Andy Anderson Charles is our guest today - and he is here to share some of the 15 years of coaching experience such as: what it takes to offer coaching services, what clients should expect from coaches and how coaches maintain their various business activities. I'm sure you'll be as fascinated as I am about this.
Andy is a Security Practitioner who owns a protective service agency, an Inspirational speaker, a singer, a writer, a podcast host, and offers Life & Development Coaching services.
Interestingly he is certified in multiple areas: public speaker, speechwriter and life coach and holds an MBA certification in International Business. He is also a member of Lions Clubs International where he was awarded a certificate of recognition for his work as a Membership Coordinator by the International President.
Andy invites you to drop by his FaceBook page, blog or visit his main website at: AndysPersonalDevelopment.com
World Of Coaching - Interview
Q: What was the journey that led you to your current position?
A: There was a time in my life when I had no fulfillment and I lacked purpose, even though I was successful in business, the passion for living was gone, and I felt as if I had somehow missed my calling. So, I knew that if I could not find my true self, then I would become depressed and do something stupid. So, I started reading the Bible from cover to cover and realized three things.
1. God created me for something specific and I had to discover what that something was.
2. He created me to build a relationship with Him and I had neglected to do that.
3. Discovering my destiny through my gifts and sharing them with the world was the pathway to my purpose, and I realized that being created and placed here was like the Universe investing and we owed it some measure of return. I firmly believe that this is my time to give some return on the investment.
A: My first passion was always to help people discover their purpose simply because discovering mine was the turning point in my life, and so I became a Life & Development Coach.
Additionally, I was once a victim of Withdrawal and Anxiety, and when I studied and pulled my way through to recovery, I knew that I had to help many who were struggling with the same thing as well. So, whether it is a team or individual, anyone struggling with those challenges I am happy to coach or mentor.
Q: Describe your ideal client, the people you want to coach or mentor.
A: Firstly, that person must be coachable and willing to be led to the point of genuine self-discovery. They must be willing to do the work assigned to them and be brutally honest about the internal struggles and challenges that they face. Ideally, they must want to be a better version of their current selves.
Q: How should clients prepare for working with a coach or a mentor?
A: The very first step is to recognize that they are going to enter a relationship where trust and confidentiality are of the highest order. They must be patient about the process and have an open mind about their expectations, and they must also be honest and open about what their truth is. Additionally, they must want more for themselves by setting goals and deadlines. Above all, be prepared to embrace discoveries.
"It’s all about them and never about me,
wherever they lead I accompany them,
and they get to decide the pace
and the result."
Q: What are some of the best time management skills that you have learned so far?
A: I have never believed in managing time since it is the one element that is always moving, but what I do is place real value on the things I know are vital and place that additional premium value on what I do with the time allotted to me, and so, the idea is to invest time and not just spend it. Finding ways to leverage the opportunities that time offers as well as, managing myself by listing what is the priority and the things that have the greatest ROI.
Q: How do you generate new ideas?
A: By taking risks, and by daring myself to act outside of the box, it is about having the mindset to experiment a little, to listen to everybody but to discover what works best for you. The thing is, you don’t know that you don’t know until you know that you don’t know. It is always better to start that way because it leaves room for discoveries.
Q: How do you balance giving attention to all your clients?
A: Wow; such a great question. I think that Coaches must see each client as a singular and unique experiment that is ever evolving, and they all require meticulous attention, it would mean being able to be fully present in the sessions and pay attention to details by keeping copious records.
It also means that my time spent with them, and the follow-ups done, must be based on their individual originality and needs. Ideally, you must manage the time between clients to allow for the time to work on yourself because being fresh for each one of them makes a world of difference.
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A: For me, it’s all about having been there and done that, I am coaching not just from a place of training or qualification, but from a place of practical experience.
My sessions are never always the same because I tend to take that walk with my clients to a place they have not been before, and I am always prepared to shift gears and go to a place of comfort or solace, distress, or a place of familiarity to get the right sense of how they feel while at the same time facilitating their need to discover the direction they should take.
Q: Could you share some of the learning experiences with us?
A: I have learned from my clients that most people just want to be loved, understood, and accepted for who they are, and I have also learned that we love playing roles; we love being different versions of ourselves without being ourselves at all. You know; I play one role when I’m at home but when I’m at work I play another role.
That is not healthy, because we must realize that we are functionary and not theatrical, no matter where you are or who you are with, just be you.
Once in Group Coaching, I discovered that people often criticize others for what they see in themselves and cannot manage, and the challenge for me was to get them to focus on firstly the shared goal, and secondly to consider each other as a part or organ of their body which they need to function, without which they could not achieve the goal.
Working with people is all about discovery, it’s all about exploring new territories and making better choices, ultimately, it is not work for me because there is so much to enjoy and appreciate.
Thank you, Andy, for sharing entrepreneur insights into the world of coaching !
ReplyDeleteThank you for the opportunity to share my gifts with your audience.
DeleteYou are most welcome :)
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