About Coaching 

The following was adapted with permission from "The Coaching Manual" by Julie Starr, published by Pearson Education. 

Download a copy of this document here.

What is coaching?

Coaching is a form of learning, where a person (a coach) supports someone else (a client) to create learning and self-development in a way that benefits them.

From early forms of transportation, i.e. stagecoach, or rail coach, the word 'coaching' literally means to transport someone from one place to another. One thing that all forms of coaching seem to have in common is that people are using it to help them move forward in a certain direction.  

One simple example is probably that of a sports coach. Here, the coach supports the individual to improve their performance and get better results - depending on what they want to achieve. For a golfer, the goal might be winning a major tournament, or simply improving their grip. The role of the coach is to apply specific principles of success, in a way that creates experiential learning and improvement for the golfer.  

Coaching is normally a discussion, or series of discussions, one person has with another. The coach intends to produce discussions that will benefit you, the client, in a way that relates to your learning and progress. Coaching discussions happen in many different ways, and in many different environments.

At Cobalt Coaching we design with you a coaching format that suits your personal style and requirements. 

Benefits of coaching

People enlist our coaching services because they want to improve their lives and achieve goals. They want to learn new ways of thinking and approaching situations, in order to get better results. Examples of goals are being more organized and effective at work, gaining confidence, or simply relating to other people more effectively.

Our coaches use a combination of observation, questioning, listening and feedback to create a conversation rich in insight and learning. You will experience a focus and attention that enables you to develop a greater awareness and appreciation of your own circumstances. In addition, you will also create new ways to resolve issues, produce better results and generally achieve your goals more easily.

 Benefits people experience from coaching include:  

• Improved sense of direction and focus.
• Increased knowledge of self/self-awareness.
• Improved ability to relate to and influence others.
• Increased motivation.
• Improved personal effectiveness, e.g. focused effort.
• Increased resourcefulness/resilience, e.g. ability to handle change.

What coaching is not

Structured training, e.g. classroom learning  

Structured training relates to a fixed agenda of learning, and a prepared approach to making that learning happen. For example, if you were being trained in a classroom to use a computer, the trainer would often use a structured approach to making sure you learnt a certain amount of information, within a certain time frame. 

Coaching follows a more flexible format, according to your objectives. Both you and your coach influence the direction and content of your sessions. Coaching also places real responsibility for learning on you and encourages learning to continue after the session.

Therapy, psychoanalysis, psychotherapy  

Whilst coaching is not therapy, and should not be viewed as therapy, it does provide a viable alternative to people who may have previously considered some form of counselling to resolve a situation. For example, coaching promotes a greater self-awareness, and fuller appreciation of our own situations and circumstances. Sometimes, change can be promoted by a simple shift in perspectives. Barriers of self-belief such as 'I can't' or 'I don't' can be challenged in order to encourage fresh approaches and ideas.

A way of someone else solving your problems for you  

Coaching is based on the principle that an individual is ultimately responsible for their lives and the results they're getting. If we acknowledge that we are responsible for something, it follows that we have power and influence over it. For example, if you're not getting the results at work that you want, a coach might encourage you to: 

• Understand that situation more clearly.

• Develop new ideas or approaches for such situations.

• Take constructive action that gets you the results you want.

What a coach will not do is instruct you to go and do something specific, or go and do it for you. If they did, the coach would be taking responsibility - and so power - away from you. 

What your coach will expect from you

In return, your coach will encourage you to stay committed to the coaching process. That means showing up for sessions, taking your own notes where appropriate, and keeping any agreements you make during sessions.  

In addition, we need you to be open to the potential of coaching. That means contributing to conversations honestly and openly. For example, if something isn't working, your coach needs to know. If you have concerns or problems, voice them. If you know why a problem is occurring, say so. The strength and power of coaching relates strongly to the level of openness and trust between the coach and the client.