Expert Guide to Working with an Empowerment Coach
We live in an era of empowerment, with endless opportunities to become the stars of our own movies. But for some, there’s a catch: How to become more empowered isn’t obvious. To a large extent, it’s a skill and mindset that needs developing.
Enter empowerment coaching, a breakthrough resource for those eager to improve their sense of empowerment. In this quick guide, we explore this resource, what’s involved, and how to find a great coach to start your journey.
What Is an Empowerment Coach?
An empowerment coach is a trained professional who helps individuals feel more empowered in life and work by focusing on key areas related to empowerment—often including confidence, resilience, and communication. They help unlock a person's potential to maximize performance and improve self image.
Empowerment coaches work with clients to identify goals, develop skills, and plan significant life changes. They often use techniques from psychology, neuroplasticity, and habit formation to guide their clients toward success.
Through sessions that are often conducted one-on-one or in groups, these coaches provide the tools and support needed to see tangible progress. Their aim is not just to inspire, but to help clients make sustainable changes that positively impact their lives.
Defining Empowerment
Before going any further, let’s quickly align on the core of this coaching niche: Empowerment. What exactly is it?
Generally, empowerment involves increasing one’s autonomy and self-determination, in an effort to better represent and pursue their interests. For some, empowerment is about speaking up in the workplace. For others, it takes a broader lens and may relate to gaining visibility in politics or society.
The point is, empowerment is different depending on the individual. And that’s what makes coaching such a great resource for those wanting more empowerment. Coaching, too, provides a unique experience for each individual, offering a highly personalized approach.
4 Reasons to Try Empowerment Coaching
For some exploring this wellness resource, it might your first time learning about it. Empowerment coaching is a rising niche within the coaching space, but you still may now know why or when exactly to give it a try.
Here are some of the most common reasons or personal experiences that suggest you may get lots of value from this type of coaching.
1. Feeling Stuck in a Rut
If you find yourself repeating the same unfulfilling patterns or feel that your personal or professional growth has stalled, empowerment coaching can offer access to fresh perspectives. A coach helps you identify underlying causes of stagnation and develop strategies to overcome them.
As a result: You will experience renewed motivation and a clearer vision for your future. Empowerment allows you to take decisive steps towards achieving your personal and professional goals, transforming how you approach challenges and opportunities.
2. Seeking to Find Your Voice
If you're finding it challenging to articulate your ideas or feelings, whether in personal relationships or during team meetings at work, empowerment coaching can help. Coaching helps develop your core values and opinions clearly and assertively. This personalized, confidential support is crucial for those who might feel sidelined or misunderstood in various ways.
As a result: You'll develop the confidence and communication skills needed to assert your perspectives effectively. Increased empowerment enhances your ability to engage more meaningfully in relationships and take on a more active, influential role in the workplace.
3. Fear of Failure
It’s completely normal to be held back by a fear of failure. The best thing you can do is explore ways to overcome fear, as it can prevent us from taking risks or trying new things. Coaching is a great solution for just that. Think of it as your place to address fear head-on, helping you to understand and address the underlying anxieties that contribute to it. With a coach's support, you learn to reframe failures as opportunities for growth and development.
As a result: You'll build resilience and adopt a more positive, growth-oriented mindset. This shift enables you to embrace challenges with confidence, knowing that each setback is a stepping stone to greater things on the horizon.
4. Finding the Driver’s Seat of Life
For those feeling as though life is happening around them without their active participation, empowerment coaching offers a pathway to regain control. Empowerment coaches help you more actively shape your destiny by getting proactive about life. They’ll help you set clear, actionable goals, supplemented by strategies to achieve them. With the right support, don’t underestimate just how effectively you can bend the universe to your will!
As a result: You'll experience a shift in agency and self-efficacy. With newfound confidence and skills, you’ll find yourself making decisions more proactively and taking charge of the direction of your life.
What’s Typically Involved in Coaching
Let’s get into the brass tacks of what’s typically involved in coaching. While everyone offers different packages and value-adds, coaching usually looks similar. Here’s a closer look at what you can more or less expect when engaging with an empowerment coach:
Initial Assessment & Goal Setting: In your initial sessions, you and your coach will work together to assess your current situation. This assessment usually evolves into setting some clear, achievable goals—building the foundation for your coaching journey.
Consistent Sessions: Coaching usually involves weekly or bi-weekly sessions, each lasting anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. These sessions are a time for reflection, learning, and strategy development.
Between-Session Exercises: To maximize the impact of coaching, you’ll often be given exercises to complete between sessions. These might include journaling, reading, breathing exercises, or practical tasks designed to apply what you’re learning.
Text-Based Support: Many coaches offer support via text or email to provide guidance and maintain momentum between sessions. This ensures you have continuous support when facing challenges.
Feedback and Adjustment: Your coach will provide regular feedback on your progress and help adjust strategies as needed. This ensures that your coaching remains relevant and effective as circumstances evolve.
Skill Development: A key focus in many types of coaching is skill development to empower your personal and professional growth—think: decision-making, communication, and leadership.
Accountability: Regular check-ins with your coach create a highly effective accountability system. Your coach helps you maintain motivation and continuous progress toward your agreed upon goals.
Coaching is a dynamic and interactive process. Part of the beauty lies in the flexibility of the experience to be personalized to YOU. It’s meant to meet you wherever you are in your life or career.
Empowerment Coaching FAQs
Looking for some quick answers to your coaching questions? CoachRnaks has you covered with answers to some of the most common questions related to this coaching niche.
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Yes, empowerment coaching may focus on enhancing the personal and professional lives of those who experience marginalization, including women or underrepresented racial groups. That said, it can be beneficial for anyone—feeling empowered is a key part of a fulfilling life.
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Yes, empowerment coaching can effectively be conducted virtually. This flexibility allows clients to connect with coaches from anywhere, making it more accessible for individuals regardless of location—plus, you can save on commuting costs!
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Progress is measured through personal milestones set by the client and coach. These may include achieving specific goals, noticeable improvements in self-confidence, decision-making, or overall well-being.
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Coaching costs vary widely based on experience, the length and frequency of sessions, and program's specifics. Rates can range depending on what you’re getting. As an example, coaches endorsed by CoachRanks tend to charge between $250 to $750 per month, depending on package specifics.
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Not all life coaches specialize in empowerment. While many can assist in fostering greater personal empowerment, some coaches are more specifically trained around this topic, particularly when it comes to empowering marginalized groups. Generalist coaches can certainly help, but may not have the same depth of expertise in this specific area.
Choosing the Right Coach
If and when you decide to embark on your search for the right coach, we hope this guide serves you well. We’ve written before about how to hire a life coach, and the steps offered in that article certainly apply here.
Finding the right coach is equal parts art and science. Yes, you should find someone who specializes in your areas of interest. But just as importantly, you should find someone with whom you’re compatible. Coaching is a personal experience and a meaningful investment—so it follows that you should really enjoy spending time with your coach!
For some help with your search, check out CoachRanks’ short-list of recommended coaches using the button below. We endorse our featured coaches very selectively—as part of our vetting process, we receive coaching first-hand to ensure anyone on our site is worth the endorsement. Best of luck to you in finding a great coach!
