Coaching has been defined in many ways. The International Coach Federation (ICF) defines coaching as:

“Partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential”

Coaching explained…

• Relationships are contracted for specific periods of time
• Sessions can be more structured in nature and meetings can be scheduled on a regular basis
• Focused on developing strengths and making sought after changes – useful in talent development, change management and seeking specific solutions to professional challenges
• Coaching does not require the coach to have direct experience of their client’s formal occupational role – although it is expected that they will have a sufficient understanding of the business or organizational sphere they are operating in. That is, the Coach will have a command of the language of; for example, accounting or education or engineering or leadership.
• Agenda is set by the Coachee / Client – the focus will be agreed between Coach and Client across a coaching series and at each session
• The agenda is focused on moving towards the clients stated goals.

It is useful to distinguish coaching from similar activities:

Mentoring

Mentoring is an ongoing relationship that can last for a long time.  The mentor is always more experienced and qualified than the ‘mentee’.  Often a senior person in the organisation who can pass on knowledge, experience and open doors to otherwise out-of-reach opportunities.  Focus is on career and personal development.  Both mentoring and coaching are concerned mainly with achievements in the present and the future.

Therapy

Therapy is working with the client who seeks relief from psychological or physical symptoms.  The client wants emotional healing and relief from mental pain.  Therapy deals with the client’s mental health.  Coaching deals with the client’s mental growth.  The client’s motive for entering therapy or counselling is usually to get away from pain or discomfort, rather than moving towards desired goals.  Coaching is not remedial, it is generative. Both therapy and counselling are more likely to involve understanding and working with past experience than coaching.

Training

Training is the process of getting knowledge, skills or abilities by study, experience or teaching.  The trainer by definition is the expert, and the training course is likely to be targeted on specific skills for immediate results.  Training is also likely to be one to many rather than one to one.

Consultancy

A consultant provides expertise and solves business problems, or develops a business as a whole. A consultant deals with the overall organization or specific parts of it and not individuals within it.  Consultants only indirectly affect individuals.

Teaching

Teaching passes knowledge from teacher to student. The teacher knows something the student does not.  The opposite is true in coaching.  The client is the expert and the client has the answers, not the coach.

The benefits of coaching

A helping relationship is formed between a client and a coach who uses a wide variety of behavioural techniques and methods to assist the client to achieve a mutually identified set of goal, to improve their professional performance and personal satisfaction, and consequently to improve the effectiveness of the client’s organisation within a formally defined coaching agreement.