Stay Sane Coaching Family, Friends, & Co-Workers - #436

Barbell Logic

Stay sane while coaching family, friends, & co-workers. Successfully juggle dual relationships while getting good coaching experience.

Why Coach Family?

Before we talk about how, we must always consider why. Why would you consider coaching family, friends, and colleagues, and is it worth the risk?

For new or aspiring coaches, one major hurdles is acquiring experience and your first clients. New coaches typically get both experience and clients by coaching family, friends, and co-workers for free.

Too many aspiring coaches spend too much time considering coaching or thinking about coaching and maybe even studying the book knowledge for coaching. If you want to coach, you need to coach.

Family, friends, and co-workers can help bridge the gap from beginner coach to professional coach.

Is It Worth the Risk?

Only you can answer this question. You're balancing two relationships and two goals here.

You have the familial or friendly or professional relationship, which you hopefully want to maintain and improve.

On the other hand, you have the aspirational hobby or side hustle or even career of coaching, which requires you to coach people.

If you don't think your relationship can handle the additional risk or stress, then don't coach that person. Find someone else.

Stay Sane Coaching Family

Remember when coaching family, friends, and co-workers, that you're managing two relationships.

Different relationships may require different boundaries.

CJ discussed not talking work with his co-workers when he was in the gym. Rest time can be an indicator that too much talking is occurring.

Keep in mind what you want to get out of the session. If you're coaching for free, set a goal or intention for the session. That might involve requesting something from the lifter.

You might ask for a testimonial or take pictures. More simply, you may seek the coaching experience itself.

Be aware of emotions and work on your relationship skills. This applies for all clients, but you may be extra aware of this with your wife or boyfriend.

Try to avoid bringing life issues into the gym (or creating gym issues that go into the rest of your life).

Finally, remember that you don't have to have all the answers, you don't have to be the expert on everything, and as you would with any other client, be transparent and honest.

Coaching friends and family shouldn't and doesn't have to end with sleeping on the couch or tears.

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