What does it take to be a great strengths-based coach?
First, you’re going to need to be able to identify individual strengths and understand how to maximize those strengths within a team environment (that’s where Kolbe Indexes come in). It also helps to be well-versed in the art of coaching, which is why Kolbe Certified™ Consultants like Jessica Colston (7823) are such an integral part of Kolbe’s mission.
Kolbe Corp CEO David Kolbe recently sat down with Jessica, Executive Business Coach at Carson Coaching and the 2022 recipient of the Kolbe Professional Award for Individual Leadership in Building Conative Excellence, to discuss some tips for others interested in strengths-based coaching.
Jessica has a great deal of experience utilizing Kolbe both internally and with a wide variety of clients. She’s been able to help so many people identify and enjoy their instinctive strengths, and it’s in large part thanks to her expertise in Kolbe, as well as her expertise in coaching. When coaching someone, Jessica is great at getting them to a place where they are comfortable, where they feel a sense of psychological safety, so that they are able to open up and enjoy the process.
“Sometimes Kolbe gets brought in at times when there’s maybe a lot going on, and some strife or dysfunction,” Jessica explains. “And so, first I let them know that we’re here as positive reinforcement, and that we’re going to help give you better language to communicate with each other, even if we just walk away with that.”
Jessica has plenty of other advice for those who are just starting out as strengths-based coaches or consultants.
“I’d say get out to Phoenix and come to the [Kolbe] events in person,” she suggests. “They’re so powerful. Every time I walk away so energized and engaged in learning new things and relearning things. I think oftentimes we need to be reminded of simple things. Right? And so get out there. Don’t be afraid to screw up. You’re human.”
Jessica also says it’s important to lean on the master consultants, and to use your instinctive strengths to your coaching advantage.
“I would say that was something that was really important when I was questioning things. Just to turn to the partners there at Kolbe Corp, and to lean on them, and get to know the other consultants. Someone at KolbeCon brought up this concept that they had actually created a goal of doing a hundred consultations and marked them off as a new consultant, and I love that. Use your own Kolbe to help you find an energizing way to keep you going and explore.”
Things will not always be easy, she warns. But the payoff of empowering someone to identify and embrace their natural strengths is incredible.
“Kolbe just resonates so deeply,” she beams, “and I see the impact that it has when I can speak to individuals who might be uncertain about their strengths or might have hesitations about really delegating things out to other people and having things be a little bit different. It brings together one of these parts of diversity that is so important for us to understand and to respect and to celebrate each other, to create strong businesses and teams. I mean, it works.”
It has certainly worked for Jessica Colston. Can it work for you?
Are you ready to helps others identify their instinctive strengths and utilize those strengths to do the things they love most? You should become a Kolbe Certified Consultant!
Make sure to listen to our full conversation with Jessica Colston here:
