Coaching Defined

The roots of coaching are probably most directly followed back to the 1980's when business consulting arrived on the scene in the form of management and financial consulting.

However, coaching is not consulting. Consulting gives answers and leaves you to do the work.

Coaching draws out answers and stays by your side to hold you responsible to:
· take new action
· continue along the path over time
· learning what's working
· learning what's not working
· holding you accountable to what you know
· holding you accountable to grow

The following distinctions may further clarify what we do and do not do as coaches. Can you see why coaching fits within the realms of "self help" and adult learning?

TRAINING – deals with a fixed agenda and instructional design.
Coaching – deals with designing the process and work around the client's agenda.

MANAGEMENT CONSULTING – deals with providing answers.
Coaching – deals with asking questions and evoking answers from the client's own wisdom bank.

THERAPY – deals with healing or repairing something from the past.
Coaching – deals with pro-active, motion for now and forward into the future.

COUNSELING – deals with remedial approaches to ameliorating deficits,
Coaching – places emphasis on strengths and achievements and what we can now do moving forward.

MENTORING – is usually career or skills focused, creates future behaviors based on integrating with the wisdom and expertise of someone else.
Coaching – deals with supporting the experiences, expertise and wisdom of the client in all aspects (personal and professional) while making relevant changes.

As coaches we promise to see your greatness, to hold onto it until you see it. At that point we'll and strategize/plan so you can do something with your genius.