Have you received a service that was provided for free?
Not as a ‘hook in’ to encourage you to buy more but as a genuine offer of free service?
How did it feel? Did you value it?
What does it say to you when you hear that someone has provided their service for free. Not just on one occasion but on several occasions.
Eight free visits from an electrician, eight sessions of Personal Training for free, eight hours of valuable HR or marketing for free.
It sounds like there’s something wrong doesn’t it.
‘Don’t do it’.
‘Once you’re established as a coach, don’t provide free coaching sessions’
I remember being told this when I first started. ‘It’s ok to provide free sessions when you’re learning but don’t do it once you’re established’.
The sentiment was around the mindset of valuing yourself. If you don’t value yourself nobody else will.
The other aspect was the suggestion that the person being coached doesn’t necessarily value the coaching in the same way.
I ignored this advice and I provide pro bono coaching to the NHS. I’ve done this for six years. When I first set up my coaching business, I provided two or three 60 minute sessions a month. As my business has grown I have reduced this to one. I will maintain this commitment.
So why do I do it?
I have met some wonderful people, gained new perspectives and learnt to adapt my skills for different needs. As a coach you often don’t know what a client will bring. Uncertainty and the unexpected pushes a coach to master their skills.
But my main reason for doing it is because I know that I can help people to work on what matters to them. I have a skill and knowledge that I want to share, to impact positively.
So, do we appreciate what we get for free?
This depends on the mindset of the person receiving the coaching. The good thing is that a coach can work on mindset and get the best foundation possible for the sessions.
People who express an interest in coaching are people who are interested in self development, personal growth and insight and reflection, all in service of self -improvement, improving their role, their organisation and a better balance in their life.
Below is some feedback that I received from a client in the NHS who has come to the end of her pro bono sessions over seven months. In sharing this feedback, my intention is not to focus on me and my impact, but on the value that the client has communicated, despite it being zero cost.
When the coach and the person being coached have an intention of value, that’s what you get, on both sides.
This feedback is also testament to someone who was committed to improving, dedicated to putting the work in in between sessions and truly wanted to understand herself better. The perfect foundation for coaching.
I began our coaching sessions as a new senior manager within the NHS.. It’s reasonable to say that I felt out of my depth, uncertain and often bewildered! I recall initially feeling quite unsure about the areas that I wanted to focus on as there were so many. I couldn’t see the wood from the trees!
From our first session together, you put me completely at ease. You listened carefully as I presented you with a plethora of overlapping professional and personal challenges which felt overwhelming and didn’t make a lot of sense.
Nicky, your intuitive coaching style allowed me valuable space to pause and reflect and put some order to the chaos. Together we were able to make some sense of the common themes and I noticed very quickly how closely interlinked they were.
Over the course of each coaching session you supported me to identify “old habits” and situations that have historically triggered unhelpful responses. Together we developed a tool kit I could draw upon which allowed me to challenge deep rooted beliefs and adjust my response based upon my new-found insight and knowledge. During our time together we explored (amongst other areas!) imposter syndrome, lack of confidence, challenging conversations, my sphere of influence and my perpetual bad habit of mind reading!
I have learnt so much about myself and how my previous behaviours were impacting upon my performance at work and creating a barrier preventing me from reaching my full potential. I have grown so much through our work together. It is not excessive to say that your coaching sessions have been transformative and an absolute game changer professionally (and personally too!). You are amazing!
I know I provide value to my private clients because they tell me and they book sessions with me. To know that I provide the same level of focus and intention to a non-paying client gives me a different kind of value. One that tells me that I am consistent, giving my best, doing my best, regardless.