What is Coaching?

There are two types of coaching conversations. One is skill coaching where coach is experienced in a particular skill and then “trains” another person this skill. This type of coaching evolved from athletic field and is based on providing advice and guidance. A lot of sales or business coaches are trainers of a particular subject.

The second type of coaching is clarity coaching. The coach’s expertise is in the clarity process where coach assists the client to discover their own answers and access their own resources to maximize personal potential and effectively achieve goals. This type of coaching is practiced by professional coaches such as executive coaches and life coaches certified by International Coach Federation.  To be certified by ICF coaches have to go through extensive education, practice and examination process.

 

Anastasia Gorianina, Houston-based executive and life coach, at Elephanta Coaching, is a certified coach by ICF and Erickson Coaching International (Canada).

What are the BENEFITS of working with a coach?

Professional coach is a thinking partner who engages the client in a highly productive conversation.

The original definition of “coach” is a carriage. Imagine yourself walking alone; how fast would you get from one place to another? Now imagine that you are in a space that activates your inner resources, brings clarity on your route, helps you to see and overcome roadblocks (limiting beliefs, old thought patterns), connects you to what is personally meaningful (so you choose the right road to follow), helps you to stay focused and supports you along the way. You will get to where you want to be faster as well as inspired by what you can achieve.

Do I need a coach?

You may want to consider coaching if…

• You feel stuck and want to facilitate changes.
• You experience a lack of clarity with choices to be made.
• Your work and life is out of balance, causing undesired consequences.
• The challenges you face require new approaches and new ways of thinking.
• You want to leverage your existing knowledge & experience to accelerate your success.

 

How coaching is different from other similar services?

 

Consultant

A consultant is an expert in a particular area and is hired to give a professional advice.

A coach may or may not have an experience in a client’s field. Rather, a coach is an expert at helping the client think more effectively and come up with her/his own strategies. Unlike many consultants who propose a solution and leave a client to implement it, a coach supports the client’s creative thinking process and works with the client to help integrate the strategies to achieve goal fulfillment. This is one of the many reasons why coaching is so effective; it is one thing when somebody tells you what to do and then leaves but quite another when you decide what to do and have support to make the change happen.

 

Trainer

A trainer is a subject matter expert and transfers his/her skills & knowledge to the group participants. Training programs are usually generic with standardized materials. They do not accommodate all individuals’ skills and capabilities.

A coach may or may not be an expert in the client’s business. Coach is rather a guide who provides support to enable an individual to develop on a job and better apply skills and knowledge. Coaching is always focused on individual needs and helps to maximize his/her potential.

Mentor

A mentor is usually a more experienced and older person. A mentor passes on knowledge, experience and opens doors to otherwise out-of-reach opportunities.

Coaching is a partnership and a process where coach helps a client to unlock available resources, see wider opportunities and create a unique path of success. Coaching is not performed on the basis that the coach has direct experience of their client’s professional role. A coach is an expert on how the human brain works and facilitates the solution focused thinking.

Counselor / Therapist

Therapists / Counselors work with the causes of the current problems. They help to heal the past wounds.

Coaching is always future oriented; it is not a therapy. Coaches focus on the present and the client’s goals for the future.  All coaching clients are healthy, successful people who might be a bit stuck or simply want to make a big change in their lives and want the support of a coach to do so.