What is COACHING ?
Coaching is a process of

What coaching is not ...
Coaching is very different the following helping disciplines:

Consulting. Is an arrangement in which one is typically hired for their specific expertise, and the outcome of a consulting agreement is to tell the client what they, the client, ought to do. Action steps are often prescribed in detail and the client is left to either agree and implement, or, make some other decision based upon the information provided by the expert.

Mentoring. Mentoring is a relationship where someone who has knowledge and experience in a particular discipline will aid and assist someone else to develop the same competencies. A mentor will try to impart their learning to the person being mentored, usually through modeling, to replicate learning and experience in those they mentor.

Counseling. Counseling involves reviewing what has happened in the past, addressing certain behaviors or responses, in order to be better positioned to succeed in the present. Counselors have expertise to identify root causes of past issues in order to deal effectively in the present.

Teaching. A teacher is one who imparts learning or knowledge to a student, and gives specific directions on how to accomplish outcomes. They provide language and logic for specific contexts, and instill insight and discernment through directed instruction. Understanding develops as true knowledge grows in the person being taught.

Coaching is …
Coaching is a collaborative relationship where agendas are developed by the person being coached, and the information needed to succeed is "mined" from the client through the coaching conversation. The assumption is that the one being coached is best positioned to make the needed judgments in order to create forward movement, because they are the ones closest to the issue. Oftentimes they simply lack the clear thinking which comes by exploring possibilities in order to make confident decisions regarding next steps, and achieve good outcomes.

A coach will not tell a person what to do… typically, that is the behavior of a consultant, teacher, counselor, etc, if such information is being sought. A good coach will ask probing questions, help the client to discover possibilities not previously examined, and bring that person to the place where he or she can develop action steps in order to achieve stated goals. Because ideas originate within the person being coached, the client develops strong ownership drives regarding outcomes. This type of ownership is not likely when being told what to do by others. The outcomes become real to the client, because it is he or she who is doing the thinking and acting.

A good coach is transparent, without an agenda, and listens hard to what the client has to say. The truth is spoken based upon observations made, but without judgment. The client's success is up to the client, not some other professional. It is more about personal responsibility and ownership than following the formulas and agendas of others. People who use coaches focus and win because they dig deep within themselves for the answers. It works.