What is Coaching?
Over the years, “coaching” has been defined in a number of ways. Though the definitions may vary, at their core they talk of coaching as positive and empowering, enabling people to reach their full potential.
“Coaching is unlocking people’s potential to maximize their own performance.” (Whitmore, 2017).
The definition of coaching published by the ICF in their Code of Ethics is “Coaching is partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”
Passmore and Evans-Kimme described coaching in relation to humanistic psychology as follows:
Coaching is often considered an applied aspect of positive psychology. Both emerged from humanistic psychology, with its focus on the flourishing of the individual, and how individuals, teams and society can create the right conditions for this to be achieved. (Passmore & Evans-Kimme, 2021)
The author, former Hindu monk and life coach Jay Shetty described the coaching profession as follows:
Coaching is a hugely inspiring and humble job. To see someone thrive who had lacked confidence, was lost, insecure, or unhappy is the highest honor.
It also has an exponential effect that the world and humanity desperately need. Every happy client will go forth and spread the positivity and the methods they have learned in their homes, their workplaces, and their communities. (Shetty, 2020)
Coaching in itself is ever- evolving, in order to maintain effectiveness in an ever-evolving world. Human values, beliefs, behaviors, and attitudes change over generations and within different cultures. It is essential that coaching grows and develops with these changes to remain relevant.
Similarly, the coach is required to develop and grow with coaching. “Self-awareness is perceived by many, including the professional coaching bodies, to be a core-competency for practising coaches.” (Carden et al., 2022)
From personal experience, in order to effectively coach clients, with authenticity and conviction, the coach’s continuous personal and professional development is fundamental. The coaching relationship is based on a foundation of mutual trust and respect. In order to obtain both, the coach needs to not only be fully convinced of the effectiveness of coaching, but should also be living proof thereof.
By walking the talk, coaches inspire change and growth in others by living their own potential to the fullest capacity. This includes setting own goals, aligning life with personal values, continuously working on improved self-awareness, managing limiting beliefs and continuously working toward balance and fulfilment. In other words, an essential aspect to being a coach is infallible commitment to becoming the best version of oneself in order to help others to do the same.
Become the best version of yourself. Book your exploration call.
Source: Whitmore, J. (2017) Coaching for Performance: The principles and practices of coaching and leadership. 5th ed. Nicholas Brealey Publishing.
