This “reality” holds true for everyone on this planet. Perceptions are like DNA or fingerprints! They are uniquely different to each individual! Every one of us will have a different perception about what we see, feel, smell, taste or touch. And when it comes to meeting other people, our perceptions are often a strong contributor to that “sixth sense’ that we experience when we evaluate someone based on non-evidentiary elements. When we meet someone for the first time, do we trust that person “instinctively”? Do we feel in “alignment” with that person? Would we seek that person’s “counsel”?
That all depends on our perception of that person! Perception is Reality and Reality is Perception! At least in the eye of the beholder!
And while someone else’s “reality” may vastly differ from your reality, one thing is for sure! When it comes to coaching, your client’s “perceived reality” is at the core of your ability to coach your client! And if your clients don’t perceive the value of your Unique Coaching Proposition (UCP), you will not have a profitable coaching practice!
So how can you guarantee that your UCP will not only deliver the results your clients are looking for, but also create the value your clients are prepared to pay you high-end coaching fees for?
In order to experience the value and results you are going to deliver as a coach, you must first create a “Perception Makeover”™.A “Perception Makeover”™ is an alignment of the perceptions your client has in three key areas:
- The perception of who they are! (Their self-perception)
- The perception they desire! (The perception they wish to project onto others)
- How to project this perception so that others will perceive them in a way that is aligned to their True Identity!
Here’s how you structure a “Perception Makeover”™ for maximum impact that will lead to permanent solutions for your clients! But just a word of advice! I highly recommend that you perform a “Perception Makeover”™ on yourself, before you start to administer it to your clients. If the personal perceptions you have about you and your coaching practice are not in alignment with your inherent coaching philosophy, the perceptions that you project as a coach will not be able to sustain the perceived value proposition your clients will come to rely on!
In my practice, I divide a “Perception Makeover”™ into three equal segments that are approximately 30 minutes each!
Part I - The Perception of "Who You Are"!
The first thing I impress upon my clients is the importance of reducing their reality to a level of perception. I want them to describe and evaluate “Who They Are” in terms of their perception of reality which is objective, because it is real to them!
As they list out any negative perceptions of who they are, I challenge them to substantiate their negative self-perceptions! Are they based on experiences from the past that objective in nature, or are they the result of long-held perceptions that have become part of the client’s current reality.
Albert Einstein was quoted to say “Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.”
Coaches are particularly vulnerable to this perception/reality syndrome, since much of their coaching is delivered in ways that transcends the stark confines of a perceived reality and brings them into the realm of what’s possible. Yet this is the realm where the client will create . . . .
Part II - The Perception You Desire!
In Part II, I reverse the process that was applied in Part I by elevating a desired perception to an actual reality (in the mind of the client)! If the perception of “Who They Are” did not meet their expectations in the past, then the perception they desire will produce the results that have eluded them in the past! Again, I want my clients to describe and evaluate “Who they want to be” in terms of a newly acquired reality that is often in stark contrast to the reality they experienced thus far.
But in this second phase of the “Perception Makeover”™, I crank up the accountability factor for my client! I am not interested in the perception they desire nor am I prepared to coach them toward such a perception . . . . . unless their desire is an ABSOLUTE MUST!
You cannot coach a DREAM!
If you’re currently performing a “Perception Makeover”™ on yourself, this is the time to take a reality check on exactly how you want to take your coaching practice to a new level. Is coaching for RESULTS and charging high-end coaching fees an ABSOLUTE MUST? Or just a whimsical wish or a capricious desire?
Once you determine (for your client . . . . or yourself) that it is an ABSOLUTE MUST, you’re ready for the final phase of the “Perception Makeover”™!
Part III - How to project the "Perception You Desire" onto others, so that they perceive you the way in which you want to be perceived.
In a world where “Perception is Reality and Reality is Perception!”, Part III is the “holy grail” for any coaching outcome! Once your clients are able to project the perception they desire onto those with whom they want to cement a relationship (a new partner, an employer, their family and children, their business enterprise, their church congregation or their community), they will unstoppable!
And once you perform a “Perception Makeover”™ on yourself and your coaching practice, you will be unstoppable!
Creating a “Perception Makeover”™ is a powerful and effective way to unleash your own potential and that of your clients! Doing this purposefully, authentically and with integrity will bring you an abundance of high-paying clients!
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About Allan
Allan N. Mulholland is the founder and president of PersonaCoach (Int'l) LLC, which provides training and certification for life & business coaches. He is the author of “Change Your Perception, Change Yourself!” and writes on all aspects of coaching training and development.
To get Allan’s free book “Clients Don’t Pay for Coaching. They Pay for RESULTS!” go to www.resultscoachmastery.com
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