To explain what coaching is, let me start by explaining what
is isn’t, and how it differs from the other helping modalities.
Coaching is different to CONSULTING. A consultant
is usually an expert in a field and s/he gives ADVICE.
It also differs from MENTORING. A mentor is
also an expert who takes another under their wing and GUIDES them
from their experience.
TRAINING is about TEACHING someone new skills,
and thus it also differs from coaching.
And coaching is not COUNSELLING or therapy.
Counseling is based on solving problems, recovering and exploring
things from a person’s past. It’s about FIXING problems.
Well, if advice is at the heart of consulting, and mentoring
is about guiding, and the centre of training is teaching and of
counseling is fixing, then was is coaching about?
At the heart of COACHING is FACILITAITION. It’s
facilitating individuals to maximize their existing skills and
resources to take their performance to the next level.
Coaching is a one-on-one solution focused, outcome orientated,
collaborative partnership where you and your Coach spend time
focusing on just you – you and your life and your challenges
and your skill levels and your dreams. With this focus on you
and your development, you will experience having someone there
who believes in you, listens to you, doesn’t judge you,
and totally supports you. You will develop holistically in that
you work not only with your mind, body, actions, and behaviours,
but also with your feelings, beliefs and higher levels of your
mind.
The heart of Coaching is about choice. It’s about choices
in your life and making those choices.
So how much more interested are you now in finding out more about
coaching?