. Some may choose to work together with one coach, creating a shared space for growth and learning. Others might opt for individual coaching sessions, focusing on personal communication skills that they can then bring into their relationship. Whether done together or individually, this couples communication coaching is a great bet for reinforcing the foundations of a strong, healthy partnership.
Business & Executive Communication Coaching
Some coaches may tailor their work to the world of business, where solid communication is crucial between founders, co-workers, and customers. The coaching here may emphasize how to clearly communicate decisions, skillfully navigate disagreements, and articulate ideas with clarity. Whether it's in a startup environment or a large corporate setting, mastering these skills boosts your odds of business success.
Drilling down within the world of business, executive communication coaching is an even more specialized branch. Leaders who lean on this type of coaching may work on their executive presence, public speaking, and confidently owning their roles in the organization. For executives, good communication suggests so much more; it reinforces your authority, influence, and the ability to inspire others.
Family & Friends Communication Coaching
Some people simply want to become better communicators for themselves and the most important people in their lives. That’s why for some, communication coaching is a tool that serves their relationships with friends and family.
Ultimately, any relationship in one's life—whether it's with a sibling, parent, friend, or partner—can benefit from the insights provided by a communication coach. Coaching is a tool to better understand the dynamics of your interactions and practical strategies to improve them. The goal here is to build stronger, healthier, and more fulfilling relationships in a broad sense. Far too often, communication is the missing piece holding people back from such outcomes.
Communication Coaching FAQs
Still have some lingering questions? For those wanting quick answers on the topic of communication coaching, we’ve got you covered...
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Most communication coaches today offer virtual sessions, which can be just as effective as in-person coaching and offer greater flexibility. The shift to virtual coaching is similar to the rise of web and mobile-based talk therapy services.
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Yes, coaching can help non-native speakers improve their communication in English-speaking environments. However, keep in mind that for more tactical language development, you may be better suited working with a language coach or teacher. For a non-native English speaker, think of communication coaching as a resource to learn cultural nuances, nonverbal cues, and tactics to better leverage your command of language.
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Some of the underlying principles and concepts of communication coaching stay consistent no matter the audiences. However, the beauty of coaching is that it is highly personalized. For example, if you need support with your communication in the workplace, the coaching experience can be tailored to those needs (assuming your coach has some experience in that area).
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Engagement lengths vary, but they typically range from a few months to upwards of a year. It depends entirely on the client’s needs and the quality of the coaching partnership. For some, the initial need for communication coaching may evolve into a more general desire for ongoing life coaching with no specific end date.
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A communication coach focuses specifically on improving communication skills, while a therapist addresses a wider range of psychological issues. Generally, coaching tends to look more to the future via goal setting and planning, while therapy addresses traumas of the past.
Hiring the Right Coach
Once you’ve determined you’d like to hire a communication coach, finding the right one is crucial. As we covered above in our “examples and use cases,” some of the best coaches tend to serve highly specialized audiences.
Your search for the right coach should begin with some deep reflection on your situation. In what contexts do you want to improve your communication? What are the characteristics of a coach who would be able to serve you from a place of authority and experience? Then, how do you go about finding that coach?
This process of hiring the right coach is a world in itself, and it’s why we created our 7-step guide on how to hire a coach. For those seeking to get it right the first time, this guide, along with our short-list of recommended coaches, are great places to start. Best of luck as you embark on a promising journey of self improvement!
