Coach - who is he, what does he do, the meaning of the profession

At all times, there have been so-called mentors in society. This role could be played by a priest, shaman, elder or other wise person with leadership qualities, organizational talent and experience. The mentor did not solve problems for the person who approached him, but helped create clarity and encourage action.

In the modern world, such a mentor is called a coach, and coaching, as a process, is a valuable and convenient way to help in any life situation. You will learn more about coaching in this article. But first, let's see if you already understand this interesting topic:

Now let’s continue the article (we suggest you read it, even if you did excellent on the test).

Who is a coach, in simple words

Literally, “coach” means a vehicle – a carriage, cart, etc. In a loose translation, “coach” sounds like “sports trainer” or “freight transport”; in a simplified version, it means “training”.

The main task of a coach can be described in three points:

1. Placement of accents.
2. Identifying goals.
3. Help in achieving your plans.

The goal of a coach is not to lead a person by the hand, protecting him from problems and difficulties, but to help him believe in his strengths, reveal his abilities, develop them, rely on his virtues and with their help move to new heights of his life. life.

Who is a coach - in simple words and what is the meaning of a coach’s activity?

Another newfangled word that came from the bourgeois world. And many people say that now you can’t live without a coach:

• if you want to succeed, you need a coach;
• if you want to build a business, you need a coach;
• if you want to achieve results in sports, you need a coach;

Yes, no matter where you go, you need a coach, I don’t even know how people used to get results, except with the help of Old Man Khotabych.

By the way, maybe this was the prototype of the first coach?

So, who is this coach, whom you cannot do without in the current world?

Coach is a slang expression. The literal translation from English is “coach” - carriage, crew, cart, and for the first time, students called their tutors who helped them in their studies. The sacred meaning is that a coach, like a crew and tutor helping his clients, will move from one point to another. So this word came into use in the West, and later it took root among us.

What does a coach do?

A competent coach does not give advice on exactly what a client should do in a given situation. The uniqueness of the coaching profession lies in the ability to listen and ask questions in order to bring a person during the conversation (coaching session) to an awareness of life situations and his own contribution to everything that happens to him.

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The joint work of a coach with his mentee is aimed at developing a person’s responsibility for his life. Thanks to him, after several sessions the client begins to build a life program in accordance with his goals and dreams.

In simple words, a coach moves the client as comfortably as possible from a dead-end present to a bright and optimistic future.

Skills needed to be a good coach

The most important attribute of a real trainer is the ability to support and guide the learning process of his client. A good coach does not consider himself an expert who can solve all problems and get answers to all questions. Instead, he has a strong desire to help the person find the answers themselves.

There are a number of key skills that you will need in coaching. To become a real master, you must:

1. Have high emotional intelligence: understand people well, treat them with respect and show interest. You must truly want to see other people develop and grow.
2. Show empathy and be able to build relationships.
3. Have developed communication skills.
4. Accumulate information and convey it to the person you are teaching. As a rule, the coach has well-developed active listening skills.
5. Be able to focus on deeply understanding a problem by organizing and evaluating input data.
6. Ask questions correctly. It is believed that a coach should never give an opinion, but only ask questions to guide the person being coached in an advisory role.
7. Be tolerant, give the person time to try their hand. The coach should not get annoyed if the client makes mistakes, but rather focus on finding ways to correct the situation. Tact, diplomacy and balance are skills that must be in the arsenal of a good coach.
8. Proficient in various tools for interacting with people (psychoanalysis, neurolinguistic programming, Gestalt therapy, etc.).

A true coach is truly happy when the person he is coaching achieves success.

Coaching creates an invaluable space for personal development. Moreover, this is a promising industry that is just beginning to develop in Russia, and it is likely that in the near future another official profession will appear on the labor market - coaching. It is worth noting that already a certified trainer receives from 2 to 50 thousand rubles for one hour of work.

