“I collaborate with coaches and others who possess extensive knowledge.”

Kate Solovieva is a past psychology professor, a PN master coach, and the director of community engagement for PN.

This quote has become one of her signature phrases.

While Coach Kate has worked with thousands of “typical” clients, her true passion lies in guiding other coaches.

Through her role as an instructor for PN’s Level 2 Master Health Coaching Certification, a facilitator in PN’s private online coaching networks, and as a coach in her own private practice, she gains firsthand insight into the questions and obstacles new and experienced coaches face.

Coach Kate is aware of what other coaches are dealing with.

She’s witnessed the triumphs and the mistakes of thousands of coaches, and today, she intends to highlight three common errors she observes among them.

If there’s one thing Coach Kate desires, it’s to see her colleagues attain remarkable success; hence, her aim with this article is to assist coaches in:

• Overcoming feelings of paralysis caused by insecurity and doubt—and start expanding their business
• Learning to view their clients more objectively, ensuring they can most effectively meet their needs and aspirations
• Clearly defining their roles as coaches (a hint: they’re not what many coaches believe they are)
• Channeling their inherent passion and investment in a client’s success—without exhausting themselves in the process

We’ll explore three typical coaching errors, along with solutions to address them. Let’s dive in.

Coaching mistake #1: Concentrating on coaching rather than selling

Coach Kate likens a coaching business to a three-legged stool.

• There’s the coaching leg (representing your skills and knowledge as a coach),
• A selling leg (representing your capacity to market and bring in a steady stream of clients), and
• An administrative leg (covering how clients schedule appointments, process payments, and other organizational systems).

“Most people entering the coaching field begin with the coaching leg,” Kate remarks.

“They aspire to become the best coach they can, which is fantastic. However, to truly excel, information and theory alone are insufficient.”

As Kate emphasizes, “You cannot reach your full potential as a coach in isolation, merely conversing with yourself in your office.”

That’s why she recommends challenging the impulse many coaches have to wait until their knowledge feels “complete.”

Instead, she advises, simply begin selling.

Why?

Coaches who commence selling earlier also start coaching sooner.

In the long run, they will gain a competitive edge over those coaches who strive to be “the BEST coach they can be” by acquiring 12 certifications before offering their services.

On the other hand, the coach who “doesn’t quite know what they’re doing” but has started practicing already will begin to cultivate their business and their coaching expertise—and is likely to enhance their chances of overall success.

Solution: Remember to present yourself as a COACH, not an EXPERT

There’s a common tendency among aspiring coaches aiming for success to obtain those 12 certifications before starting their coaching journey.

“Often we cling to the optimism that we’ll eventually reach a level of confidence that allows us to handle any question that comes our way,” Kate explains.

As every coach understands, when you start sharing what you do, people will have questions. Frequently, those questions might stump you, leading to discomfort… even embarrassment.

(You’re meant to be the expert, correct??)

According to Coach Kate, the belief that you’re expected to be an authority with all the answers stems from a flawed assumption.

“When I engage in a coaching dialogue, my role is not ‘the expert’”