What is Coaching?
Nowadays coaching is increasing in popularity and so there are a lot of ideas out there about what coaching is and the different types of coaching; personal , leadership, executive, wellness, (the list goes on). It is no wonder that there can be a bit of confusion as to what coaching is and what a coach does. For that reason I will try to keep this post short and sweet and to the point!
My definition of coaching is that it is a collaborative partnership in which a safe and open environment is fostered that enables the client to unlock and develop their own potential. It is a two way relationship that is action orientated and geared towards achieving what the client truly desires to live a happy and fulfilled life.
Great okay but what does a coach actually do?
An effective coach has an unbiased approach and utilises evidence- based methods and tools such as active listening to help you build personal awareness and prioritise what’s important to them at any given moment.
More importantly a good coach through powerful questioning and using their intuition facilitates both behavioural and emotional understanding. This then allows the coachee to come up with an outcome orientated action plan that is meaningful to them and so motivational drive is higher.
It is different to counselling and other therapeutic professions in that the coach never advises, instructs or tells the coachee what to do.
The coach holds the client with unconditional positive regard and so, the coaching relationship is built on the premise that the client already has the solution. In other words we are not going to disagree with you if your goal is to climb Everest, we believe you can, but we may chunk down this goal and ask you some grounding questions like;
What is the highest mountain you have peaked so far? What do you need to do next to get your fitness level so you can safely reach basecamp level?
Therefore, if we go with this analogy, a coach may move from being your trainer to your sherpa as you progress towards your bigger goal. A sherpa with a head torch, illuminating every crevasse so you make it up the mountain safely but ultimately the climb and all the preparation is up to you. You still need to navigate and choose the best route for yourself at any given moment.
Sound too good to be true? Without being biased, I genuinely believe it might be! I am fortunate enough to have had reaped the benefits of a good coach and will continue to do so on my personal development journey.
Coaching is without a doubt a positive and energising experience which allows someone the space to vocalise what is going on in their life to a completely objective non-judgmental party.
Still curious?
Get in touch for a free chemistry session :)