Therefore, the answer to the question “Does it make sense to study coaching?” sounds like this: yes. Of course, being a coach is not an easy job. You need to be responsible for another person, to be his guide in achieving goals and making dreams come true.

Friends, if you are the type of person who enjoys being responsible, gets satisfaction from serving others, and is happy when you see the expression of gratitude on the face of someone you have helped, then you might make an excellent coach. Go ahead, don’t be afraid to learn new things and good luck!

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Types of coaching

In this area of ​​consulting, coaches choose the most interesting and acceptable profile for themselves, constantly improving and raising their professional level.

They specialize in coaching, as a rule, in one of the following areas:

• Business (organization/development);
• Sports (building championship motivation, high achievements);
• Self-development (removing psychological barriers to success);
• Management (development/improvement of management skills);
• Personal life (stabilization of marital life/interpersonal relationships);
• Own efficiency (the client’s definition of his purpose, search for opportunities for development), etc.

Globally, coaching is divided into three areas:

1. Business coaching.
2. Life coaching.
3. Career coaching.

Business coaching

The work of a business coach consists of special sessions for employees of companies/firms in order to discover possible ways to successfully develop the company.

Coaching will help business leaders if they are ready to rethink the company’s work, receive an impartial assessment of employee performance, and get ready for thorough work on a conscious “reboot.”

Life coaching

A life coach works to improve personal effectiveness. Problems with determining your purpose, worries due to low self-esteem, lack of a clear understanding of your needs - a life coach helps solve these problems. During individual sessions, the coach's mentee will acquire:

• The ability to strive for the intended goal;
• Good lifestyle habits;
• Confidence in your strength;
• The ability to see the world around you in rainbow colors.

Career coaching

A career coach helps his client change jobs or areas of activity, plan a future career and realize their career potential, as well as:

• determine ways to achieve professional goals;
• increase your efficiency in the profession;
• expand the field of knowledge;
• improve the quality of life through achieving results.

Depending on the goals, the coach can organize intensive sessions or schedule meetings rarely, for a short time.

Effectiveness of coaching sessions: money lost or skills gained?

There is one rule in coaching: it is not free. Why? Because what a person gets for free, he does not value. By and large, this is an additional motivation for the person who paid the money, so as not to go halfway towards his goal and not give up on it at the first difficulty that arises.

In all other respects, coaching works due to the coach’s faith in his client, an atmosphere of trust and openness, as well as through joint unidirectional actions.

This means that if, after drawing up an action plan for the week, the client comes to the session without completing his task, then the coach helps him to deeply understand why he did not do it. After all, a coach is more interested than anyone in ensuring that the client achieves his goals and results. A coach is not a teacher or a punisher who scolds or gives a bad mark for an uncompleted task. It is precisely such moments of self-sabotage, “forgetfulness” or fear that prevented you from taking a step that allow you to get to the true cause of inaction and work with it. And, by the way, sometimes it is at this stage that it may become clear that the initially set goal was not the client’s goal at all.

Sessions with a coach help a person identify personal goals, not those imposed by public opinion or life circumstances. The ability to find yourself and correctly formulate your thoughts, desires and plans will give you a chance for a prosperous and successful life. A person working with a consultant correctly sets priorities, highlighting only what is truly important in his personal and professional life. In the process of working with a specialist, a person learns to formulate his desires and needs, make plans for the future, and find the most attractive ways to achieve certain goals.

When starting to work with a coach, it is important to understand that responsibility for the result lies entirely with the client. Therefore, the client himself takes active steps to achieve results. And the coach’s responsibility is to ensure that the client achieves results with the least effort and cost and faster than if he did it on his own. In addition, all the skills and abilities acquired during fruitful work will remain in a person’s life even after the end of the coaching relationship, which means that he will be able to continue to use them in the future on his own.

This is a significant difference between coaching and related professions, such as psychotherapy or psychological counseling, which can last for years. In the process of working together with a coach, a person changes some part of himself, which harmoniously integrates into his personality, and he can show this facet on his own without the support of a specialist.

