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How to Do It
74 Plays3 months ago
What does it actually look like to build a successful coaching practice grounded in a true coaching mindset—not theory, not ideals, but real, day-to-day application?
In this PRIME SPACE episode, Elias Scultori, MCC, is joined by master coach Amy Donovan, MCC, to answer the question many coaches quietly struggle with: How do we do this? How do we stay aligned with the coaching mindset when clients want solutions, answers, and quick fixes
Together, Elias and Amy unpack the practical realities of coaching at a masterful level—clarity of role, courage in client relationships, and the discipline required to resist slipping into consulting or problem-solving. They explore how coaches unintentionally compromise the coaching mindset out of fear, scarcity, or pressure to please—and how that compromise slowly erodes joy, impact, and sustainability in a coaching practice.
This episode is a powerful invitation for coaches to recommit to the transformational power of coaching, to educate clients through presence (not explanation), and to build practices rooted in integrity, confidence, and long-term change.
If you’ve ever wondered how to embody the coaching mindset—not just understand it—this conversation is for you.
Chapters
02:04 – The Core Question: “How Do We Do This?”
What it truly means to build a practice aligned with the coaching mindset.
02:16 – The Coach’s Identity and Role
Amy on self-perception, expertise, and informing clients how to use coaching effectively.
03:10 – Clarity About the Proposition of Coaching
Why confusion about coaching leads to compromise and misalignment.
04:20 – Resisting the Seduction of Giving Solutions
How solution-giving quietly undermines transformation.
05:37 – “They Think They Know”
Exploring client expectations and the coach’s responsibility to go deeper.
07:37 – Educating Clients Without Explaining Coaching
The power of silence, presence, and well-placed questions.
08:40 – Is It Really Possible to Do This?
Why a mindset-driven practice *does* work—and thrives.
10:48 – Scarcity, Fear, and the Courage to Say No
How fear drives misalignment—and how integrity creates opportunity.
12:58 – A Call for Coaches to Pause and Reflect
Reclaiming joy, presence, and commitment to the mindset.
Memorable Quotes
“Once we are clear about the proposition of coaching, there is no other way to practice.” — Elias Scultori, MCC
“When we slip into solutions, we choke off the opportunity for real transformation.” — Amy Donovan, MCC
“Education doesn’t happen when we explain coaching—it happens when clients *experience* it.” — Elias Scultori, MCC
“We are the stewards of our profession, and stewardship requires courage.” — Amy Donovan, MCC
“The coaching mindset is the source of your success.” — Elias Scultori, MCC
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Transcript
Introduction to Prime Space Podcast
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome to Prime Space, a Prime Coaching Academy podcast with your host, Elias Scultori Hello,
Extending the Coaching Mindset Series
00:00:14
Speaker
coaches. We had three episodes so far of Prime Space season four, and I thought that the three episodes, the first three episodes were going to be a series in itself. Well, it's I think there is one more episode for us to continue in the same line of thought here.
Summary of Previous Episodes
00:00:33
Speaker
And to continue with this topic of coaching mindset and the application of coaching mindset in our practices, I brought a friend over. Hello, Miss Amy.
00:00:46
Speaker
I snuck my way in here for this conversation. i like where this is going. I like it. I like it. i had to weigh in here.
Insights on Coach's Self-Perception
00:00:54
Speaker
I brought Amy over because what I would like to continue this thought process around coaching mindset is, okay,
00:01:03
Speaker
First episode, I was able to share with you my way of verbalizing and defining coaching mindset, which I believe is one of the least well-defined concepts of coaching that we have presently. So I gave my definition
Clarity in Coaching Identity
00:01:17
Speaker
of that. On the second episode, I kind of played devil's advocate because oftentimes we have these very lofty ideas ah of coaching mindset and coaches have trouble in the practicality of it, you know in the application of this coaching mindset, in their day-to-day practices, working with their clients and what the clients are expecting of the process.
00:01:43
Speaker
Well, but then on episode three last week, I had this interview with Michelle Tajudeen and she was very clear, and it was a beautiful example of someone who is tremendously successful in their practice,
00:01:58
Speaker
Because she was firm and grounded in the coaching mindset.
Commitment to Coaching Mindset
00:02:04
Speaker
So, Amy, let's talk about this. how How do we do this? What does it mean to build a practice that is in alignment with a coaching mindset?
00:02:16
Speaker
Yeah. I actually think, Elias, this starts with the coach's own perception of themselves. Who am I as a coach? And who do i who do I want to be as I continue to grow as a coach?
00:02:31
Speaker
I think one of the things, it took me a while to realize this, that they're in the coaching relationship, there is one thing I'm an expert in, and that is coaching. And if I approach my work with that and I start there, that means it's my job to inform the client how to use me best and and how to get the most from the coaching relationship as possible.
