The Answers Within Part I - What and Why of Coaching ?

What and Why of Coaching ?

Coaching has been my preferred mode of leading throughout my career. I repeatedly got trained as a coach within and outside the organization. With a keen interest, I have always been exploring key aspects & styles of coaching.

The term ‘Coaching’, mostly associated with sports, originated in the late 1880s. Since then, it has kept evolving as an important discipline for developing people and enhancing their performance.

W. Timothy Gallwey, through his seminal book, ‘The Inner Game of Tennis’, shared the art & science of coaching. Though he started with tennis, he took the same philosophy forward to lay the foundations of professional coaching.

Coaching can play a significant role across age groups and spheres, especially in the corporates. Based on my intensive training and extensive experience, I am sharing What, Why, How, When & Who of Coaching.

COACHING: THE WHAT

In the corporate world, coaching gets talked, but a lot still needs to be done for better awareness and understanding. There are several developmental activities. Let us see how coaching differs from them-

Teaching: Knowledge & understanding enhancement; Training: Skill & competency improvement; Mentoring: Development & growth guidance; Counselling: Emotional & behavioural intervention. So, what is coaching?

“ICF defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. The process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity, and leadership.”

We can see, Coaching is a partnership in which the Coach works along with the Coachee to maximize their inherent potential.

“Coaching optimizes on Inner Resources and the Answers Within. Finding them through a coach facilitated self-exploration and reflection can bring about required clarity & confidence to chart a path to the desired future.”

Coaching has developed into different types/forms: Life, Wellbeing, Business, Executive, Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, Performance, Team, etc.

COACHING: THE WHY

“Each person holds so much power within themselves that needs to be let out. Sometimes, they need a little nudge, a little direction, a little support, a little coaching, and great things can happen.” — Pete Carroll.

We need coaching to tap into the enormous possibilities that lie within. While people strive to do their best, they need someone to help explore the same.

It is a question of self-belief. What they can do is not always clear to them and they may end up below par. A coach can trigger change, resulting in bettering even their ‘best’.

Many successful people, after attaining a level of success, feel plateaued and if this period extends, it may cause boredom & decline. And then, there are some who are facing failure and cannot achieve a breakthrough.

A Coach can unlock the next level of success for the successful and the way forward for those who are not so successful.

To be continued...Part II