How to Build Confidence as a New Coach

Confidence isn’t a switch. It’s a rhythm. A way of showing up before you know the outcome. For new coaches, that first session can feel like stepping onto a stage, all eyes on you: “Will I guide them well?” “Am I ready for this moment?”

Coaching is where presence matters more than perfection. Where listening becomes a tool, a question becomes a key, and your steadiness creates space for coachees to see possibilities they couldn’t on their own. True confidence is built in these moments, through practice, reflection, and trust in your own capacity to hold the room.

Erickson Coaching International helps you trust your own ability, and then deftly draw from the theory you know, to apply it in real time. Through immersive practice, solution-focused frameworks, and a global mentoring community, you learn to coach not from hesitation, but from presence, clarity, and intention.

Why Confidence Matters in Coaching

Confidence in coaching is more than self-assurance. It shapes how you communicate, the trust coachees place in you, and the outcomes of your sessions. A coach who doubts themselves may inadvertently project uncertainty, limiting the coachee’s progress.

Confidence intersects with leadership skills. Just as confident leaders inspire teams, confident coaches create space where coachees feel safe to explore, experiment, and grow.

Common Confidence Challenges for New Coaches

New coaches often face:

• Fear of not being “good enough” or lacking experience.
• Anxiety around handling difficult conversations or sensitive topics.
• Comparing themselves to more seasoned coaches.
• Imposter syndrome and self-doubt.

These feelings are normal. The key is not to eliminate them, but to develop strategies to work through them.

How to Improve Confidence in Coaching

Continuous Learning and Skills Development

Training builds competence, which builds confidence. Accredited programs like Erickson’s The Art & Science of Coaching™ provide structured curricula that prepare coaches to handle real sessions with clarity and skill. Think of it as moving through the four stages of learning: from not knowing, to practicing, to conscious skill, and finally to effortless mastery. The more you engage in ongoing education, the more naturally your confidence becomes a steady companion. Beyond certification, Erickson Masterclasses and webinars offer rich opportunities to stay sharp, earn CCEU points, and explore advanced topics that stretch your coaching presence. Discover our upcoming sessions here.

Use our Program Finder and keep building your skill set.

Practice and Experience

Confidence grows through action. Role-play with peers, supervised coaching sessions, and safe practice environments help you test your skills. Each session, each interaction, becomes an opportunity to strengthen your coaching presence.

Cultivating Self-Awareness

Reflective practices, like journaling, session reviews, or soliciting feedback, sharpen your insight. Recognizing your strengths and identifying areas for growth makes confidence tangible and trackable.

Building a Support Network

Mentors, supervisors, and peer groups are invaluable. Erickson’s global coaching community connects new coaches with experienced professionals for guidance, encouragement, and perspective.

Adopting a Growth Mindset

Mistakes are not failures, they are lessons. Celebrate small wins, track progress, and treat every session as an opportunity to learn. Confidence builds when you see improvement over time.

Why Is Confidence Important in Coaching?

Confidence enables coaches to:

• Establish trust and credibility with coachees.
• Ask powerful questions that unlock insight.
• Hold space effectively, even in challenging conversations.
• Model resilience and empowerment, inspiring coachees to act.

At Erickson, we pair this with a solution-focused, transformational approach, ensuring confident coaches lead coachees toward real, meaningful outcomes.

Practical Tips to Boost Day-to-Day Confidence

Confidence is not only built in the classroom, it’s cultivated in the small, intentional habits you bring to your daily coaching practice. Here are a few ways to strengthen it:

• Prepare thoroughly. Review your session notes, frameworks, and powerful questions so you step into each conversation with clarity.
• Prime your mindset. Use affirmations or short visualizations before sessions to center yourself in a resourceful state.
• Establish clear coaching agreements. Aligning expectations at the start of a session creates trust and sets the stage for meaningful outcomes.
• Track coachee progress. Noticing and celebrating the shifts your clients make reinforces both their growth and your sense of impact as a coach.

Beyond your own practice, confidence also flourishes in community. Erickson Plus, our dedicated alumni app, offers a space to stay connected, join advanced learning opportunities, and access exclusive Masterclasses, all designed to support your continuous growth. Explore Erickson Plus here.

Erickson Coaching’s Role in Building Confidence

Erickson Coaching International supports new coaches worldwide. Our programs emphasize practice, feedback, and mentorship, all designed to develop both skill and confidence. Through international accessibility and an established coaching network, new coaches gain not only competence but the assurance to step into their role fully.

Confidence is not instant; it is built through training, reflection, and hands-on experience. Every session with coachees, every lesson learned, adds to a coach’s presence and effectiveness. Keep showing up, your confidence will rise to meet you. We’ll show you how. Learn more about Erickson’s programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why is confidence important in coaching?
  Confidence fosters trust, clarity, and effectiveness in your sessions with coachees.
• How do I improve my confidence as a new coach?
  Through professional training, practice, reflective self-awareness, and mentorship.
• Does confidence make you a better leader as well as a coach?
  Confidence enhances communication, decision-making, and presence in both coaching and leadership roles.
• What if I struggle with imposter syndrome as a coach?
  Acknowledge it, reflect on your growth, seek mentorship, and celebrate small wins. Confidence builds gradually through experience and support.