3 Ways Coaching Can Support Client Well-Being
Gallup’s 2022 Global Emotions Report revealed a historic high in negative emotions following the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on survey responses from 121 countries in 2021, the report highlighted record levels of stress, sadness, and loneliness — the highest since Gallup started tracking emotional health in 2006.
In today’s post-pandemic landscape, with more people prioritizing their well-being, coaches can have a greater impact by supporting clients on their well-being journeys. While many modern well-being approaches adopt a one-size-fits-all strategy, the nuances of well-being require a more personalized approach. Through coaching, individuals can benefit from a person-centered approach that empowers them to make and sustain positive changes in their lives.
Top Practices to Enhance Client Well-Being
Coaching centers on empowering individuals to realize their fullest potential, which requires considering their holistic well-being. This means taking into account the whole person and their physical, emotional, social, and spiritual self.
So how can coaches do this?
Your own self-care serves as a powerful foundation. Taking care of ourselves first ensures we can support others more effectively. In addition to cultivating your own self-care and well-being, there are additional ways to support the well-being of your clients. Consider exploring the following three approaches.
Commit to Empowering Client Growth Through Well-Being
Christian van Nieuwerburgh, an ICF Thought Leadership Institute Wisdom Weaver, advocates for coaches to “embrace that idea that the coach should always have the well-being of the client and their stakeholders in mind and give it equal weighting to the achievement of certain performance-related outcomes.”
Adopting a “caregiver identity” or mindset can shift your perspective on well-being, viewing it as a fundamental component to success rather than a compromise or a bonus. Coaching with compassion creates space for clients to focus on their ideal self. Empowering client growth through well-being can help clients in the following ways:
- Develop greater self-awareness regarding their well-being.
- Identify personal development needs and imbalances.
- Set holistic growth goals.
- Understand the importance of both caregiving and care-receiving.
- Improve communication skills to express needs effectively and foster more meaningful connections.
Ultimately, integrating well-being into coaching cultivates self-care, healthier boundaries, effective communication, and deeper interpersonal connections, enabling clients to strive toward their ideal selves rooted in intrinsic motivation and personal aspirations.
Increase Awareness of Cultural and Generational Perspectives
Understanding cultural and generational influences is important in delivering effective coaching that supports client well-being.
Building your cultural competence can help you more effectively navigate diverse cultural dynamics and tailor your coaching appropriately for your client. For instance, the concept of self-care may clash with cultural beliefs, and individuals from diverse backgrounds may have varied goals for self-care.
Another example is the cultural contexts of how individuals define success and happiness. Collectivist cultures prioritize community and family, while individualistic cultures emphasize personal achievements. Coaches must recognize how cultural traditions, norms, and expectations shape clients’ goals and life choices, impacting their overall sense of fulfillment and well-being.
Likewise, generational differences play a vital role in shaping well-being needs. Baby Boomers nearing retirement prioritize financial security, health care, and flexible work arrangements. Generation X values financial security, work-life balance, career growth, and flexibility. Millennials prioritize physical health, experiences, and appreciate support in managing finances. Generation Z focuses on personal connections, social and environmental awareness, and mental health.
Adopt New Technologies
There is so much technology available to complement your coaching and help create a more personalized client experience. Mobile apps and wearable devices have made it easier than ever for individuals to track and manage various aspects of well-being, including physical, emotional, social, and spiritual elements. Artificial intelligence (AI) tools can help build social connections with your clients or help clients uncover patterns and insights related to their well-being.
Immersive technologies like virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) provide an experiential approach that could be beneficial. These simulated environments can help clients overcome fears, manage stress, and improve their well-being. Coach Lucie Coudret, ACC, says that VR has enabled her clients to go deeper.
“Incorporating virtual reality in my coaching has particularly impacted the outcomes that I have in my coaching sessions. For one, we’re able to get deeper insights and evoke higher awareness than we would typically in a Zoom call or an in-person conversation,” Coudret shares. “So virtual reality helps the individual be more authentic because they’re totally immersed. They can’t help but act authentically and say things that are coming to mind based on the environment they’re in, and that has helped gain deeper insights.”
Looking to the Future of Well-Being
The relationship between you and your clients’ holistic well-being can be a powerful synergy. At the same time, global trends are redefining the trajectory of self-care to embrace a more inclusive model that connects personal well-being with societal and community welfare. This concept of caring for self and others acknowledges that social contexts fundamentally define self, so caring for self is caring for others.
As a coach, you are uniquely positioned to reimagine your role and impact as the concept of well-being continues to evolve with our dynamic lives and societies. If you are interested in learning more about the future of well-being and coaching’s role, visit the ICF Thought Leadership collection.
Alicia Hullinger, PhD (USA)
Alicia Hullinger, PhD, leads the global platform for futures thinking on how coaching drives societal well-being as the executive director/vice president of the ICF Thought Leadership Institute. A cultural sociologist, she collaborates with change agents who are committed to elevating human potential and increasing overall well-being for people and planet. Formerly a social entrepreneur, Alicia advised on cooperative models, sustainability, alternative agriculture, social movements, and coaching research. Holding a doctorate in sociology from the University of Kentucky and a coach training certification from Coach Academy International, her diverse background shapes a holistic approach to problem-solving. Among her many publications, Alicia collaborated with ICF Thought Leadership Institute researchers to publish “The Grand Challenge for Research on the Future of Coaching” in The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science.
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