What is the Value of a General Coaching Certification?

When starting your journey toward becoming a professional coach, it's not always necessary to immediately choose a specialty or niche.

Many coach training programs suggest that specializing right away is the key to unlocking true potential and achieving financial success. However, the skills taught in a solid, foundational coaching program are broadly applicable and durable. These skills include communication, leadership, creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, and analysis, among others.

There's significant value in beginning with a generalized coach training certification. This foundational approach equips you with essential coaching skills before you consider moving on to a more focused niche. Let's explore why this might be the best path for your coaching career.

Give Yourself Opportunities to Explore and Grow

When you make the decision to become a professional coach, you might have a clear idea of the niche you want to focus on – or many different ideas! However, as you grow and learn more about the field—and yourself—your interests might shift. It's completely natural for your coaching path to evolve over time, and most coaches end up in a different niche than they originally planned.

That’s why getting a generalized coaching certification at the start can be so beneficial. It’s like giving yourself a solid base camp from which you can explore the diverse landscapes of coaching. This foundational training equips you with versatile skills that are useful in many different areas, so you have the freedom to discover what truly excites you within the coaching profession.

At Lumia, we really embrace this journey of exploration. We encourage our students to treat their training period like a “test kitchen” – a space where they can try out different techniques and ideas without any pressure to commit to one direction right away. It’s a chance to play around, see what works, and what feels right, almost like trying new ingredients or recipes in cooking.

General Coaching Skills Touch the Human Experience

At the heart of the argument for a generalized approach to life coaching certification is an understanding that the human experience is a complex, multifaceted journey.

Life, with its challenges and opportunities, doesn't compartmentalize neatly into categories – and the problems that people have don’t either! The skills, frameworks, and insights gained from a generalized life coaching program are designed to be universally applicable, no matter what the situation calls for.

A generalized program lays down a robust foundation upon which one can build and adapt to various coaching needs. You’ll learn how to work with humans, how to grow your ability to actively listen, to think creatively, to problem solve, to become more resilient, set strong goals and so many more adaptable skills.

Understanding the fundamentals of human behavior, goal setting, motivation, and emotional intelligence equips coaches with the tools to navigate different coaching landscapes. From parenting to leadership, health to spirituality – the core principles, skills and techniques of effective coaching remain the same. It's about mastering the art of coaching itself, which can then be tailored to the specific nuances of any area.

More Resources:
The Art of Self-Coaching: Applying Coaching Skills to Enhance Your Personal Life

How Coaching Skills Can Help You Level Up In A Changing World

What are the general skills that coach training gives you?

Enhanced Communication Skills: Coaches learn to listen actively, ask powerful questions, and provide feedback in a way that is constructive and empowering. These skills are essential not just in coaching but in every personal and professional interaction, facilitating clearer, more meaningful conversations and better relationships.

Emotional Intelligence (EQ): High EQ is linked to better relationships, leadership, and personal well-being, making it a valuable asset in any context. This includes understanding and managing one’s own emotions, as well as recognizing and influencing the emotions of others.

Goal Setting and Achievement Strategies: Coaching is fundamentally about helping others define and reach their goals. You’ll learn how to set goals and develop effective strategies for achieving them. These techniques are applicable to personal development, project management, and organizational growth, offering a structured approach to success.

Adaptability and Problem-Solving Skills: You’ll learn to adopt a flexible mindset, learning to navigate change and uncertainty with grace which is crucial for problem-solving and innovation. This adaptability is increasingly important in today’s fast-paced world, where people must pivot quickly in response to new challenges.

Empathy and Relationship Building: Coaches are trained to build rapport and trust, creating a safe space for clients to explore their thoughts and feelings. This deep sense of empathy and the ability to forge strong relationships are invaluable, whether you're leading a team, nurturing personal relationships, or collaborating with others in any capacity.

More Resources:

What are Durable Skills vs. Perishable Skills for Life Coaches?

5 Transferable Skills That Will Help You Get Ahead In Your Career

The Soft Skills Every Leader Needs To Be Successful In Today's Marketplace

Bridging Gaps and Building Versatility

In an ever-evolving world, the ability to pivot and adapt is crucial. Ultimately, the value of a general, foundational life coaching certification lies in its flexibility, universality, and adaptability – where you go next is up to you.

For aspiring coaches, this means the opportunity to explore many diverse coaching niches without being pigeonholed from the start. It encourages a holistic understanding of coaching and personal development, allowing coaches to seamlessly transition between different coaching roles as their interests and the needs of their clients evolve.

The core principles of coaching apply across the wide range of human experience. A well-rounded life coaching education empowers you, as a coach, to master the art of coaching itself. It prepares them to navigate the nuances of various coaching domains with confidence.

Whether you're drawn to executive coaching, health coaching, or any other niche – the very first step in your journey should be a generalized life coaching certification. ‍

Ready to Become A Coach?

One of our values at Lumia is that we dare to be different. Our life coaches ignore the expectations society tries to impose on them and seek to live from their own truth instead. If you are ready to step into your power and you’d like a partner in the process, come check out Lumia Life Coach Training. Grounded in science, our ICF-accredited program features authentic instructors, a robust curriculum, and business instruction to prepare you for liftoff.