00:03:04
Speaker
And all of
Client Expectations vs Coaching Insights
00:03:05
Speaker
those things originate from the coaching mindset.
00:03:11
Speaker
That's so well put. Thank you for that. and you are describing this and I'm thinking here that the core issue, if I want to summarize what I noticed with coaches around this topic, is not being clear with themselves who they are.
00:03:32
Speaker
And what is the proposition of coaching? Because once we are clear about what coaching is, what we once we understand what is the power of this mindset and what what is the power of this, the proposition of coaching, then There is no other way. like Like, of course, this is what I'm going to be doing. And of course, I'm going to bring this to ah ah my clients. And yes, clients may not fully understand that proposition 100%, but it's our job to show them, to yeah to bring them and to be solid in this coaching mindset, just like Michelle mentioned last week.
00:04:12
Speaker
yeah And then the the clients are going to see what what this is about and they will not want anything else. And it one of the things, even though in coach training and most coach training organizations, it is just drilled into learners' heads that you know the client provides the solution. we it It still becomes seductive once you start coaching and that and it continues through in people's practices if you don't check it.
00:04:44
Speaker
You've got to check it at some point and say, i can provide value without that. And
Education Through Powerful Questions
00:04:51
Speaker
you're going to have to reinforce that case with your clients. You have to educate your clients.
00:04:57
Speaker
This is how it goes. This is how you're going to get the most value from me, from this relationship, and from this time we're spending together. What winds up happening is that so many coaches, I think, feel intimidated Because the client, we all know, we've all been in that situation. That client is driving hard to get answers, solutions, is perspectives from you.
00:05:26
Speaker
And that's what they think they want because they don't know how much more value they can get in the way that we do it when we use the coaching mindset. you You said the... the The magic war there. They think they know.
00:05:43
Speaker
Of course, when we ask a client, you know, what would be important for us to discuss here today? Even I'm i'm saying thinking of ah a specific session, but even in the the overarching agreement of the coaching process, if we ask the client, what do you need?
00:05:58
Speaker
ah without clear exploration of what is truly happening there. The client is going to say, i need to solve this problem because the house is on fire. I need to fix this issue. This is all that they can think of.
00:06:13
Speaker
The job of the coach is to support the client to go deeper. to support
Maintaining Coaching Integrity
00:06:18
Speaker
the client and to see things more broadly, including in setting what is the outcome of this process, what is the outcome of this coaching session, so that they are more aware of what is truly the core, the crux of the matter for them to address and get clarity in.
00:06:37
Speaker
yeah You know, it here's another interesting angle to this too, is that if you're your coaching and you get into the habit of consulting, consulting, coaching, but whatever it is, you know, um and you you start going there with your clients, you build that expectation that they're going to get more of that.
00:06:57
Speaker
And as they get more of that, and that becomes more the norm and the expected in the relationship, what you are choking off is the opportunity to work beyond problems and solutions.
00:07:11
Speaker
And that becomes the relationship. Problems, solutions, finding those problems, that you know answers to those problems and solutions versus helping the client to truly transform so that problems and solutions take on a new meaning and are handled in completely different, what what more sustainable ways.
00:07:33
Speaker
than just playing whack-a-mole with problems and solutions. And it reminds me of what I said, I think, in episode the second episode here, this idea that we are constantly educating our clients. And education does not necessarily mean that we are going to stop and describe what coaching is and and tell the client what is coaching and remind of the coaching proposition. the Education is in that moment that we pause.
00:08:00
Speaker
We don't say a word. That moment when we we ask ah a clarifying question, those are moments that little by little the client just knows, oh, wow, that question was powerful. We went into a ah dimension that I was not expecting. right Those moments are so crucial for us to be so grounded in the coaching mindset because it is right there that the client is going to not only hear what coaching is, but experience yeah the power of coaching.
00:08:32
Speaker
So I guess that the but the primary point here that we want to make here, the first point is that, first of all, it is possible. Yes, clients are are going to come expecting solution. Clients come without a clear understanding of the proposition of coaching. But if we are committed to the power of coaching,
00:08:54
Speaker
And to going deeper into the understanding of coaching within ourselves, and we bring this to the client, it will not only be possible to create a successful practice, but a powerful and transformative practice
Balancing Client Needs and Coaching Philosophy
00:09:09
Speaker
to our clients.
00:09:11
Speaker
Yeah, and a lot of this depends on who's who's your target market, i know then for lack of better term. Clients I work with, these are people who are very decisive. They know how to create solutions. They know how to solve their problems. But yet they there maybe want to be more strategic-minded, talk more about strategy or flaws in strategy or whatever it is.
00:09:36
Speaker
And that's all well and fine.
00:09:40
Speaker
But as the coach, I sit there and I say to myself, I can sit here and talk to you and we can know do this jargon thing back and forth and we can stay at that level. Or let's talk about it.
