Coaching Defined
This article was
originally produced for The Effect, Coach Effect’s
Newsletter, 3Q04.
Copyright © 2004 Coach Effect. All rights reserved.
Leadership Sherpa is a trademark of Coach Effect.
Permission to reproduce this article must be obtained through
Coach Effect.
Used
with permission of the author:
Author: Jennifer Mounce
President, Coach Effect
www.coacheffect.com
05 September 2007
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to ... Workinfo.com Human Resources Magazine Volume 1 Issue 10,
2007
Leadership
Sherpa is a term used to define an executive coach. Many people
are surprised to hear that coaching has been around as an
established profession since the early-1980’s. Everyone has
heard of a football coach or a basketball ball, but how many
people know what an executive coach is and does?
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Coaches are Sherpas in that they guide, support,
acknowledge, and provide the tools their clients need to
reach their next peak.
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It’s time to get
clear on what coaching is all about. Coaching is an extraordinary
profession in that the sole purpose is to support someone in
achieving what they want. Coaching is a “high touch”
service business. Coaches often will ask their clients to do more
than they may have done on their own. They help their clients stay
focused in order to produce results faster. Clients are provided
with the tools, support and structure needed to accomplish more.
While most coaches would agree with these statements as a general
base for what they do, we will look at some of the distinctions
between different forms of coaching. We’ll review executive,
business, and corporate coaching; personal and life coaching; and
sports coaching. Then, we’ll identify the distinctions between
coaching, consulting, and therapy. Last, we’ll provide tips on
how to select a coach and conclude by summarizing the benefits of
coaching.
Executive, business,
and corporate coaching are grouped together based on their
commonality in dealing with business and the workplace. Typically,
people looking to reach new heights with their career or business
will seek out an executive, business or corporate coach.
Personal and life
coaching are both focused on supporting individuals who are
looking to develop personally. There are many niche areas for
personal and life coaches from finances and work/life balance to
image and relationships. People typically invest in a personal or
life coach because they are ready to take action on a change they
want to make.
Sport coaching is a
type of coaching that everyone seems to understand. The one big
distinction between a sport coach and other coaches is the
competitive nature of sports. It creates a win/lose environment. A
sport coach is not just pushing for someone to be their best. They
are pushing for the person or team to win which means someone
loses. In business and personal coaching, the coach is helping
their client get to win/win solutions not win/lose solutions.
Often the discussion
around “What exactly is a coach?” includes identifying the
difference between a coach and a consultant or therapist. The
definitions, while oversimplified, should help bring clarity
around the distinctions between the three professions. A consultant
is typically hired for their expertise in an area. They are
brought in to help solve a problem and advise you or the company
on what to do. The consultant then leaves you to implement the
solution on your own. A coach will do less advising and
more questioning to help you find the answer that best works for
you. A coach will stay with you and support you as you implement
the solution.
A therapist is
typically hired when someone has a problem they want to overcome.
The focus is in exploring the past. The therapist helps the person
identify the root cause of the problem by delving into the person’s
past and exploring from a human behavior viewpoint how the problem
came into existence. The focus of a coach is future-based.
A coach supports you in achieving your goals. There doesn’t have
to be a problem to work with a coach, just a goal, desire or dream
that you want to make a reality.
So, you may be wondering, “Who
uses a coach?” The value of coaching has proven itself when
two things are present:
-
a person or team has a
desire to grow or develop, and
-
there is a gap between
where they are and where they want to be.
With those two ingredients you
have what is needed for a coach to successfully help you reach new
heights.
So the next question
becomes, “Who’s the right coach for me?” The coach
and client relationship is that of a partnership. It is critical
for you to be able to be open and honest with your coach in order
to truly receive the full value of coaching. Consider interviewing
your coach just as you would a new partner in business. Here are
some questions to ask yourself before interviewing a coach1:
-
What do I want to
use a coach for?
-
Do I care if my
coach is male or female?
-
What kind of
background would I prefer in my coach?
-
What will I expect
of my coach?
-
What should my
coach know about me?
Next, here are some questions
you can ask a coach during an interview:
-
Describe your coaching
style.
-
What’s your specialty or
niche?
-
How long have you been
coaching?
-
Are you a certified
coach?
-
If so, what
certification?
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If not, what are your
coaching qualifications?
-
What is your coaching
format?
-
What is your fee structure?
To conclude we’ll
summarize the benefits of partnering with a coach which have been
interwoven throughout this article. You can get clear about
what you want and set the right goals to get there. You
can have more money either personally or for your business. A
coach can help you focus on making better decisions for you
or your business. You can increase your energy so you can
do more of what you want. With a coach as your Sherpa you can reach
new heights by realizing the successful life you desire!
References
-
Questions
from Coach U © 2002.
Coach
Effect
was created out of a passion for working with senior leaders, high
potentials and business owners who are ready to set big goals,
climb high and reach extraordinary places. President, Jennifer
Mounce, SPHR is a leadership
sherpa, and has
been partnering with leaders to increase their organizational
effectiveness since 1994. She prides herself on a strong work
ethic and her ability to provide powerful business solutions.
Jennifer's industry background is diverse including
high-technology manufacturing, an Internet start-up, and
professional services. The companies ranged from a Fortune 500 to
a national advertising agency and at one point included being on a
team of 9 entrepreneurs that grew a start-up to 60 people within 2
years. Jennifer is uniquely qualified with her years of corporate
background and hands-on experience to specialize in working with
leaders. Jennifer's corporate experience began in the field of
human resources and strengthened into a mix of organizational
development, process improvement, coaching, human resources,
communication, and training. She can be contacted at 773.580.8360
and
www.coacheffect.com
Short summary
Choosing a coach requires deciding which kind of support one needs
and interviewing for the best fit.
Keywords and relevant phrases
Achievement, business coach, career development, certification,
coaching, coaching style, consulting, corporate coach,
development, executive coach, focus, goal, honesty, learning, life
coach, motivation, niche, partnership, personal coach, production,
specialty, sports coach, support, therapy.
Back
to ... Workinfo.com Human Resources Magazine Volume 1 Issue 10,
2007
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