Coaching is an ongoing conversation that empowers a person or team to fully live out their calling – in their life and profession. The goal of coaching is for you to listen to your inner voice, discover new things about yourself, and take action to reshape your life around that learning.
What is Coaching?
What Coaching Is
Coaching is about you – your goals, your learning, and your growth.
Coaching is about learning – rather than teaching.
You are the expert on your life. Your coach uses coaching techniques such as active listening, open questions, encouragement, challenging a bit, and always remaining supportive. All to assist you in discovering insights and taking next steps.
Coaching is about action – your action.
Each session you will determine 1-3 actions steps you will take before the next session. You may be surprised how quickly you progress toward your goals.
Coaching is about all of you – not just your work or ministry.
We all know that changing old habits and thought patterns are difficult. Your coach recognizes these patterns and will support you as you change and grow.
“It is not difficult to know a thing;
what is difficult is to know how to use what you know.”
– Han Fei Tzu
What Coaching Isn’t
It’s not therapy.
Although many of the communication techniques are the same, like active listening, reflecting, use of questions, limited advice giving, etc., therapy focuses on the past to bring healing and unblock a person to move ahead. Coaching is future and action-oriented, for people who are basically clear of psychological and emotional issues.
It’s not mentoring.
Mentors are experts in a particular field who seek to pass on their expertise to a person. Mentors provide knowledge, advice, guidance, correction, and encouragement to people who are newer and junior—by experience if not by position or age. They may use some coaching techniques, but mentors usually play the roles of advisor and teacher to guide and impart knowledge and wisdom.
It’s not training.
In training, the trainer sets the agenda. Change comes from outside the participant, via the trainer. In coaching, you set the agenda. Coaches use adult learning principles of self-discovery to motivate change from within you.
It’s not authoritarian.
Did you have a tough sports coach who used to yell at you and make you do a million push-ups if you made a mistake? That’s not coaching. Your coach will push you beyond what you might think you can do, but will always be supportive. You are in control. The responsibility to decide and act is yours.
Why Does Coaching Work?
Coaching works because it brings out your best – what God put in! Coaches believe you can create your own best answers and are trained to support you in that process.
Specifically, this is what your coach will do during coaching sessions:
- Listen. Your story is central. Coaches fully engage in what you are saying.
- Ask questions. Coaches use questions to stimulate your thinking and creativity. Questions are about possibilities and the future.
- Encourage. Everyone needs encouragements, and usually we don’t get enough. Your coach will hold up your vision, your progress, and your efforts.
- Facilitate while letting you lead. Coaches facilitate your learning and problem solving. Yet, they are never fully leading – you are, with your agenda and your approach.
“You will never maximize your potential in any area without coaching.
It is impossible. You may be good. You may even be better than everyone
else. But without outside input you will never be as good as you could be.”
—Andy Stanley, The Next Generation Leader
Why Use a Coach?
The reasons people want coaching are endless, and as unique as the person. Here are a few examples that motivate people to use a coach.
- To make significant changes
- To better deal with uncertainty
- To make better decisions
- To set better goals
- To reach goals faster
- To grow spiritually
- To become financially more stable
- To get ahead personally
- To have a collaborative partner
- To improve their relationships
- To make a bigger impact on the world
- To be a better leader
- To simplify their lives
- To reduce stress
- To keep up with the speed of life
- To address transitions in location and employment
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