Coaching is a form of personal development. A forward-focused, action-oriented collaborative process between a coach and a client.

There is no one standardised and agreed definition of Coaching. The definition that most closely reflects what I do and how I want to support others is:

“…dialogue between a facilitator (coach) and a participant (client), where the majority of interventions used by the facilitator are open questions [that] are aimed at stimulating the self-awareness and personal responsibility of the client” – Passmore & Fillery-Travis, 2011

This definition reflects my approach in two key aspects, being that questions are open-ended and with a focus on improving self-awareness of the client.

You may be facing a recurring challenge that you now want to resolve. You may be a team leader who needs some confidential support without the emotional attachment that colleagues hold. You may be an aspiring manager seeking confidence to move into a new role. Or, you may simply feel stuck. A new approach is needed. A new way of thinking. Coaching can surface questions you may not have considered before. And questions you may have thought about, but never really wanted to answer!

Coaching is defined by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) as “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.” My view on this definition is that maximising personal and professional potential may be an aim for some client, but not everyone will be continually striving to maximise their potential. And that’s fine. Seeking small improvements or a fresh perspective on life is a perfectly valid benefit you can get from coaching.

Benefits of coaching

People choose to invest in coaching for a wide range of reasons. Coaches can work with individuals on career development, relationships, finance, parenting and any other topic where the challenges are unique to the individual client. There’s no manual that can be consulted and applied directly because the challenges are unique to your personal circumstances.

Coaching is not Therapy or Counselling

“Talking therapies are psychological treatments for mental and emotional problems like stress, anxiety and depression.” (Source: NHS)

Talking Therapy can take many forms, but all involve working with a qualified therapist. One such form of talking therapy is counselling.

“Counselling is a talking therapy that involves a trained therapist listening to you and helping you find ways to deal with emotional issues.” (Source: NHS)

Other types of talking therapy include CBT, behavioural action and Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT).

Coaching is not Consulting or Mentoring

“Mentoring is a learning relationship, involving the sharing of skills, knowledge, and expertise between a mentor and mentee through developmental conversations, experience sharing, and role modelling. The relationship may cover a wide variety of contexts and is an inclusive two-way partnership for mutual learning that values differences.” (Source: EMCC)

I am very happy to include an element of mentoring in my coaching. I have lived-experiences and my own strategies that I am happy to share during coaching sessions. This is a topic to be discussed during the discovery call, and if you would like some mentoring during sessions, I will always ask permission before sharing with you. Whilst there can be comfort and reassurance in knowing that you’re not alone, it’s also important to recognise that it is how we react to events that is critical. How I process events and then react to them will not necessarily be the same as you.

Consultancy is similar, but more typically used when referring to providing specialist advice in the workplace.

Interested in finding out how my coaching can generate greater self-awareness and unlock your potential? Book a free discovery call with me.