We all get stuck sometimes. Nothing to be ashamed of. We are tired, we don't know for a while or we are emotional. How do you solve this? I interviewed Lucie, a provocative life coach. Pro-vo-ca-tive. What exactly she does and what you can gain from such a person, you can read in this interview.
Provocative coaching in a nutshell
Provocative coaching means coaching in an honest, direct and humorous way. Lucie started doing this in 2009. "I had been coaching for several years, but missed the real contact. It is precisely that honesty that ensures fast and effective results. By treating a client with velvet gloves, you don't get anywhere. Provocative coaching does. I have already helped countless people in the Netherlands and abroad." Anyway, with normal coaching you also help clients get rid of their problems. So what is the big difference? The relationship: with provocative coaching, the coach and the client are the same from each other. Lucie likes this very thing best. "You can both say what comes to mind. That's healthy and much more effective. I am direct, use humor and play devil's advocate. Sometimes I say things that the client himself doesn't even dare to think."
"Sometimes I say things that the client himself doesn't even dare to think."
One session of provocative coaching
Lucie wants to help people who are stuck "loosen up. Perhaps it is hard to imagine what such a session is like. I asked Lucie for an example session. "The client's motivation is checked all the time. Does the client really want to change, is there actually something else behind it or is it better for the client to accept the 'problem'? If someone is stuck, it can feel very hopeless. The client sees no way out. By using humor and provocation, someone gets a more realistic view of the situation and sees possibilities again."
Client: "I want to learn to say no.
Coach: "Ho, stop, no, don't!
Client "What do you mean?
Coach: 'Yes-sayers belong to a dying species. And then you want to stop incessantly saying yes even now?'
Client: "Well, I actually think so.
Coach: 'That sounds better already, that doubtful. Good, hold that!'
But then, what is a normal work day? Lucie does like variety. "I have clients I see in my practice and I do sessions from Skype. Sometimes I give a training somewhere in the Netherlands, for example on vitality, sustainable employability or communication. And sometimes I write blogs or make a vlog." Is there still room for free time then? "Yes, I do a lot of sports in between or I take a walk with my dog."
Lucie doesn't think in boxes
For whom is provocative coaching a solution? Lucie doesn't exclude people. "Whether you're an adolescent or a stay-at-home mom. A transgender or a businessman. It makes no difference to me. I love that variety." So are there no similarities at all? "Yes, my clients are all intelligent, love humor and can take a beating. Those are requirements for provocative coaching, though."
A broad target group, in other words. She does focus specifically on Haarlem and the surrounding area, because it's practical. "But I also have clients I coach via Skype. Then, of course, they can be anywhere."
Provocative coaching can provide solutions to an awful lot of problems. "I coach for relationship problems, low self-esteem, shyness, stress, insecurity but also family problems, career issues, burnout and even weight issues. All of these problems are well suited to the provocative approach."
"No, I didn't study entrepreneurship. I am an entrepreneur."
The path to becoming a provocative coach
I then wonder, such a strong woman, how did she get where she is today? We dive into Lucie's education. She didn't study entrepreneurship. "I AM an entrepreneur. I worked in permanent employment for one year and then I started working as a self-employed person. Originally I come from education; I completed the PABO." If you think that's it, you're sorely mistaken. In fact, she also has papers for career coach, fitness trainer, personal trainer and nutrition coach. And so in 2009 she completed the course in provocative coaching. The living proof that you can make a career switch that makes you happy and that entrepreneurship does not come from theory. Be inspired.
Entrepreneurship is not for everyone. You have to be able to stand those risks. The uncertainty, the responsibility, the stress. I asked Lucie what makes her a true entrepreneur. "I am adventurous and take risks without much hesitation. I focus on freedom and I am a real cart puller." Her vision of entrepreneurship? "Entrepreneurship means freedom and I love that. I like to schedule my own time. That also suits my life."
So that's how Lucie arrived at her dream job as a provocative coach. What's next? "What the future holds for my business ... time will tell. I do what I like and that may change at some point. What I like most right now is the variety of coaching and training companies. I think I will continue to like that the most anyway."
So what makes Lucie unique?
All good, we now know what a provocative coach does, who Lucie is and why she is such an inspiring entrepreneur. One thing is still missing: Lucie's added value as a coach. "What makes me unique is my ability to reveal the core. I am direct, have guts and focus on what someone is literally saying. At the same time, I focus on body language. This allows me to know who my client really is and what he or she really wants. This allows me to actually help someone and that gives me a thrill."
