The International Coach Federation (ICF) defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. Coaching is a client-driven process.

Typically a coach and a potential client begin by connecting over the phone or via Skype for a brief (15-20-minute) ‘sample session’. This session helps the potential client decide whether coaching might be right for them at this time in their life. It also helps both coach and potential client determine whether there is a good fit and whether both feel they would like to work together on an ongoing basis. There is no charge for this session.

If both coach and potential client feel there is a good fit and that client success is likely, a coaching agreement is entered into whereby a schedule of coaching sessions is set out, fees and payment are established, and the client is set up with an initial self-assessment and other materials to review. The coaching process has begun!

The coaching relationship continues until the coach or the client feel the client has achieved what their objectives of the relationship were or, of course, if either feels progress towards the client’s goals is not being achieved.

The coach’s responsibility is to:

• Discover, clarify and align with what the client wants to achieve
• Encourage client self-discovery
• Elicit client-generated solutions and strategies
• Hold the client responsible and accountable

The coaching process can help clients improve their outlook on work and life, while helping to improve their leadership skills and unlocking their potential.

The International Coach Federation suggests that, if one wants to take advantage of an opportunity or challenge, feels “stuck” on the path to achieving
goals or simply believes there is something more to discover in one’s personal or professional life,
partnering with a professional coach could be beneficial.

Common reasons for partnering with a coach include:

• Maximizing potential
• Defining strengths and weaknesses
• Navigating transition
• Managing work/life balance
• Overcoming inertia
• Gaining objective perspective on current realities

A growing number of organizations are investing in coaching to help workers grow their skills, enhance
their value and reach their professional goals. Organizational decision-makers report using coaching to augment the organization’s leadership development strategy; increase employee engagement; improve communication skills, teamwork and decision-making; and increase productivity.

Professional coaching brings a host of benefits, including fresh perspectives on personal and professional challenges, enhanced decision-making skills, and increased confidence. Coaching can also have a powerful ripple effect, sparking transformation in one’s family, community and workplace.

The client remains responsible for their progress throughout the coaching relationship. This means, therefore, that the client takes full credit for their progress and success.

Coaching presupposes that the client has the answers to their challenges; the coach and the coaching process simply provide a framework to support the client as they move through self-discovery.

The coach offers objective, client-focused insights and observations into the client’s reality, providing an external perspective that the client is often not able to see. The agenda of each session – and indeed of the entire coaching relationship – is owned by the client; the coach has a vested interest in the client’s progress only.

The International Coach Federation states that professional coaching focuses on setting goals, creating outcomes and managing personal change.
Sometimes it’s helpful to understand coaching by distinguishing it from other personal or organizational support professions.

• Therapy: Therapy deals with healing pain, dysfunction and conflict within an individual or in relationships. The focus is often on resolving difficulties arising from the past that hamper an individual’s emotional functioning in the present, improving overall psychological functioning, and dealing with the present in more emotionally healthy ways. Coaching, on the other hand, supports personal and professional growth based on self-initiated change in pursuit of specific actionable outcomes. Coaching is future-focused, and the coaching relationship emphasizes action, accountability and follow-through.
• Consulting: Individuals or organizations retain consultants for their expertise. While consulting approaches vary widely, the assumption is the consultant will diagnose problems and prescribe and, sometimes, implement solutions. With coaching, the assumption is that individuals or teams are capable of generating their own solutions, with the coach supplying supportive, discovery-based approaches and frameworks.
• Mentoring: A mentor is an expert who provides wisdom and guidance based on his or her own experience. Mentoring may include advising, counselling and coaching. The coaching process does not include advising or counselling, and focuses instead on individuals or groups setting and reaching their own objectives.
• Training: Training programs are based on objectives set out by the trainer or instructor. Though objectives are clarified in the coaching process, they are set by the individual or team being coached, with guidance provided by the coach. Training also assumes a linear learning path that coincides with an established curriculum. Coaching is less linear, without a set curriculum.
• Athletic Development: Though sports metaphors are often used, professional coaching is different from sports coaching. The athletic coach is often seen as an expert who guides and directs the behaviour of individuals or teams based on his or her greater experience and knowledge.

Professional coaches possess these qualities, but their experience and knowledge of the individual or
team determines the direction. Additionally, professional coaching does not focus on behaviour that are being executed poorly or incorrectly. Instead, the focus is on identifying opportunity for development based on individual strengths and capabilities.