Working with a professional coach is a step forward, developing self-confidence and your abilities.

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Difference from other types of consulting

Among several areas of professional counseling, there are three areas that are in many ways similar to coaching: psychology, sports, and mentoring. However, besides the similarities, the work of specialists has some differences from the work of a coach.

Similarities and differences with coaching include the following positions:

1. The psychologist also solves the client’s psychological problems, helps to get rid of phobias, fears, and internal insecurities. Unlike a psychologist, a coach does not turn to the past, does not look for the origins of the coachee’s problems, but sets him up for success and self-development work in the future.
2. Coaching work consists of long-term planning of the athlete’s personal development, drawing up a proper nutrition regimen, teaching and recommendations for achieving sports results. The coach does not need to describe to the mentee a detailed plan of action, give advice, manage and direct his activities.
3. The job of a mentor is to influence the mentee by personal example, to help him go from a beginner to a master of his craft, constantly consulting and directing his activities. The coach does not perform any of the above actions.

In everyday life, coaches are sometimes called trainers, but experts believe that this definition is not entirely correct - coaches are more involved in mentoring than coaching.

If in other types of consulting coaches work with a group of clients, then the coach more often works individually (sessions are called sessions), less often - he works with a team or in an organized group that needs professional coaching.

Fact #2: The position of a coach is not the position of a mentor.

This is really something that many experts are silent about, but in vain. Because, in my opinion, without understanding this fact it is impossible to explain in human terms what coaching is.

So, my friends. There is such a thing as a coaching position. Any deviation from this position, and even more so getting used to the role of a mentor (mentor), is a gross mistake on the part of the specialist. A coach does not teach or give advice. Therefore, he cannot be a mentor.

Here are a few mistakes that lead to losing your coaching position:

1. Failure to make coaching strategic. The coach should pay attention not only and not so much to current goals and results, but to focus the client on strategic results.

1. The coach talks too much. During a coaching session, the client speaks 80% of the time, the coach speaks 20%. Yes, yes, the same Pareto rule works here.

1. Failure to convey to the client the benefits of stress and tension. As soon as the client’s tension is detected, it must be resolved by directing it to useful actions.

1. Failure to grasp what the client is actually saying. You need to watch not only the words, but also the intonation and gestures, which sometimes clarify the situation even better than words.

1. Perceiving the client's problem as one's own. If the client has a situation that is familiar to the coach, then most likely this will lead to falling out of the coaching role and giving advice.

1. To give advice. Based on his situation, a coach can give advice, but this is a grave mistake. Because what one person has already done cannot always be done by another.

It is strict adherence to the coach’s position that is the key to conducting a successful coaching session, which can help the client develop new skills and build a successful strategy to achieve the desired results.

More and more often, coaching has begun to be used specifically in the development of professional skills. Moreover, it is so common that some people have developed a stereotype that coaching is almost the same as consulting.

How does a coach work?

The main activity of a coach is the ability to listen carefully and ask the right questions, directing the conversation with the coachee in the right direction. In practice, during a session with a coach it looks like this:

• In the conversation, the current state of affairs is clarified (the starting point);
• A goal is formulated together with the coaching client;
• The deadlines for achievement are discussed.

A detailed plan for the coachee’s transition from the starting point to the result is developed during sessions - scheduled meetings between the coach and the client receiving the status of coachee.

Conventionally, the work of a coach with his mentee is usually divided into three options:

1. Coaching “from below” consists of receiving leading questions from the coach, while the client himself identifies and voices his problems.
2. Coaching “from above” - the client watches the coach setting an example for the coachee with his achievements, and learns from him. At the session, the results of actions are discussed and adjusted.
3. Coaching is equal. In this version, the coach is on the same level with his mentee, at the same starting point.

During the session, when drawing up a planned approach from setting a goal to achieving it, the coach does not offer ready-made solutions. His task during sessions is to help the client draw the right conclusions and draw up step-by-step instructions in accordance with the client’s personal qualities and aspirations.

