#74: Mark Bixter – To See the True Value of Coaching, Look Beyond the Fees
Does the coaching industry privilege the boardroom over the community? Is the intrinsic value of our work reflected in our earnings? And what is the potential impact coaching can have in communities that often have less access to coaches?
These questions and many more are explored in this episode of The Coach’s Journey Podcast, by host Alex Whitton and his guest, Association for Coaching master-accredited coach Mark Bixter.
Mark has applied his coaching skills in a wide variety of settings, working with people who are often unable to access coaching, including in prisons and with those in underprivileged communities. In this episode Mark reflects on how he has created a sustainable and accessible coaching business that aligns with his values. He also discusses the dialogue that is needed about who is and who is not being served by our profession.
When people hear the words “coach” or “life coach”, they often imagine a person who has achieved some kind of perfect alignment and lives in total harmony with the world. But like many coaches, Mark arrived at the profession following a tumultuous period of his life, and his journey is both relatable and moving.
A former actor and food critic, and an accredited celebrant, Mark reflects on the ways all aspects of his life have informed his strengths as a listener and also his growth areas, such as challenging his clients when they need it.
In this episode, Mark and Alex also talk about:
How coaching is a shared learning journey between client and coach
The ‘Three Cs’ framework for coaching: contracting, competence and clients’ best interest
The unique potential of coaching to help people access other forms of help and support
What to do when you don’t know where your work is going to come from
The interplay between coaching and mental health
How our experiences as coaches show up in other aspects of our lives, from parenting to friendships
Mark also discusses the conversations and social media posts that enabled him to make the shift from coaching people he already knew to bringing in clients from beyond his existing network.
For more information about Mark, visit markbixterlifecoach.co.uk
For more information about host Alex Whitton, visit https://www.exploregrowbe.com/
Read more about The Coach's Journey at www.thecoachsjourney.com.
Music by My Good Man William: listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4KmeQUcTbeE31uFynHQLQg
To support the Coach's Journey, visit www.patreon.com/thecoachsjourney and to join the Coach's Journey Community visit www.thecoachsjourney.com/community.
THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT THAT YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN:
- Nancy Kline https://www.timetothink.com/nancy-kline/
- MOE Foundation https://www.linkedin.com/company/moe-foundation/
- Spark Inside https://www.sparkinside.org/
- Magic Me https://magicme.co.uk/
- Frontline https://thefrontline.org.uk/
- Sanctus https://sanctus.io/
- Marie Faire https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariefaire
- The Beyond Partnership https://www.thebeyondpartnership.co.uk/about-us/who-we-are/marie-faire
- The Coaching Manual https://starrcoaching.co.uk/books/
- Carl Jung quote: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/7598376-know-all-the-theories-master-all-the-techniques-but-as
- Young Women's Trust https://www.youngwomenstrust.org/
- Sanctus https://sanctus.io/
- Spark Inside https://www.sparkinside.org/
- Quarter Life https://quarter-life.co.uk/
- Lightbulb Moments http://www.lightbulbmomentscoaching.com/
BIOGRAPHY FROM MARK
Mark is an accredited executive coach with the Association for Coaching (AC), with 2,000 hours of coaching experience. He began coaching following a career as an actor and theatre producer, and then in senior leadership within the charity sector working as a managing director, head of operations and general manager.
As a coach, Mark has worked largely in the public and charity sector as well as working in the corporate space and within creative industries. He is keen to democratise coaching and make it accessible to the widest possible range of people. Mark has worked with social workers, prisoners, prison staff, refugees and young women furthest from power. He is a master trainer in coaching skills for the MOE Foundation.
Mark works in a holistic way, focusing not just on surface-presenting challenges, but to help clients understand what is causing those challenges and providing support to create change.