The growth of coaching as a profession, as well as the hype around creating a coaching culture in organizations, generates curiosity as to what exactly coaching is and how it works. Even coaches struggle with a clear explanation of coaching. Ultimately, coaching involves the coach listening to the client and asking questions with a forward focus on what the client wants to accomplish. The coach develops competency and efficacy through coach training and brings process expertise. The client is held as fully capable and their own best expert. An interesting thought: it takes more time, skill, and patience to partner with someone to find their own answer than to just give the answer. In the long run, it best serves everyone.
When considering human development, there is a normal progression. When we are young, we go to school and receive an education. As young adults or professionals, we receive training for specific work or skills. This may be further elevated with certification specific to what we do professionally. Often people have a mentor, whether at work or in life generally. Commonly organizations bring in consultants to advise. Then, at the highest level, comes coaching. Coaching is Advanced Development for Advanced Results.
What is different about coaching? Put simply, in the first five levels of development, education, training, certification, mentoring, and consulting, someone else is the expert. Someone else determines what information to share and how to share it. They are telling – hopefully in a way that supports engaging and learning. In coaching, instead of telling the coach is asking. They are exploring and partner with the client for them to find their own answers.
The reason coaching averages 600% return on investment is because when people learn to figure it out, they are developing at an advanced level. Additionally, when they figure it out them self, they own the answer and follow through at a much higher rate. People that figure out their own answers build confidence, create opportunities, and experience success.
