UXR Pathways: Is independent coaching for me?
Like many UX researchers, I’ve been considering independent coaching as an alternative to corporate jobs in the wake of mass layoffs across the industry. But how feasible is it really? And do I have what it takes to be successful at it? To find out, I talked to UX researchers, research managers, academics, teachers, and product managers who became coaches in the last few years. Collectively, they busted 4 myths that I had believed about coaching.
Myth 1: Coaching is the same as mentoring or therapy.
Reality: They differ in scope, focus, and expertise required.
All 3 help people solve personal/professional development problems, but they differ in what and how they solve.
- Coaching is typically scoped to solving a specific problem that a client is stuck on. It focuses on the client’s present experience and future goals. A coach doesn’t need to have experience solving the exact problem that the client is stuck on, because a coach’s role is not to tell the client what to do but to help the client find the solution within themselves. The relationship between coach and client ideally ends when the client has found the solution.
- Mentoring is typically scoped around a specific problem at first but often extends beyond it. It focuses more on the mentor’s experience than on the client’s experience. A mentor needs to have experience solving the problem that the client is having, because a mentor’s role is to give advice on how to solve it. The relationship between mentor and mentee often evolves into a long-term rapport.
- Therapy is typically scoped to solving a mental health problem. It focuses more on healing from the client’s past experiences. A therapist needs a specialized Master’s degree and a professional license in the state where they’re practicing. The relationship between therapist and client ideally ends when the client has learned enough tools to manage their mental health problem.
Myth 2: You need a certification to be a good coach.
Reality: You need the mindset, skills, and ethics of a coach.
Coaching is an unregulated industry today. That means anyone can call themselves a “coach” and start a coaching business without a special degree or certification. However, good coaches need the following:
- Mindsets: growth mindset, interest in people and their problems, committed to continuous learning and self-development
- Skills: active listening, questioning, communication, emotional intelligence
- Ethics: upholding legal and moral responsibilities to clients, being clear on what problems you are vs. aren’t qualified to solve
One way to gain these is through a formal coach training, certification, or certificate program.
- Some coaches prefer programs accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), because they want to learn from a standardized curriculum, and their target clientele (e.g, certain businesses) require ICF certification.
- Other coaches prefer non-ICF accredited programs, because they prefer a more intuitive or flexible style of coaching over the ICF’s rigid structures, and/or formal certifications don’t appeal to their target clientele.
You can also learn good coaching mindsets, skills, and ethics outside of formal programs. (e.g., Youtube videos, podcasts, books, etc.)
Myth 3: You need senior management experience to be a good coach.
Reality: You need to actually coach.
Senior management roles may help you gain coaching experience with direct reports, but they’re not the only way.
- You can also gain coaching experience by practicing on your own with friends and family, on peers in a coach training or certification program, and on free or paid clients. Just talk to people about their problems and ask for feedback on if/how your coaching was useful.
- Many people have become successful coaches without senior management experience.
Having senior management experience can help you attract clients who value that, but most clients don’t care about your resume — they just care if you can actually help them solve their problem.
- Not having corporate experience has even been an advantage for some coaches, because they’re less trapped by corporate thinking around how things are “supposed to” be.
Myth 4: There are limited ways to make money as a coach.
Reality: Your creativity is the limit.
Many independent coaches have built 6-to 7-figure businesses.
- Unlike other services that charge based on the value of your time (i.e., hourly rates), coaching services often charge based on the value of the outcome or transformation you’re helping the client achieve in their life. That transformation is often worth far more.
Examples of paid services that independent coaches offer include 1:1 coaching, group coaching, masterminds, courses, workshops, webinars, coach certification programs, consulting, etc.
- Independent coaches create and iterate on new offerings all the time as they evolve themselves and their business. It’s YOUR business! Nobody can tell you how to build it.
If you want a stable paycheck, coaches can also find full-time jobs in schools, non-profits, and companies.
This article is Part 4 of 4 in the “UXR Pathways” series: