Business and organisational leaders, managers, professionals and individuals engage coaches to advance their careers and enhance their personal lives. But what actually is coaching?
The International Coaching Federation (ICF) defines coaching as partnering in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires a person to maximize their personal and professional potential. The process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity and leadership.
When you work with a coach, you set out on a path to greater personal and professional fulfillment.
Coaching is not the same thing as mentoring or therapy. A mentor provides subject matter expertise, wisdom and guidance based on their own experiences. Therapy deals with healing pain, trauma, dysfunction or conflict of some kind, typically with the goal of resolving difficulties that impair an individual’s emotional health and psychological functioning.
By contrast, coaching focuses on facilitating individuals or groups to draw upon their own experiences and capabilities to set and reach their own objectives. The coach is the expert in the coaching process, but you are the expert on your life journey.
Coaching can benefit managers and professionals of all ages and at all stages of their careers. If you are ready to invest the time and engage in self-exploration and critical thinking to level up, a coach is a perfect partner to help you advance. According to a 2020 global survey of the coaching industry, 27% of coaching clients are managers, and 25% are executives/C-suite leaders, making these the two most in-demand spaces for coaching. (2020 ICF Global Coaching Study)
A coach helps you to close the gap between where you are now and where you have the potential to be.
In choosing to do it alone, you deprive yourself of invaluable synergy, personal discovery and accountability. Partnering with a coach enables you to close the gap faster and easier.
All personal coaching engagements are confidential. Your privacy is of utmost importance to me. Everything we discuss during our sessions will remain between us, and I will not share any details with anyone else unless you give me permission to do so. This confidentiality allows you to explore and address your concerns in a secure environment.
In a corporate setting, confidentiality is a key aspect of our coaching engagements. Any information shared during our sessions will remain between us and will not be disclosed to your employer or colleagues without your explicit consent. This ensures that you can speak freely about your goals and challenges, enabling a more effective coaching experience.
The roles of a coach and a therapist, while both focused on helping individuals improve their lives, differ significantly in their approaches, goals, and methods. Here’s a detailed comparison:
1. Focus and Goals
Coach:
Goal-Oriented: Coaches focus on helping clients achieve specific goals, such as career transitions and personal growth.
Future-Focused: The primary emphasis is on the future, setting goals, and creating actionable plans to reach those goals.
Performance and Development: Coaches often work with clients to enhance their performance, develop new skills, and realize their potential.
Therapist:
Healing and Understanding: Therapists aim to help clients understand and heal from psychological issues, emotional distress, and mental health disorders.
Past and Present Focused: Therapists often explore past experiences and their impact on present behavior and emotions to provide deeper insights and healing.
Mental Health and Well-being: The focus is on improving overall mental health and well-being, addressing issues such as depression, anxiety, trauma, and other psychological disorders.
Ask yourself:
What is staying stuck costing you? What is burning out costing you? What would your life look like if you could finally break free and start digging deep to discover your true purpose?
Coaching gives you the tools and support you need to create lasting change — this is your moment to step into your future.