Yesterday we briefly touched on what isn’t coaching.

Coaching isn’t consulting, advising, training and teaching. Coaches do not impart their knowledge of what they think you should do.

Coaching is much more subtle and precise than having one person telling you what they think you should do. Here is one simple question, who knows you better than anyone else? You, of course. Why would you have someone who doesn’t know you 100%, have shared 100% of your experiences tell you what to do in any given situation? Because, yes, everyone is different and who better than yourself know what you truly want.

This is, perhaps the gist of coaching. This is most likely, what makes a truly great coach. A great coach only knows one thing, ask, ask, and ask. Coupled with serious listening and genuine care for others, you are capable of helping someone to a place where they discover what they truly want on their own.

So then, why not talk to friends? Friends also want what’s best for you, and sometime they already know what is best for you, right? That’s something to be careful with. As great as my friends are, I listen to them but don’t automatically take their advice. However my coach let’s me get to my dreams, explore them and together we work on methods on how to reach them.

The difference between the two is that friends sometimes get emotionally invested in their ideas of what your results should look like whereas a coach lets you define your goals, helps you prioritize them and together work on a structure to reach them. A coach is a professional, impartial party that you can use to brainstorm. How subtle and how empowering. Now you are in control. Now, no one is telling you what to do!

And I though I was coaching before. I have a very clear understanding of what coaching is and isn’t. It is so much more subtle than anything else I have ever done in the past. It is much more fulfilling also.

Thank you Jennifer and Cindi, and Donna.