| Coaching is a process of creating
clarity regarding personal or corporate
issues, which promotes forward movement,
leading to success.
What coaching is not
...
Coaching is very different from all
other disciplines. To explain what
coaching is, it's best to first
explain what it is not. For example,
coaching is not:
Consulting. In a this arrangement,
one is typically hired for their specific
expertise, and the outcome of a consulting
agreement is to tell the client
what they, the client, ought to do.
Action steps are often prescribed
in detail and the client is left to
either agree and implement, or, make
some other decision based upon the
information provided by the expert.
Mentoring. Mentoring is a relationship
where someone who has knowledge and
experience in a particular discipline
will aid and assist someone else to develop the same competencies. A mentor
will try to impart their learning
to the person being mentored, usually through modeling, to replicate learning and experience in those
they mentor.
Counseling. Counseling involves reviewing
what has happened in the past, addressing
certain behaviors or responses, in
order to be better positioned to succeed
in the present. Counselors have expertise
to identify root causes of past issues
in order to deal effectively in the
present.
Teaching. A teacher is one who imparts
learning or knowledge to a student, and gives specific directions on how to accomplish outcomes. They provide language and logic for specific contexts, and instill insight
and discernment through directed instruction. Understanding develops
as true knowledge grows in the person being taught.
Coaching is …
Coaching is a collaborative relationship
where agendas are developed by the
person being coached, and the information
needed to succeed is "mined"
from the client through the coaching
conversation. The assumption is that the
one being coached is best positioned
to make the needed judgments in order
to create forward movement, because
they are the ones closest to the issue.
Oftentimes they simply lack the clear
thinking which comes by exploring
possibilities in order to make confident decisions
regarding next steps, and achieve good
outcomes.
A coach will not tell a person what
to do… typically, that is the
behavior of a consultant, teacher, counselor,
etc, if such information is being
sought. A good coach will ask probing
questions, help the client to discover
possibilities not previously examined,
and bring that person to the place
where he or she can develop action
steps in order to achieve stated goals.
Because ideas originate within the person being coached,
the client develops
strong ownership drives regarding outcomes. This
type of ownership is not likely when
being told what to do by others. The outcomes
become real to the client, because
it is he or she who is doing the thinking
and acting.
A good coach is transparent, without
an agenda, and listens hard to what
the client has to say. The truth is spoken
based upon observations made, but
without judgment. The client's
success is up to the client, not some
other professional. Its more about
personal responsibility and ownership
than following the formulas and agendas
of others. People who use coaches
succeed because they dig deep within
themselves for the answers. It works.
The coaching process
…
The coaching process usually involves
a teleconference coaching call, which
lasts 45 minutes to an hour, typically
2 to 3 times a month. In that call,
coaches will partner with the client
to create a focus, dialoging about
possibilities, then move toward needed
action steps. The coach serves as
an accountability partner and makes
needed observations about mismatches
in client behavior compared to their
values. Also, a coach may see that
the client could be making more rapid
progress. If so, a coach may challenge
the client to achieve more than what
they thought they
could do, through a stretch request. Coaches encourage risk-taking.
Imagine having someone completely
fosuced on your success. A good coach pays close attention to what you are
saying, so that you are truly heard,
and helps you to think
through what needs to be done in order to be
successful. Where else do you find
this powerful dialog? Most people could probably
use a coach.
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