COACHING PERSONAL & CORPORATE

What is it?

The Coaching Network defines coaches as; "Coaches offer their clients a supportive and motivating environment to explore what they want in life and how they might achieve their aspirations and fulfil their needs. By assisting the client in committing to action and by being a sounding-board to their experiences, coaching allows the individual the personal space and support they need to grow and develop. The coach's key role is often assisting the client to maintain the motivation and committment needed to achieve their goals".

The principles and philosophy of coaching incorporate the ideas of, among others: Maslow (self actualisation) Locke and Latham (goal setting),and de Shazer and Berg (solution focused brief therapy models). Coaching is about:

• Believing in possibilities
• Being accountable
• Challenging
• Having a sounding board
• Motivation
• Being a catalyst for change
• Devising strategies
• Creative thinking
• Setting and achieving your goals
• Being action orientated
• Being open to different options
• Deciding on what action to take

So, although there are many definitions, at the heart of coaching is the idea that it is future focused, goal orientated, and concerned with enabling others to move forward with their lives or businesses more effectively than if they were doing this alone.

Personal Coaching

Coaching takes a totally results-oriented approach to personal development.  It is different to mentoring and counselling. Coaching focuses on the future, not the past and uses the resources and strengths within us to propel us forward and remove the obstacles and blocks that hold us back. This action orientated, forward looking, non directive, non judgmental, very rewarding and results can be fast!

Business Coaching

In many cases personal coaching is differentiated from business coaching by the context and the focus. Business coaching is often conducted within the constraints placed on an individual or group by the organisational context. Personal coaching on the other hand is taken entirely from the individual's perspective.

Coaching in the workplace, which focuses on the individual, can enhance morale, motivation and productivity and reduce staff turnover as individuals feel valued as well as a way of providing a professional and personal development 'tool'. Business coaching is about the future, discovering potential and achieving it.