Coaching has been defined in many ways. The essence of coaching is that it;
Supports clients investigate what they want to be different and identify opportunities and resources needed to achieve their aims/goals.
Builds self-awareness, environmental awareness and empowers choice and that can lead to change. Unlocks a person’s potential to maximise their personal and professional performance through in a thought-provoking and creative process.
Coaching is not directive, the coaching process supports clients discover things rather than teaching or telling them what to do.
Supports the clients’ agenda without letting the coach’s personal opinions and biases affect the process or outcomes.
Individuals who engage in a coaching relationship can expect to experience fresh perspectives on personal challenges and opportunities, enhanced thinking and decision making skills, enhanced interpersonal effectiveness, and increased confidence in carrying out their chosen work and life roles.
Provide objective observations that foster the client(s) enhanced self-awareness and awareness of others.
Practice astute listening in order to garner a full understanding of the client(s) circumstances.
Be a sounding board in support of possibility thinking and thoughtful planning and decision making.
Champion opportunities and potential, encourage stretch and challenge commensurate with personal strengths and aspirations.
Positively challenge assumptions and self-limiting beliefs.
Create an agenda for the sessions based on personally meaningful coaching goals.
Be open to observations and challenges to enhance self-awareness and awareness of others, envision personal and/or organisational success.
Assume full responsibility for personal decisions and actions.
Utilise the coaching process to promote possibility thinking and fresh perspectives.
Take courageous action in alignment with personal goals and aspirations.
Professional coaching is a distinct service which focuses on the client(s) life as it relates to goal setting, outcome creation and personal change management. Coaching is also forward moving and future focused, it is a profession that supports personal and professional growth and development based on individual-initiated change in pursuit of specific actionable outcomes. In an effort to understand what a coach is, it can be helpful to distinguish coaching from other professions that provide personal or organisational support.
Be open to observations and challenges to enhance self-awareness and awareness of others, envision personal and/or organisational success.
Assume full responsibility for personal decisions and actions.
Utilise the coaching process to promote possibility thinking and fresh perspectives.
Take courageous action in alignment with personal goals and aspirations.
The focus in therapy is often on resolving difficulties arising from the past which hamper an individual’s emotional functioning in the present. Therapy outcomes often include improved emotional/feeling states. While positive feelings/emotions may be a natural outcome of coaching, the primary focus is on creating actionable strategies for achieving specific goals in one’s work or personal life. The emphases in a coaching relationship is on action, accountability and follow through.
Be open to observations and challenges to enhance self-awareness and awareness of others, envision personal and/or organisational success.
Assume full responsibility for personal decisions and actions.
Utilise the coaching process to promote possibility thinking and fresh perspectives.
Take courageous action in alignment with personal goals and aspirations.
Consultants may be retained for the purpose of accessing specialised expertise, there is often an assumption that the consultant diagnoses problems and prescribes and sometimes implements solutions. In general, the assumption with coaching is that a client(s) is/are capable of generating their own solutions, with the coach supplying supportive, discovery-based approaches and frameworks.
Be open to observations and challenges to enhance self-awareness and awareness of others, envision personal and/or organisational success.
Assume full responsibility for personal decisions and actions.
Utilise the coaching process to promote possibility thinking and fresh perspectives.
Take courageous action in alignment with personal goals and aspirations.
Consultants may be retained for the purpose of accessing specialised expertise, there is often an assumption that the consultant diagnoses problems and prescribes and sometimes implements solutions. In general, the assumption with coaching is that a client(s) is/are capable of generating their own solutions, with the coach supplying supportive, discovery-based approaches and frameworks.
Be open to observations and challenges to enhance self-awareness and awareness of others, envision personal and/or organisational success.
Assume full responsibility for personal decisions and actions.
Utilise the coaching process to promote possibility thinking and fresh perspectives.
Take courageous action in alignment with personal goals and aspirations.
Training programs are based on the acquisition of certain learning objectives as set out by the trainer or instructor. Though objectives are clarified in the coaching process, they are set by the individual or team being coached with guidance provided by the coach. Training also assumes a linear learning path which coincides with an established curriculum. Coaching is less linear without a set curriculum plan.
Be open to observations and challenges to enhance self-awareness and awareness of others, envision personal and/or organisational success.
Assume full responsibility for personal decisions and actions.
Utilise the coaching process to promote possibility thinking and fresh perspectives.
Take courageous action in alignment with personal goals and aspirations.
Coaching typically begins with a personal interview (either face-to-face or by teleconference call) to assess the individual’s current opportunities and challenges, define the scope of the relationship, identify priorities for action, and establish specific desired outcomes. Subsequent coaching sessions may be conducted in person or over the telephone.
Be open to observations and challenges to enhance self-awareness and awareness of others, envision personal and/or organisational success.
Assume full responsibility for personal decisions and actions.
Utilise the coaching process to promote possibility thinking and fresh perspectives.
Take courageous action in alignment with personal goals and aspirations.
