What Is Coaching?

Jin Li Frick

I have just returned from a long, get-away with my family, refreshed and exhausted (in a good way) at the same time.  In my travels, I received a lot of questions about what coaching is.  Outside of the U.S., coaching is not always a firmly established profession. And even in the U.S., coaching as a concept is sometimes not clearly understood.  As I reflect on these recent conversations, I thought I'd share my thoughts on coaching as a way to start off the New Year. I am excited for the potential the year holds for each and everyone of us, and the role that coaching can have within it. My philosophy for the year is "Progress, Not Perfection," for myself as well as my clients (you know who you are!). Remember that life is as yet unwritten and our stories can only be written as it unfolds, one second, one minute, one hour, one day at a time. Everything else is a tale we create in our minds that may or may not happen. So why stress over it?

So with that in mind, here is what coaching is to me and what it can offer for you.

• First and foremost, coaching is about human growth and change.
• Coaching helps people develop personally through introspection and education, in ways that bring about positive behavioral change.
• Coaching recognizes that your feelings, emotions and consequent behaviors are a product of your thoughts, perceptions, interpretations, attitudes and beliefs; and it seeks to break down those thoughts, perceptions, interpretations, attitudes and beliefs that are barriers to success.
• Coaching is a goal-oriented, solution-focused process, with goals and action plans that are developed by the client and championed by the coach.
• Coaching helps to create a shift by encouraging people to look at what is good and going well in their lives.
• Coaching stretches people and challenges them to abandon old habits and default tendencies, and create new habits, thoughts and behaviors.
• Coaching helps people recognize their behavioral patterns and their corresponding results, and helps people see and experience new possibilities.

A while ago, someone challenged me about my desire to be a coach. Let's just say that their essential thought was "how in the world can you help someone when you can't seem to get things right for yourself?"  My perspective is that it's the fact that I have led an imperfect life that allows me to be a good coach. My trials and tribulations (and there have been many!) have allowed me to learn and grow, and only through learning and growth can your mind awaken to the possibilities. I counter with the following questions. How many of us live in a dream-state, disengaged from work and life, yearning for joy, fulfillment, happiness, and that elusive brass ring? How many of us need a jolt to help us realize that our lives are perfect just as they are and happiness lies within reach, inside of ourselves and not at the hands of someone else? Through my experiences, I can honestly tell my clients that I AM AWAKE, and you can be too.  Reach out and explore the possibilities with a coach today!



Reference:Yossi Ives’s (2008) “What is ‘Coaching’? An Exploration of Conflicting Paradigms”