Chérie Carter Scott is one of the coaches that we found this month and we did a little interview with her. She impressed us with her expertise and dedication.
If you have wondered where COACHING itself came from, hear it first from the heart and soul of “The Pioneer who made new footprints in the sand.” Or as they call her “The Mother of Coaching!” Her coaching career started back in 1974 when “coaching” was not even a word that many people knew outside of sports.
After almost 50 years of experience, she is now an author of over 19 books, mostly known for her book “If Life is a Game, These are the Rules” that was translated into 40 languages and sold over 5 million copies worldwide. She has trained thousands of executives, including corporate executives in Fortune 500 companies. She is a behavioral scientist, Number One NY Times and Amazon Bestselling author, Master Certified Coach by the ICF, thought leader, and a Ph.D.
But there was a time when she was lost and confused. She just lost her mom, her father remarried and moved to Florida. She did not have any direction in her life. She asked her friends for guidance, but nobody seemed to give her the answers that she needed to hear. So, she turned to God. She asked him to give her a message, a sign, something to point her in the right direction. And surprisingly, God spoke. She received 3 messages. And that was the catalyst that shaped the coaching world today. Funny enough, that’s exactly what God said she was supposed to do. Here is what she said.
Meet Life Coach Chérie Carter Scott:
Name: Chérie Carter Scott, Ph.D. MCC
Pillar: The Spirit, The Mind
Who is this coach for: Anyone who wants to become the greatest coach they can possibly be, and also the greatest version of themselves.
How they can help: Through various frameworks and tools that Chérie herself developed, she also offers the Gold Standard, the original, the most comprehensive training, The MMS Worldwide Institute’s Transformational Executive Coach Certification program.
First of all, how are you and your family doing after these Pandemic times?
We are doing well and adapting to a changed world.
How did the coronavirus pandemic affect your clients? Did it affect you at all?
It could have been devastating, however, I got the “Message” to go South to our Thailand beachside home, with my husband, where we would be safe.
The next “Message” was to redesign our “In person” training to be effective virtual training.
This was followed by a clear directive to embrace Zoom and make it our online portal of choice.
From March 26th to June 2nd, 2020 we pivoted and redirected our energy, business model, and marketing initiatives to those who wanted the best Coach Training in the world… accessible virtually to everyone.
What are the biggest lessons that you learned in this pandemic?
Stay safe, be mindful, pay attention, and take nothing for granted.
The Origin:
Tell us about you, your career, how you started with your coaching career?
After my mother died, my father became remarried, sold our family home, and moved to Florida.
I had no idea which way to turn.
Lacking an anchor, I felt, alone and without direction.
I thought it might be time to sort out my options.
I had been really fortunate with jobs and friends supporting me, and I hoped that maybe my friends could shed some light on what I should be doing with my life.
I asked various friends what they thought I should do for a career, and the advice I received was all over the map.
The suggestions ranged from medicine to real estate, to law, to a health practitioner, to selling vitamin supplements!
The advice they offered exacerbated my current dilemma.
Their good ideas about my future didn’t spark any motivation to take subsequent steps.
I had no one left to guide me.
I felt lost.
I needed to find my bearings and discover my purpose in life.
I made lists, meditated, prayed, and asked for guidance.
I actually said to God, “I want a message! I am ready to know why I am here (on Earth), and I want to fulfill my life’s purpose!”
Since I asked with deep desire and powerful intention I started to receive “Messages.”
I received a message.
The message said, “Your work is teaching people to love themselves… not in taking responsibility for their circumstances.”
That same day, I resigned from my position and set out to understand what that message meant.
I made lists, I designed models, I meditated, and I prayed for a message that would clear up my confusion, doubt, and uncertainty and would provide clear direction for my life.
Magically, out of the blue, I started to receive messages.
The first message was, “You are a catalyst for discovery!”
That was a novel moment.
I recall thinking “Catalyst” is not a word I normally used.
The dictionary read, “Stimulus for change.”
I mused about this “Message” since it sounded like me, but I wasn’t sure of the application to my current life.
Within two weeks, the second message came to me, “You are to work in growth and development!”
I understood that and felt more comfortable with the second message since it made sense to me, even though I didn’t know the exact application.
I sat with these two messages imagining various ways I could be a catalyst for growth and development.
Ten days later the third message arrived, “You have a gift for working with people!”
I strung the three messages together and came up with, “I am a catalyst who works with people in their growth and development!”
Then I was disappointed.
I didn’t know what to do with this strange bundled message.
