Coaching
COACHING
What is Coaching? How does it work?
Coaching is a structured process of personal and professional development, where the focus is on achieving the Client’s specific desirable results/goals, i.e. positive change which ultimately enhances the Client’s quality of life. Interestingly, the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates is said to be the first ever Coach (at least in the West). Coaching is a methodology that is broadly based on ‘the Socratic method’ (also known as ‘maieutics’), whereby the Coach, trained and skilled to use appropriate, timely questions in an appropriate way, helps the Client externalize their thoughts, worries, aims, fears, and aspirations and guides them to find solutions to the issues at hand, overcome obstacles and reach their goals. Indeed, it is a methodology that has revolutionized learning and development in our world of recent decades.
Coaching is a type of ‘non-formal’ education, i.e. experiential learning, which happens by doing, viz. by applying TOOLS in practice, as opposed to ‘formal’ or academic education, which is often criticized for a lack of balance or even coherence between theory and practice. Coaching is a very empowering developmental process where clients (coachee) are guided to find their own ‘voice’ and to express it in their own unique way, according to their own goals. At the same time, clients learn to use specific, easy-to-apply tools
which help them realize sustainable positive change(s) in their life and in their career.
Coaching is a process based on trust, honesty and mutual understanding, whilst also a very practical, hands-on approach to the specific goal at hand. It focuses on ‘where I am NOW’, i.e. point A, and takes the Client to ‘where I want to be’, i.e. point B, which corresponds to the Client’s specific goals being accomplished. In fact, this is how the term ‘coaching’ came about, as it originates from the word ‘coach’ or ‘wagon’ of a train, taking its passengers from where they are (point A) to where they want to be (point B). The Coach is always responsible for guiding and holding the process, whilst the Client is responsible for their own achievements and success.
