There's a lot of confusion about what coaching is, and the different types of coaching. How do you know when to consider a coach?
When you're facing a challenging problem or looking to learn new skills, it's not always clear who to ask or what type of support you need. In some situations, working with a coach might be a good idea. In others, an expert in your field, a trainer or a mentor might be more helpful in reaching your goal.
Developed by Downey in 2003, the coaching spectrum is a helpful way to see how training, mentoring and coaching can overlap.
Training
If the situation is fairly common and there is established "best practice", then you're probably best finding a trainer or expert in the field.
If you're looking to build a skill that can be perfected, that's a likely signal that training could be appropriate. The person you work with might still have "coach" in their title. For example, they could be a sports coach, or a life coach who uses a structured approach that prescribes answers or gives you solutions you don't create yourself.
Common statements you'll hear in training mode will be more directive:
"Here's how to do it"
"Change your approach by..."
"In this situation, you're best to..."
"Focus on improving..."
Mentoring
In a professional career, it's quite common to have a formal or informal mentor. This is often someone more senior, in the same company or industry. Mentors will often take the time to understand the motivations, strengths and challenges of their mentees, and adjust their approach accordingly.
With a mentor, you may get access to their network at times, with introductions to others in the business or industry.
Business coaches, who work with business owners to grow their business, may work in this space, while also using some training and coaching approaches. Depending on the client, they might provide a mix of mentoring, suggest training in new skills, and use coaching questions to deepen understanding.
Common statements and questions when someone is in mentor mode:
"You might want to try..."
"What did you learn from...?"
"What I'm hearing is..."
Coaching
Coaching is well suited to times and situations where there is no "best practice", or when no one else can understand the context as well as you. It's a popular choice for mid-level and senior leaders who are dealing with increasingly complex situations. They're also often becoming more aware of the impact of their own behaviour and choices.
In these situations, there is no simple answer or solution, but you can work with others to generate more options, a deeper perspective or to create what you need as part of your goal. Working with a coach in these situations, the coach generally doesn't speak much. They rarely ask questions about what is going on - about the details - focussing more on how and why, or offering reflections, often linking back to previous sessions. This is why a coach doesn't need to have experience in your field - in fact, it can be a distraction. A coach who has similar experience to you may find it harder to maintain objectivity and ask leading questions or stray into giving advice. This can significantly limit the impact of the session. People working in this space often refer to themselves as leadership coaches, mindset coaches, or executive coaches.
Common statements and questions in coaching mode:
"What will it mean for you if...?"
"What's changed for you since we started today?"
"Can I share an observation with you? Your energy/voice/posture shifted just then."
Note that for coaching to be effective, there does need to some self-awareness, and a motivation for change and a willingness to experiment.
Conclusion
Working your way through a challenging situation, learning a new skill, or integrating a new behaviour is often uncomfortable and hard work. It's also incredibly rewarding, especially when you have the right support. Choosing the right partners to work alongside you is key, whether that's a coach, a mentor, or a trainer.
If you'd like to understand more about working with a coach, you can book a free 20 minute intro call or find out more about choosing a coach.
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