If the work was carried out by a real coach, the mentee will eventually discover that his training in analyzing his own life, correctly setting tasks for its improvement and successfully solving them really works.

The work of a coach: a combination of theory and practice

Typically, work with a client begins with assessing his readiness to interact in a coaching format and analyzing the current state of affairs.

• The fact is that not every person who comes to a consultation is ready to work on themselves and take responsibility for the result into their own hands. For example, it happens that a “complainer” comes to a session, who is used to complaining about life and pouring out his soul, but at the same time doing nothing. So he goes from one specialist to another, waiting for a miracle, a “magic pill” or super advice that can solve all his problems, but nothing in his life changes. And coaching, unfortunately, is also powerless here.

Thus, this method will be effective only for people who are determined and ready to act and change, and not waiting for ready-made decisions that someone else will make for them and firmly believing that all the problems in their lives are due to others of people.

So, the first session allows the specialist to understand whether the client is ready to work on himself in a coaching format. In addition, both the person seeking help and the coach are determined to what extent they are suitable for each other for further joint partnership. Often such understanding comes intuitively, at the level of “chemistry” and value coincidences/discrepancies.

• The second important aspect of starting to work together is understanding the client's request and defining the desired result. It would seem, well, what’s incomprehensible here? Indeed, everything is quite obvious when a person comes with a specific request, for example: “I want to get married,” “I want to become self-confident,” “I want to improve family relationships,” “I want to open my own business,” etc.

But even with a “direct” request, if you dig deeper, it may turn out that the desire “I want to get married” is not mine at all, but my mother’s. That the goal of “buying a car” is not because I want or need it, but because everyone has... In general, after answering the coach’s simple question: “Why is this so important to you?”, the person suddenly realizes that it’s not at all this is what he wants. And then, together with the coach, the request is reformulated into one that will truly inspire and have value and true meaning for the person.

However, very often people come to a coach in a state of uncertainty. And usually it looks like this: “I understand that something needs to change in life, but I don’t know what?” or “Everything seems to be fine, but there is no satisfaction in life...” or “I can no longer do what I do and I want to find something I like... But I don’t know what it is?”

Then the special technique “Wheel of Life Balance” comes to the rescue, which allows you to determine the “reference point”. Thanks to this technique, the client understands and sees the starting point - the area of ​​his life from which to begin working to achieve the desired changes.

Summing up the features of working in a coaching format, one involuntarily recalls the phrase: “No one can do exercises for you.” No matter how good the coach is, only the client himself can take all the steps towards the desired results. Often this work of a person on himself does not come down to any one action (take it and do/say this). It is associated with a change in worldview, with the formation of a new perception of oneself, with overcoming emotional and mental barriers (unconscious limiting attitudes).

Help in overcoming these obstacles and competent work to eliminate them, undeniable faith in a person’s capabilities, vision of his potential and its disclosure, provide support and maintain the client’s motivation on the path to change, which is the main task of the coach.

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When is coaching needed?

It often happens that a person knows what he wants to achieve, but cannot figure out the next steps - what and how to take, and in which direction to move. As a result, the goal loses its attractiveness, becomes illusory, and gradually disappears from sight, even if initially its achievement was vital.

Helping you understand yourself, outlining a strategy for achieving the desired result in the shortest possible way in the shortest period of time, supporting, strengthening self-confidence - this is the work of an experienced coach.

Contrary to the prevailing stereotype of the image of a coach, not only a businessman or politician can use his services. Anyone who needs qualified assistance in any area of ​​activity or personal relationships can come to a coaching professional.

Example

A person is haunted by failures in his professional activities. All attempts to get a promotion or engage in scientific/teaching/coaching work turn out to be a waste of time and effort. Advice from friends and relatives not only does not improve the situation, but also aggravates the unfortunate development of events. Realizing the futility of trying to influence the situation, the “loser” goes to a coach - and this is the only right decision.