I kept saying it over and over to myself wondering what to do with it.
I thought, do I put it on my business card?
Do I make it into my elevator pitch, “I am a catalyst who works with people in their growth and development!”
That sounded really awkward.
I was becoming more irritated.
I had asked for a message, received three of them, strung them together and it seemed like a riddle, totally useless.
I was uncomfortable for days and then something bizarre happened.
I received an out of the blue phone call from my friend, Lloyd, who asked if I could help him with his company.
I explained that I was in search of my life’s purpose and I thanked him for thinking of me, and the answer was, “No.”
A week passed and Lloyd called again, explained his business to me in more detail, and he asked again if I would help him sort things out.
I insisted, again that even though I was sincerely complimented by his outreach to me, I had no experience with business.
I stated again that I was busy searching for my life’s purpose and I suggested that he find an experienced business consultant.
I thought that this discussion was effectively over.
After several days, Lloyd called for the third time and said, “I am really serious about you helping me with my business.”
I replied, “I have no background, no experience, and no knowledge of business, especially yours. In fact, I really know nothing at all.”
His response floored me.
He said, “That could really be helpful!”
I replied, “I have been totally honest with you, clear about my reservations and limitations, so if you still want to hire me knowing all of that, then I accept!”
He was my first coaching client in San Francisco in 1974.
What was your biggest obstacle that you had to overcome in your life that made you who you are today?
There were many.
You would need to read my new book (memoir), “Life IS a Game, Life Lessons Learned Living the 10 Rules for Being Human”.
Coming out soon.
The Coaching Style:
How do you innovate with coaching your clients?
There is an entire system that I have developed.
I have been training coaches to do what I do since 1974, and it works.
I also license individuals and organizations to promote, produce, and present our Intellectual Property in their area of the world.
Every client is unique, and every session is also one of a kind.
They are like snowflakes and I regard every one of them as the unique and precious opportunity that I and honored to coach and support.
What’s unique about your coaching approach?
The 100% commitment that we give to our students, the passion with which we conduct our training, and the way we walk our talk that embodies the principles that we espouse.
We have so many case studies that exemplify our coaching over the decades that most people are mesmerized by the incredible results we have consistently produced in countries all over the world.
What benefits do your clients get after working with you?
Our clients receive the capability, confidence, courage, compassion, and commitment to conduct a sustainable coaching practice whether inside a corporation or as an entrepreneur.
They learn from the inside out and become their authentic selves.
They become master listeners by quieting the mind chatter in their minds.
They become focused with a laser like energy, blended with servant leadership giving them an incredible capacity to draw out the essential truths that will empower their clients.
They make the shift from managing their lives to leading with excellence and integrity.
Do you use any specific tools to be efficient with your clients?
Yes, we use five of the books I have written.
The tools that have been developed by (me), Dr. Chérie Carter Scott for our coach training are in the PowerPoint slides and in the Books written for coaches.
They are included in the training on our MMS Learning Management System.
The Impact:
If you had a super megaphone that, when you speak into, the whole world will hear your message, what would you say?
I would say,
“If you are even slightly considering learning to coach, before you make any decision, check out MMS Worldwide Institute’s Transformational Executive Coach Certification program.”
It is the Gold Standard, the original, the most comprehensive training, and the only program that offers a money back guarantee if you are not fully satisfied.
We offer the MMS Gold Standard certified best in class coach training accredited by International Coach Federation.
What is the greatest lesson you have learned in your life?
Humility is the greatest lesson I have learned.
Each time I become arrogant, I am then given a lesson that humbles me and makes me remember that I am just a human doing the best I can to navigate my way through this life.
Your final thoughts?
It continues to be a privilege and an honor for my partners and me to teach our students these coaching skills that empower and support their clients, family, friends, and colleagues, and most importantly transform their lives.
Where Can You Find Chérie Carter Scott, Ph.D. MCC?
If you liked this interview and if you would love to start your coaching career on the rightest of foots, go to https://www.mmsworldwideinstitute.com/ and get your cerification.
If you want to see why Chérie is THE person to help you become the best version of yourself and also the greates coach possible, go to https://www.drcherie.com/ and find out why she is called the “Mother of Coaching”.
You can also instantly sign up for 5 hours of coaching for $1 per day (one month minimum).
If you’d like to get a glimpse of her coaching, follow her YouTube channel.
If you’d like to connect with her more personally, you can do that through Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or by sending her a message on her Email [email protected]. It was an honor having this interview with her.