Our belief is that not all forms of coaching are equal. At Animas we’ve chosen to champion transformational coaching, and specialise in it, because we believe it to be the most effective form of coaching for long-term change. Transformational coaching is about facilitating change to achieve sustained success with long-term goals. In this article we will explore what transformational coaching is, some of the necessary aptitudes for a transformational coach, as well as sharing next steps when considering how to become a transformational coach.
Why transformational coaching?
Transformational coaching focuses on equipping the individual with the resources they need to identify where they are now, where they want to be, and how they can achieve this. It’s about opening up possibilities and room for growth, whilst also fostering self-reliance and awareness.
Transformational coaching embraces many of the elements of different coaching philosophies, within the umbrella of transformation. This makes transformational coaching as relevant for performance coaching as it is for developmental coaching, for example. However, it goes to a deeper level where assumptions, beliefs, expectations and attitudes all come together to be understood and challenged. At its core is meeting the needs of the client. Transformational coaches can work with much more complex issues than other coaching models.
So, how do you become a transformational coach?
If you want to work with clients on a broader and deeper level then it is likely that transformational coaching will appeal to you, as it does to us. As with all forms of coaching there are certain skills and aptitudes which need to be developed and refined before considering transformational coaching as a career.
Based on our experience in the field, those suited to becoming transformational coaches themselves have often seen transformational change in their lives, and in turn can facilitate transformation in the client. This deeper level of work will require someone who is stable, focused, and calm, and able to facilitate positive change in the client through the creation of a ‘safe’ environment, psychologically. It is arguable here that a high level of emotional intelligence is imperative. Sitting underneath all of this will be an innate desire to help others, and in turn make a positive impact on the world through coaching.
Broad-based transformational coaching skills
Only once the above aptitudes are ‘given’ is it time to look at specific training, and your journey to becoming a transformational coach. This will take the form of acquiring coaching skills, and gaining coaching knowledge.
For transformational coaches it is essential to develop a broad range of coaching skills. The nature of the beast is that you are going to need to draw on a wide variety of skills and techniques, so you cannot simply become a transformational coach without investing heavily in your own self-development and skills bank. Remember that the best transformational coaches are those who are client-led and adapt their skills to each specific situation. You can only do this if you have a broad base to work from.
At the cornerstone therefore is real-life practice. Hence, we include practice-based learning within every module of our in depth transformational coaching training.
transformational coach training
Transformational coach training will equip you with the knowledge and approaches which will fundamentally enable you to be a transformational coach. You will need to partake in an in-depth transformational coaching training course. As this area of coaching is still evolving, not all courses are created equally either.
At Animas we have developed an ICF (International Coach Federation) and AC (Association for Coaching) accredited and well-renowned Diploma in Transformational Coaching with strict assessment criteria lending gravitas to the final qualification.
The training course takes several months to complete, and is delivered through online learning in virtual training environments. However, don’t think that you can undertake such transformational coaching training without the willingness to develop a greater degree of self-awareness. The two go hand in hand. Good transformational coaching courses do, by their very nature, involve anything but a passive learning approach! The rewards are profoundly worth it.
The Diploma in Transformation Coaching will give you the knowledge, skills, and grounding needed to work as an advanced transformational coach by working with an individual’s personal paradigm.
The course itself comprises of five core modules: Foundations; Cognition; Presence; Transactions; and Paradigms. In itself, the course takes you on your own journey from acquiring the key principles of coaching, through practice within the safety of the course, to ultimately preparing you for real-life clients.
Next steps
Ultimately, no route to becoming a transformational coach is linear. The skills and aptitudes needed are developed along a journey, in which professional training is but one important element.
If this article has piqued your interest in becoming a transformational coach, and you’re interested in exploring your next steps you can find out more about attending one of our free virtual introductory days below. These days are designed to offer you more of a taster of what transformational coaching is, what it’s like to train with Animas as well as offering a space to ask any burning questions you might have. We hope you enjoyed this article and look forward to meeting you on one of our virtual introductory days soon!
