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Coaching: Dispel the Myths
by Dena Moscola
Coaching is a perspective and a set of specific, advanced skills that help people reach their goals easier, essentially improving the quality of the work or personal life and most often both.
Understanding what coaching is and what coaching isn't is vital. There are a lot of stereotypes, opinions and assumptions that are incorrect and need clarification and consistency to enable you to really understand the potential of coaching.
What Coaching Is Not:
(The following are based on common market definitions.)
1. Mentor: A mentor is a role model. It is someone who has a credible amount of success in a particular area that shares their personal stories and lessons to help you reach similar success. A coach doesn't teach by modeling their own stories but may share personal experience to open the possibility to new ideas.
2. Counselor: Counselors and therapists generally work to fix problems, overcome issues and manage mental illness. Coaches do not work with mental illness or spend much time on issues. In fact, coaches do not see things as problems. They see things as situations and conditions for opportunities. Coaches focus on solutions. Coaches do not dwell on the past or spend much time analyzing. Through coaching, clients may realize that situations may be caused or directly affected by the past. But in coaching we work towards accepting the past and focusing on the future. Coaching takes a client from where they are to where they want to be.
3. Sports Coach: Professional coaching has its roots in sports coaching so there are many similarities but many differences. Coaching does not focus on win or loose scenario's and is not based on competition. Coaching focuses on creating win/win scenarios for all involved. Coaching focuses on bringing out the best in people. Instead of focusing on being better, coaching focuses on bringing out your best while building others at the same time.
4. Consultant: Consultants are experts in a particular field that bring their agenda and some possible answers to their clients. The coach's only agenda is to help the client reach their goals. Coaches do specialize in certain areas but the bottom line is to help the client identify their own agenda and then help them achieve it.
Coaches are experts in building people. A coach believes that each client is the expert in their field. The coach will assist in bringing out solutions. Coaches are experts at asking questions that bring out new ideas, insights, realizations and solutions many times faster and easier than imagined. A coach is trained to pull the answers from the client rather than giving it to them. This locks in experiences for long term change. From time to time, a coach will put on their consulting hat by providing suggestions from their knowledge and/or experience to help the client come up with new ideas. A consultant will help design a plan and leave the client to take action on their own. Coaches partner with their client to help them implement the plan they both develop. The coach will assist a client in understanding and working through any internal or external obstacles that may get in the way of reaching their goals. More and more, consultants are bringing some coaching styles into their consulting to increase effectiveness.
5. Best Friend: A best friend will always look out for you, be there when you need them and tell you what to do. Some best friends tell you what you want to hear. Best friends also give you personal advice. They tell you what they think you should do. A coach is someone you can always trust to be there for you. They will help you identify all your choices and brainstorm about the pros and cons of each. A coach will empower you to learn and make your own realistic decisions. A coach is nonjudgmental and always objective.
What Coaching Is:
Coaching blends the best of mentoring, counseling, sports coaching, consulting and best friend to bring out the best in people in the fastest and easiest way.
Coaching is a process and a state of mind that enables people to CONTINUOUSLY rise to the next level of achievement in all aspects of life.
Coaches empower others to:
* See situations more clearly
* Think outside the box
* Bring out inner strength
* Increase connectivity
* Improve communication
* Manage challenges and conflicts more productively and positively
* Identify realistic goals and action plans
* Maintain focus on priorities
* Honor values
* Accomplish more than they would have on their own
* Reduce stress
* Feel more fulfilled
* Have more fun
* Hold themselves accountable
Coaching is a powerful alliance that can enhance the ongoing process of learning, effectiveness and fulfillment in all areas of life.
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