Switching between your Coach Hat + Your Consultant Hat
Something I’ve learned (mostly the hard way) is that being clear about what hat you’re wearing in client relationships helps A LOT.
I’m a Consultant.
And I’m a Coach.
And because I operate as one human those worlds are fluid and connected and all inside my head–and it makes me an amazing consultant but it’s also important that I’m up-front about it.
The reason I became a coach was because being a consultant wasn’t enough. It didn’t always solve my client’s problems. Because most of the time it’s not a circumstance that needs to be changed– it’s a mindset. Or a thought. Or a way of seeing something.
It’s an EMOTIONAL issue that is getting in the way.
And a new website is no match for that–without understanding so much more about the human who this website is for.
No beautiful logo or brand will stop you from having thoughts of inadequacy or imposter syndrome.
So, it’s super important to be clear with a client that I am a consultant-coach. I read between the lines. I ask questions about your questions–
Why DO you want a new logo?
Why AREN’T you posting any content?
Do you really hate Instagram? And if so, why??
The answers to these questions are just as important (if not more important) than the beautiful photos, the content strategy, the platforms you use, the canva templates you choose.
Those will not work if the thought work behind them isn’t.
So, maybe you’re a Coachsultant like me, here’s how you can explain this concept to clients.
Ask your clients what’s stopping them, and they can reveal to their thinking.
Listen intently, always holding space.
Repeat back what your client is telling you about why they don’t have the solution in place that they’d like.
Give them a clear understanding of the difference between Coaching and Consulting.
Help them say YES to the solution they WANT, not just the one you want to sell them. Sometimes I’m not a good fit for people because they’re not willing to spend on coaching and I’m up-front about how that would impact my ability to deliver what they’re looking for.
Create time for being a Consultant (ie, website meetings versus website coaching) where a client knows up front that coaching won’t be a part of the meeting, or consulting won’t be a part of the meeting. Create time for being a Coach, and let a client know up front that’s the hat you’re going to be wearing.
Tell them when you switch hats–better yet, ask them if they want you to switch. Sometimes I just say, “This seems like a coaching issue–do you want to dig into that work? Or stay here with consulting?”
I am so glad I’ve found this clarity around my roles because it has created such a better relationship between myself and my clients. I used to just be everything to them, and it was confusing for both of us.
Being in human (even work) relationships will still be work and might be confusing from time to time. The brain moves fast and without a client having awareness, they might not know they’re switching into a different mode.
It’s ok to be both a coach and a consultant.
Just switch your hat and acknowledge.
A 3-hour deep dive can be broken up into 2 parts– Coaching + Consulting.
I’d love to help you get the creative results you’re looking for. I offer 3-hour deep dives so we can dig into the problem and emerge with solutions.
I typically break them up into Coaching– “tell me what’s going on and what’s wrong and why you think it’s that way” and Consulting– “now let’s decide what we’re going to do about it.”
Sound intriguing?
If you’re a first-time client, schedule a clarity call with me here and I can answer any questions you might have.