What Is Coaching?

Coaching Definitions

Hundreds of people are looking an answer to this question every day, and you see, there's a big misunderstanding of what coaching is and therefore there are a whole bunch of definitions out there.

Why is a coaching definition important?

If you're a coach, you want to be able to explain to clients what they're getting into. Similarly, if you're a client, and you're spending a lot of money on getting coached, you want to know that you're getting the a good result.

That's the reason why defining coaching is important.

What is coaching?

Like we said, there are many coaching definitions out there. If you'd like to read a few, click on the links below and a new window will open with the definition.

International Coach Federation coaching definition

International Coach Academy coaching definition

The OCM coaching definition

What isn't coaching?

Coaching is frequently confused with other fields of practice such as therapy and mentoring, that's why it's important to make a distinction between them.

Although coaching draws from many fields, such as psychology, business consulting and management theory, it's distinctly different.

Coaching is not therapy; therapy has a tendendy to focus on the past, dealing with problems that affect a clients present state. Coaching is more akin to focus on the present, establishing goals that allow you to move forward. The focus is different.

Coaching is not consulting in the strict sense; consultants are usually experts in a given field, being hired to solve a specific problem or issue. Coaching generally has a more broad approach, and frequently a coach doesn't need to be an expert in the client's area of expertise.

Coaching is not mentoring; a mentor, like a consultant, has a specific set of experiences that he or she will bestow on the person being mentored. It's a formal relationship with someone who is an expert in his or her field.

What is a coaching model?

A model is a strategy that a coach will follow to achieve a goal. There are many coaching models in use today, each approach uses different tools and tactics to produce results.

Here are some in-depth explanations of several coaching models.

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Article written by Jean Paul Cortes.
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