Here are three keys to use when choosing an online coach training program. They actually apply to selecting any coaches training course, and that is actually one reason you know that they won’t steer you wrong. The first is rigor. The second is mode. And the third is proven results.

Insist on Rigor in Any Program – Online or Off

You must have rigor in a good online coach training program. Coaching is serious business. It is science and it is art. And what is more there is a lot of each that you must master to be truly effective. Beyond coaching itself, you should also be taught the business side of coaching, if you expect to be financially successful. Look for an extensive syllabus, with plenty of theory and plenty of practice. Be very careful of training programs that promise “certification” too fast or too cheap. Remember that the coaching profession is unregulated and evolving. This means that while certificates from dubious programs frame-up just as nicely as those from legitimate programs, they will not serve you or your clients well in the long run.

You Cannot Learn Coaching without Coaching and Being Coached

Actually when people talk about online coach training, I believe they do not mean that all the training is done staring into a computer monitor. I believe that they mean training that is not done face to face. This includes training over the internet, but it also includes training over conference calls, and coaching and being coached over the telephone. This is critical because, while theory is important, coaching practice makes coaching perfect. In excellent programs that I am familiar with, each student is coached, and in turn coaches, more than 40 hours over an eight week period.

The Final Proof Is in the Results

As with any training program, the quality of the work of the graduates is the true test of the program’s quality. Look for testimonials from graduates and from their clients. Speak with current students and graduates. Look at the graduate’s websites and publications. Thought-leaders speak and publish information that advances their profession, and programs that train thought-leaders are often leading programs.

Use these three keys – rigor, mode and results – to guide your decision, and you won’t be disappointed in your online coach training or in your coaching career.

By the way… you’re invited to claim your FREE step-by-step “30-Days to Become a Coach” video toolkit. Just go HERE now to get your 30-day coaching blueprint videos.

Dave Iuppa
JTS Advisors Strategy and Accountability Coach