Medical Esthetics
 

Calendar of Articles for 2010

THE ART OF COACHING CLIENTS


Coaching for skin care involves a series of approaches that help clients and patients to recognize the importance of treatment services, be more compliant and to build better self-care skills. It includes all that it entails for a member of our clientele to better care for their own special needs. With the guidance provided by aesthetic specialists both patients and clients can make better decisions when purchasing products and choosing therapeutic services. It is an innovative way for our client’s and patients to surround themselves with relevant information to support more positive and definitive outcomes. Coaching is centered on the client’s expressed interests and their objectives. In the world of skin health, an aesthetic coach has a new role. It is becoming a recognized way that clients can manage their own skin problems.

There are several different coaching methods that can be used initially by skin care service providers which can all help to get to the root of the client or patient’s problem and encourage them to take more accountability for their skin conditions. Aesthetic coaching leads to greater awareness and is more formal and structured than merely offering advice or simply sharing. The skin care specialist’s job is to highlight all the possibilities, transfer specific knowledge pertinent to the client / patient’s issues, set up reasonable expectations for home care models, monitor feedback and do what is necessary to empower the client with personal confidence so they can feel as if they are capable of reaching their specific goals. Combining these aspects of care makes the skin care specialist more accountable for the overall plan and results of follow-up treatments including but not limited to home care applications. Skin care coaches have a more empathetic understanding of the emotional impact that problematic conditions make on their client’s and patient’s lives.
Skin care coaching is not consulting or counseling. The coach never does more than the client. The client takes the incentive and the coach assists by mapping out a series of actions for the client / patient to participate in. The coach uses encouragement to bring the necessary behavioral changes about. Skin care coaches must be able to recognize the capabilities in their client / patient ahead of time.

Coaching – The Big Picture:
What makes consulting so interesting and challenging is that every client / patient is unique – each project is just as distinctive as the coach themselves.

· Profile of a Highly Reputable Consultant –
· Strong character & values
· Great social skills
· Capable of making a positive first impression
· Ability to convey trustworthiness thru straightforward body language
· Skilled at presenting logical ideas
· Persuasive
· Creative & innovative
· Visionary spirit
· Highly motivated

An extraordinary ability to analyze, make connections, & to draw conclusions
An aptitude for forecasting potential trouble spots before they develop into major obstacles and more importantly, a well thought out plan for if they do turn into difficult problems

An aesthetic coaches expertise is established by his or her education, experience, jobs or positions previously or presently held, titles, accolades, long-term professional reputation & on-going accomplishments and almost as important as all of the other factors mentioned by his or her freedom from bias. A coach t should project an image that is perceived as:
· original
· natural
· unassuming
· thoughtful
· correct
· convincing
· not blinded by his or her own opinions

Coaches  Must Have the Ability To:
· Organize their thoughts in a short period of time
· Express their thoughts well
· Fulfill the requirements of their assignments efficiently
· Develop many strategies for their client’s career or business survival
· Develop many strategies to protect their clients from professional opponents

A Coach’s Ultimate Goal Should Always Be To Provide Strong & Sufficient Support To Their Clients Disastrous Practices:
· Solutions that are too complex & time-consuming to be beneficial
· Inability to ask concrete questions for assertions resulting in inaccurate depictions of problems from the coaching clients standpoint
· Non-productive treatment strategies
· Underlying motives – emphasis on special interests
· Poor organizational principles
· Insufficient preparation & planning

How to Identify Yourself as an aesthetic Coach:
· Establish undisputable credibility – take courses to familiarize yourself with the foundations of coaching
· Be definitive - do not present ideas you cannot support – do your research - refer to facts
· Acknowledge counterarguments respectfully – go deeper by asking the right questions
· Avoid absolutes – never present ultimatums to a client
· Make concessions if necessary but only if the outcome will not jeopardize your clients interests in any way
· Do not do anything regardless of the justification that will offend your client’s integrity or compromise their values in any way
· Keep the client aware of their growth and development as they progress toward self- improvement
· Keep client thinking & brainstorming with you
· Use quotations, surprising statements, imaginary scenarios or anecdotes to get your point across
· Set up standards and establish a methodology for building onto pre-existing home care skills
· Make sure your expert recommendations are assertive & clear to your skin care clients
· Be certain that your client knows that you are their coach and that ultimately they are in charge – this is the biggest difference between being a coach and a consultant
· Lastly, praise your client’s efforts and give them as much positive feedback as possible

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