What is Coaching?
Coaching is defined by its practice and its results. Coaching is ‘a series of intentional conversations that empower a person or group to fully live out their calling’ – Dr Keith E. Webb. The International Coach Federation (ICF), has 11 Coaching Core Competencies that all professional coaches will take into practice, whether they are a Life, Business, Leadership, Communication, Career or any other type of coach.
Some characteristics of a coach include:
- Coaches don’t talk, they listen.
- Coaches don’t give information, they ask questions.
- Coaches don’t offer ideas, they generate ideas from clients.
- Coaches don’t share their story, they tap into the client’s experience.
- Coaches don’t present solutions, they expand the client’s thinking.
- Coaches don’t give recommendations, they empower clients to choose.
The Difference Between a Life Coach and a Executive Coach
Let’s take a look at two different types of coaching and how they differ. Life Coaching is focused on personal needs: helping a person with personal life challenges. Executive coaching, on the other hand, looks at professional development: helping a person look at how they can be more effective in a work role.
Life Coaching topics may include:
- Making significant personal changes.
- Improving relationships.
- Finding meaning.
- Making important decisions.
- Growing spiritually.
- Becoming financially more stable.
- Making a bigger impact on the world.
- Reducing stress.
- Addressing transitions in family, location, and employment.
Some Executive Coaching topics include:
- Self-awareness
- Interpersonal relationships, listening skills, and empathy
- Leading during times of change
- Communication skills
- Motivation and engagement, leading with vision, and purpose
- Strategy and strategic thinking
- Working with uncertainty and ambiguity; decision skills
- Mentoring, developing internal talent, succession
*Article compliments Dries Lombaard – http://strengthsynergy.co.za/. You can find Dries on the Sterkla App here https://bit.ly/3iOMmQc (You must have registered on the Sterkla App to view).