Before contacting a coaching specialist for advice, it is a good idea to think through the course of the upcoming conversation in advance and formulate answers to the following questions:

• What is the reason for meeting with a coach;
• What issue is causing concern?
• What has already been done, what steps have been taken to change the situation;
• The ultimate goal of seeking the services of a coach.

Communication during a session requires maximum frankness from the client and a willingness to engage in dialogue with the coach. If for some reason it is not possible to establish trusting communication, you should refuse his services and look for another specialist.

Who needs coaching and why?

There are many types of coaching, each catering to a person's specific needs. The classification below is enlarged; it will help you understand whether you need a coach, and will also be useful to those who plan to become a coach.

Business coaching

Helps managers and/or their teams achieve business progress and improve organizational efficiency. The focus of business coaching can vary greatly, from defining vision, mission, purpose, values, strategy development, to developing leadership, team or organizational culture.

The coach shows the manager how management style affects performance and adjusts it if necessary, and also helps all employees become more conscientious, which leads to a positive work environment and improved overall business performance.

This type of coaching can be useful for a manager who:

• wants to improve the overall productivity of the company, realizes that he needs to take a step back, rethink what and how he does;
• feels the need for an impartial assessment that will help identify weaknesses;
• is under pressure and has difficulty responding to a changing environment;
• understands that its employees are not using their full potential.

Career coaching

Helps you make decisions regarding your work life and move forward towards your dream job.

With the support of a career coach, a person will be able to:

• define career goals;
• understand what motivates him and make the best career choice;
• take psychometric tests to better understand your personality, character strengths and suitability for the profession;
• expand the range of alternative career options;
• develop a resume;
• prepare for an interview;
• develop self-confidence.

Life coaching

Helps you achieve personal goals in any area of ​​life. It assumes a holistic approach that recognizes that all areas of life are interconnected, each influencing the other. For example, improving family relationships or increasing spirituality can lead to normal health and achievement of career goals.

The coach assesses current satisfaction with different areas of life, analyzes what the person wants to achieve, what his strengths are, and helps to formulate a development strategy. Life coaching can restore self-confidence and give you the strength to step outside your comfort zone and make bold decisions.

Life coaching may be helpful if a person:

• wants to change his life, but feels that there are factors that are holding him back;
• has certain goals that he wants to achieve and needs support;
• intends to minimize stress and achieve work-life balance.

Coaching to improve relationships

Helps a person improve their relationships with others (spouse, family members, friends or colleagues).

Coaching to improve relationships can be individual or group. In the first case, the trainer works with an individual who wants to establish interpersonal contacts. In the second case, coaching is carried out simultaneously with two or more people currently in a relationship, for example, a married couple, business partners, an entire family or a business team.

This type of coaching can help a person better understand themselves and the nature of their current relationships, find positive solutions that will help them overcome difficulties and move forward.

Coaching to improve relationships will be useful for those who:

• experiences difficulties in marriage or cannot build family relationships for a long time;
• unable to establish contact with work colleagues;
• wants to spice up current relationships with a partner or family members;
• has difficulty establishing trusting relationships with people in general.

Coaching for Spiritual Growth

The goal of spiritual coaching is to connect with a deeper level of perception of the world that is beyond the mind and material aspects of life.

Regardless of what area of ​​life needs improvement, be it problems with teenage children or an ineffective business, any issue can be solved by improving your spiritual life.

Spiritual coaching can be especially helpful if you are prone to anxiety, are post-breakup, have lost a loved one, have health problems, or are seeking inner peace and happiness.

Lately, coaching has become increasingly popular. There is a good reason for this: people have realized how important personal development and self-improvement are. Now there is no shame in going to a coach and working on yourself, which means that the demand for coaches will only grow.

Who is the profession suitable for?