00:09:51
Speaker
What are you really trying to accomplish here? And how does that align with who you are and the legacy you want to leave? These are much more existential questions.
00:10:03
Speaker
that nobody expects to get into when they get into coaching because they're thinking problem, solution, strategy, all that kind of stuff. That's when we are engaged in the coaching mindset, it's all well and fine.
00:10:15
Speaker
ah You're very capable person. I know you can figure that stuff out. You just like having the space to talk about it and everything. Let's go. Let's pull out the big guns, though. Let's talk about what's behind all that.
00:10:28
Speaker
And how that's fueled by who you are and what you envision and how you enroll people in that vision. These are the places we get to go when we're engaged in the coaching mindset. And that's why I say we choke off that opportunity when we're not.
00:10:48
Speaker
It brings to me this aspect of the scarcity mindset. because it is right there because we are so afraid of losing the job losing the opportunity losing the client because we want more clients because i need more clients to my practice i need to so we start accepting and saying yes to certain things that take us out of integrity and take us out of the alignment and the proposition for us. So I love that what we talked about last week with Michelle, this idea of having the courage and really putting ourselves in that space of, yes, I may lose this job right now, but because I know of the power of this work, I'm going to get another opportunity over there that's going to be even more transformative.
00:11:43
Speaker
You know, it's so funny you say that. Michelle is such a great example. In the 30 plus years I've been doing this, Elias, I've probably walked away from more business than I've taken just for this reason.
00:11:54
Speaker
Because it just, the work didn't speak to me or the tail wanted to wag the dog, meaning the client wanted to tell me what to do. And this is my area of expertise. And I know some of my colleagues who've been in this as long as I have, I know they are miserable in the work that they're doing. They've told me they're miserable. in And because They've compromised this, and this has become the expectation for them. The analogy I would use is like the doctor that went to school to heal people, and here they are stuck in, you know, managed care hell, like, you know, and that's... it can very easily happen when we start to compromise this.
00:12:34
Speaker
But truly we we are the stewards of our own profession. You and I say this all the time. And if we are the stewards of our own profession, that means we have to continually educate and educate what this really is and where the power of it truly is and how that shows up and what you're not going to get if you keep your expectation and don't allow me to bring in my expertise. Yeah.
00:12:58
Speaker
And this is a ah call for all of us because if we are struggling, if you're struggling in getting clients, if we are struggling with the clients that we have, if we lost the joy of this practice, it's time for us to pause and reevaluate.
00:13:15
Speaker
Are we creating excuses here? Are we finding ways to misalign ourselves without even being conscious of it? ah What are the decisions that we are making when we engage with our clients? What is the presence that I bring to every coaching conversation? Am I committed to the power of this mindset every time i am over there? Or are these points of scarcity and fear showing up in a way that are affecting the way I bring the coaching mindset and the power of coaching to my clients?
00:13:52
Speaker
Yeah, real
Transformative Power of Coaching Mindset
00:13:53
Speaker
quick, I want to add on here though, and you probably have too, I've had several sparky conversations with some people who are some coaches who are providing a lot of solutioning and and things in their coaching.
00:14:08
Speaker
And they're sitting here maybe listening to this podcast going, yeah, well, I do it and I'm not miserable. I love what I'm doing. It's great and it's rewarding. My clients get a ton from it. Yes, they do. They do.
00:14:19
Speaker
What we're talking about here though, is unleashing and fully leveraging the power coaching can really bring. And listen, it feels great when you suggest something to somebody and they go, that's perfect, that's exactly what I need, and off they run and it changes everything that day, that week, maybe.
00:14:45
Speaker
It truly doesn't change everything because when we're really leveraging the power of coaching, it does change everything. There's seismic shifts that occur within people that create sustainable long-term change that they can build an even stronger house upon.
00:15:04
Speaker
And that's what we're talking about here. As we say yeah Prime Coaching Academy, we go a step further. That is the idea here. We are not just simply in in the transactional exchange with our clients, but we are really there to bring an extra level of potential to our clients. And that is the beauty of the coaching mindset. So listeners, you.
00:15:30
Speaker
The coaching mindset, the coaching mindset is the source of your success. The coaching mindset is the uniqueness of this practice. And it is right there that you can build a very successful ah practice if you commit to understanding it fully and to embodying it fully in your practice and in your day-to-day conversations with your clients.
00:15:54
Speaker
Amy,
Reflections and Closing Remarks
00:15:55
Speaker
thank you so much for being here. We are going to bring you back again. Yay. And listeners, thank you so much for listening. And don't forget to subscribe. Remember, we are in the final stages of open registrations for level one and level two at Prime Coaching Academy. So if you are considering, jump in. It's the moment. And I will talk with you next time.
00:16:19
Speaker
Take good care.