What is Coaching Anyway?

If you are at all like I was, hiring a coach simply has not been something on your radar.

You might think this world is limited to Executive Coaches for CEOs or you might scoff at the idea of a Life Coach, because “how can someone ‘coach’ me in living my life.” 

And this is where the word coach can be misleading.

This is not like an athletic coach. I won’t tell you what plays to run or teach you how to shoot or force you to do wind sprints. 

Instead, what I do as a coach is ask questions. I ask lots of questions. And I listen intently to your answers. I do that in service of something I will let crudely drawn stick figures share with you more clearly:

Many of us spend our time thinking about and focusing on the “something in the way”:

First of all, it is helpful to talk about what coaching isn’t.

Coaching isn’t therapy.

Therapy is generally backward looking. It is very important work that focuses more on how that big, messy, “something in the way” came to be. 

Coaching isn’t consulting.

A consultant might be an expert in untangling big, messy “somethings in the way” and will learn about the specifics of yours before providing a detailed plan on how to untangle it. 

As a coach I won’t ask you to spend much time on the “something” because you are most likely tired it.

Instead I allow you to lean into or reconnect with your strengths and your values to grow the person so you can better see over the obstacle.

Or we grow the vision so that you can better see it. This is done by creating a vision of your future so compelling that you can’t help but get started towards it. 

Or, ideally, both happen:

If there is “something in your way”, whether it be external circumstances or, more likely, your own negative self-talk, you will benefit from working with a coach.