Many people are able to obtain a certificate of completion of special training in coaching, supported by an official certificate. However, only coaches who have the following qualities become successful, sought-after professionals:

• Those who sincerely want to help the ward find himself, find his “I”.
• Knowledgeable in the psychology of interpersonal relationships.
• Those who know how to find non-trivial solutions to guide and stimulate the mentee to make decisive changes.
• Proficient in the techniques of establishing quick contact with the mentee.
• Possessing personal charisma, conducive to communication.
• Creating the most comfortable microenvironment for communication during the session.

Highly professional coaches devote a lot of time to self-development, promoting a personal brand, and constantly polish their interpersonal communication skills - this means that the greatest success in the coaching profession can be achieved by people who love and know how to learn, train, and work tirelessly on themselves.

You may also be interested in: How to develop your soft skills

The coaching process - what it means in simple words

By the end of the 20th century, coaching began to develop as a special type of comprehensive counseling at the intersection of psychological assistance and mentoring. Why was this needed in addition to classical tutoring and coaching?

In order to harmonize a person’s potential capabilities and the practical results of his actions. Well, for example. An athlete who is in excellent physical shape may not win because at the decisive moment he will forget what the coach told him during training. During an exam, a student suddenly “flies out of his head” the knowledge that the tutor put into it. And so on. To prevent this from happening, all acquired skills must be tightly intertwined with internal motivation and, as they say, “come from within.” This is exactly what a coach does.

How to become a coach, where to study

To become a coach, you need to learn coaching and gain certain skills.

What you need to do for this:

• Choose a coaching course after first making sure you have a certificate from ICF/ECF.
• Decide on a time for coaching.
• Prepare finances/pay for the course.

The specialty “coach” is not listed in any list of professions and is not included in the lists of university departments.

Coaching is studied: in special courses for about 3 months in a full-time format, or about 1 year online. The level of training is checked by the International Coaching Federation, which certifies the courses.

In Russia, the most popular educational centers training coaches are:

• Center for educational trajectories of E. Nemkova.
• Association of Career Professionals.
• Online Coaching University.
• National Academy of Further Education.
• Academy of Professional Coaching, etc.

An indispensable condition for obtaining a certificate is that every future coach must conduct at least 100 sessions for free. Beginning coaches take their first professional steps to gain practice, not to earn money.

If the coaching training has been successfully completed and the coveted certificate has been received, you can begin searching for potential mentees. For self-promotion, it is convenient for a coach to use one or all methods of attracting attention at once:

• Create a personal professional website for a coach on social networks;
• Notify as many people as possible about the new specialty;
• Place advertising posts of the coach on the websites of relatives, friends, acquaintances;
• Organize your own online coaching school in your area of ​​expertise.

Beginning coaches who do not have a wide range of clients can conduct free group sessions and offer additional services (master classes/consulting/mentoring) for their own promotion.

How much can you earn

The high demand for coaching has led to high salaries for specialists. A coach’s income depends entirely on his performance, reputation, work experience and word-of-mouth reviews, which largely influence public opinion.

Beginning coaches can earn $50 in one session. Experienced specialists earn approximately $100 for one session lasting no more than 1.5 hours.

Professionals with extensive experience consulting with star clients (athletes, musicians, big business owners) have higher incomes, amounting to thousands of dollars per session.

If the problem needs to be resolved quickly, sessions will require 2-3 months. More complex cases increase the period of communication between the coach and the mentee from 6 months.

Simple arithmetic helps to calculate a coach’s income by simply multiplying the number of sessions conducted by the tariff set by the coach.

However, it is important to understand that before reaching the appropriate level of income, it is important for a beginning coach to develop a base, experience, and collect feedback on the results of his work. Therefore, novice coaching specialists who do not have reliable stories of client success must be prepared for the fact that the fees will be more than modest.

Average prices for sessions in the capital and other large cities are an order of magnitude higher than the cost of sessions in small towns and regional centers, where coaching services remain less in demand.

How to choose a coach

The choice of a coaching specialist should be approached responsibly - the successful outcome of the sessions will depend on this. In many ways, the personal qualities of the coach contribute to the achievement of this goal:

• attention to the interlocutor;
• the ability to listen to the client to the end;
• lack of desire to convince oneself of the correctness of one’s opinion;
• patience;
• sense of humor;
• charisma, openness to communication.

