Coaching and ... the others
by Alex Tana
How is coaching different from similar approaches? Let me show you so that you can gain a better understanding of how coaching relates and differs from other approaches.what coaching really is.
Coaching vs mentoring
The coach is not an expert in any specific business or life issue but facilitates the client's learning and self-discovery process believing that the client has all the answers already. In the Usa though coaching tends to be much closer to mentoring with a fair amount of “telling” and “suggesting” involved. Coaching is a shoulder to shoulder relationship.
The mentor is an expert imparting a specific advice/skill/ knowledge to someone who is learning the same skill (professional or life) and ensuring that they do it well; it is based on the assumption that the client may not have all the answers. Mentoring is a hierarchical relationship.
Coaching vs counselling
Coaching emphasises the advancement of the client towards goals and dreams from the current situation; it encourages clients to move from where/what they are now to where/what they want to be. Coaching is a forward looking and proactive personal development activity.
Counselling looks for causes to current problems and issues in the past history of a client; it’s main focus is to “mend” what has gone wrong. Counselling is a backward looking and reactive therapy.
Coaching vs training
In coaching the client sets the agenda for sessions; coaching is about permanent and long lasting changes in thinking, feelings and behaviour.
The trainer sets the agenda; training is about imparting knowledge for a specific purpose or need.
Coaching vs consulting
In coaching the client is the expert, the coach is the catalyst for change; the coach asks open and challenging questions to facilitate the awareness of the client.
Consultants are experts in a specific knowledge who are called upon to advise; the consultant tells the client what is best to do.what to do.
Copyright Alex Tana, 2003