What is Coaching?
Coaching word has been misused everywhere and I was also misusing it from the start of my school and professional life. Then I came across ICF Level 1 program run by Abhyudaya and after being part of a wonderful cohort on the learning journey this year, it has totally changed my belief on what is coaching.
What struck me in our first session with Jaya was her quote on coaching.
Coaching is like a lighthouse, you can’t have a fused bulb. It’s a responsibility.
So what exactly is coaching? As per the ICF (International Coaching Federation) definition, coaching is
Partnering in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires a person to maximize their personal and professional potential.
An important question here is “what coaching is NOT”? Again as per the ICF definition
Coaching is not the same thing as mentoring or therapy. A mentor provides subject matter expertise, wisdom and guidance based on their own experiences. Therapy deals with healing pain, trauma, dysfunction or conflict of some kind, typically with the goal of resolving difficulties that impair an individual’s emotional health and psychological functioning.
By contrast, coaching focuses on facilitating individuals or groups to draw upon their own experiences and capabilities to set and reach their own objectives. The coach is the expert in the coaching process, but you are the expert on your life journey.
I have experienced the “coach” word used for teachers or mentors etc but no one actually understood what coaching is. A Professional coach doesn't advise but believe in people that they have their own solutions, they just haven’t thought about it. A coach’s role is to partner with the client and challenge their beliefs to bring clarity of what client wants to achieve.
As a leader your role could be a coach, mentor, consultant or educator. As an Agile Coach, I am trying to have my default stance to be a coach first. Trying to be curious and find out what the problems are by asking open-ended questions. Let the team or individuals find out the solutions to their issues. If they are stuck then support them with my experience and be a mentor or an educator.
Coaches believe that people know more about their issues or goals than they do. Coaches are curious about the people and they have developed their coaching mindset.
Coaching Attitude
The three main elements of coaching attitude are:
Presence
Presence is a deep interest and a strong connection, where you put yourself at the services of others
Acceptance
State of mind goes three ways: Self-Acceptance, Acceptance of others & Acceptance of the situation
Empathy
Empathy is the capacity to understand or feel what another person is experiencing from their point of view. Try connecting with the feeling they are trying to express more than the specific cause of that feeling.
Are you more of a mentor or consultant than a coach? What is your experience if you have been on a coaching journey? I look forward to hearing from you.