A person can inspire unconditional trust with his appearance, charm, and tactful approach, but the client needs to understand who is in front of him: a specialist or a charlatan hoping to receive a round sum for a sincere conversation in a relaxed atmosphere.

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To remove doubts

A potential client should read reviews of the coach’s work from his former clients and find all available information about him, including learning about his professional successes (personal business, where he studied, work experience, etc.).

Signs of a coaching professional:

• Availability of an international diploma of completion of coaching courses.
• Doesn't try to show his superiority, doesn't impose his own opinion.
• The full cost of the classes is clearly stated.
• Works mainly in individual sessions.
• Specializes in one area of ​​activity.

If the coach has helped someone in the potential coachee’s close circle, the former client’s recommendations can serve as a “letter of recommendation” and an additional incentive to seek the services of this specialist.

Top 7 books on coaching

1. Coaching. Basic principles and practices of coaching and leadership. Author: John Whitmore
2. The inner strength of a leader. Coaching as a method of personnel management. Author: John Whitmore
3. Coaching. How to turn the conscious into the unconscious in the work of a coach. Author: Maria Iliff-Wood
4. Life in the flow: Coaching. Author: Marilyn Atkinson
5. Coaching agile teams. A guide for Scrum Masters, Agile Coaches and Project Managers during times of transition. Posted by Lissa Adkins
6. A complete guide to the methods, principles and skills of personal coaching. Author: Julie Starr
7. Effective coaching. Lessons from a coach trainer. Author: Miles Downey

Lately, everyone has been trying to understand the nature of coaching. Therefore, we present below a number of definitions of this concept that we were able to find.

However, before doing this, I would like to emphasize that during the study a huge number of definitions were found. And very different: from classical coaching and coaching psychology to team and executive coaching. It's possible that all of this is a symptom of an unregulated industry.

However, there is still a point that warms the heart: there are some common features between all these definitions. And perhaps at some point in the future, coaching will become a more standardized discipline, like a real science.

10 definitions of coaching

1. “Unlocking a person's potential to maximize their performance. It doesn’t teach, it helps you learn” (John Whitmore, 2003).
2. “A collaborative, solution-oriented, results-oriented, systematic process in which a coach facilitates enhanced performance, life experiences, self-directed learning, and personal growth in the client” (Anthony Grant, 1999; basic definition provided by the Association for Coaching since 2005 ).
3. “A professional partnership between a qualified coach and an individual or group of people in which participants strive to achieve results dictated by goals set by the individual or team” (ICF, 2005)
4. “The art of making things easier, learning and developing others” (Miles Downey, 2003).
5. “Coaching is directly concerned with improving performance and developing skills through training or mentoring” (Eric Parsloe, 1995).
6. “Coaching psychology is about improving a person's well-being and performance in their personal life and career; it is based on coaching models originating in adult and child learning techniques or psychological approaches” (a group of psychological coaches from the British Psychological Society).
7. “Coaching is the development of a person's skills and knowledge in order to improve his performance and lead to the achievement of organizational goals. Coaching is aimed at high performance and improving the quality of work, although it can also affect a person's personal life. It usually lasts for a short period and focuses on specific skills and goals” (CIPD, 2009).
8. “Psychological skills and techniques that are used in one-on-one relationships to help someone become a more effective manager or leader. These skills are typically applied to specific problems related to the present moment... so that the client has them in his arsenal and can always use them (Bruce Peltier, 2010).
9. “Team coaching is a powerful alliance that aims to develop and enhance the quality of human learning, as well as the effectiveness and ability to achieve goals” (Laura Whitworth et al, 2007).
10. “Coaching is about empowering people to make informed decisions and opportunities to become leaders in their lives” (Karen Weiss, 2010).

