Coaching Misconceptions

Coaching is a relatively young industry and with that come many misconceptions. The next few posts outline my favorites (which I was also guilty of):

Misconception #1: I know what coaching is

Usually followed by a description of consulting, therapy, mentorship and rarely actually coaching.

The International Coach Federation (ICF) defines coaching as "Partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential."

To break it down:

• "Partnership" - you design practices and actions together - your coach won't tell you what to do, and they won't sit around waiting for you to come up with something

• "Thought-provoking process" - your coach observes how you think and learn and brings an outside perspective, to provoke thought and expand your mindset

• "Creative process" - it's not a cookie cutter, formulaic process. Every person is different - you and your coach come up with creative practices that maximize Your personal & professional potential. What works for you may not work for others

• "Inspire action" - your coach isn't there to tell you what to do - they can't, they don't have power over you. They are there to inspire and motivate by showing you what you can do