Interestingly, while trying to find definitions, we came across the following interesting statement from Bruce Peltier:

“The coach should be able to give coaching a good working definition and articulate the difference between coaching and psychotherapy.”

While this may seem like an obvious proposition at first glance, the wide range of definitions that exist present a real challenge for coaches who want to give their practice a “good working definition.” If only it were that simple...

Life coaching is a synergistic relationship between a professional accredited coach and a client, designed to harness the latter's full potential. Just as Olympic athletes would not be able to fully train without the additional support, passion and insight of a coach, many of our time's most successful business people, as well as professionals, executives and entrepreneurs, turn to the services of a life coach to take their lives and careers to the next level. or business.

Part consultant, part motivator, part psychotherapist, and part friend, coaches work with managers, entrepreneurs, and people to help them identify and achieve their goals—in their careers, their personal lives, or both.

Why does life coaching work?

“A coach has the opportunity to look at things from the outside. And shed light on difficult situations. Often this person can act as a sounding board, give advice, help develop skills and motivate.”

— CFO Magazine

An article on public administration presented the results of a study that compared self-paced learning and life coaching combined with training. The study found that self-guided practice increased productivity by 22.4%, while training combined with weekly life coaching increased productivity by 88%. And that's why:

1 Responsibility . Most life coaches call clients three times a month. These scheduled calls encourage clients to do more than if they were doing everything themselves. Think about it: if you work out at the gym with a personal trainer, you'll push yourself harder than if you worked out on your own. When working with a professional coach, clients set bigger goals, take more decisive actions, and even think bigger.

We ourselves are responsible for our own development. The coach trusts his “students” and holds them accountable for progress in their thinking, learning or actions that will subsequently lead to the goal. There are joint development activities developed and agreed upon from the very beginning. No accusations or judgment from the coach.

2 Expertise: A trained life coach knows how to help you set the right goals, earn more money, and structure your personal and professional life. He knows how to achieve greater productivity with less effort. Thanks to the help of a coach, a person gets more in less time.

3 Reporting . A well-trained coach will know the right words to use to give you natural motivation. When working with an experienced life coach, there is no place for intimidation or cajoling tactics. As a rule, coaching is most effective when the coach calls his coachee once a week. Therefore, the client has a whole week of time to change something in his thinking and take some action to achieve his goals. The call usually takes from 30 minutes to one hour. For the client, such a practice is as challenging as it is inspiring. As a rule, a call from a coach is eagerly awaited.

4 Speed . Most people find that with the arrival of a life coach, positive changes in their lives come faster.

5 Understanding . The coach feels the individuality of his ward and tries to take this into account when taking certain measures, and also develops his “self-awareness”.

6 Actions . To fully grasp the meaning of this term within the framework of coaching, it is worth familiarizing yourself with such concepts as brainstorming, action design or planning, responsibility and control of activities.

Who turns to life coaches?

Entrepreneurs, executives, big businessmen, actors, musicians, creative people, managers, startupers, specialists and even housewives - they all achieve their goals with the help of a life coach. If you are not where you would like to be, and there is a gap between these places, then this gap is the field of activity for a life coach. Not only will a coach help you close the distance between what you want and what you really want, but it will also help you overcome limiting beliefs.

What does a life coach usually work with?

• defining and achieving goals, solving problems;
• planning - in business, career and life;
• correcting blocking beliefs and fears;
• lack of order in affairs;
• formation of financial security and independence;
• balancing business and personal life;
• making key decisions and developing strategies for success;
• working with communication skills;
• problem solving;
• building strong relationships;
• breaking the glass ceiling;
• assistance in promotion;
• searching for the optimal area of ​​work or business;
• searching for the ideal partner/love/relationship;
• exit from the vicious circle;
• formation of important life changes;
• starting a business;
• business development;
• achieving your dream life;
• identification of core values ​​and interests;
• satisfaction of personal and emotional needs;
• assistance in organization;
• making money;
• freeing up free time;
• creating a more fun and fulfilling life;
• much, much more...