The Difference of Coaching
What is the Difference Between Coaching, Counselling, Mentoring and Training?
Counselling
Is usually focused on the past; solving unresolved issues that have occurred previously and trying to understand behaviour patterns and emotional situations.
Focus is often on the guidance of the therapist; until client is ready to guide his/her own life.
The question "why" is often asked. Clients are often dealing with serious and complex personal issues (serious pain and suffering).
Coaching
Is future focused. It looks at where you're at now; who you are now and finds a method to move forward. A process of understanding who you are, and through self acceptance drive yourself forward to achieve what you want to achieve.
A coach will work with you in identifying, clarifying, and achieving your personal and career goals and aspirations. The approach is focused upon supportive and challenging inquiry rather than providing information, so you can create your own solutions to issues, and design your life and work in the way that fits best for you.
The five notions of a life coach:
- Clients are essentially able by themselves
- Clients know themselves best
- Clients must acknowledge & take credit for their own successes
- The focus is on solutions, not problems
- Problems are what clients have; not what they are.
Training
Is a process to equip you with skills to achieve a certain level of function in a certain area.
It assumes that participants will learn and use the information to a similar degree.
Consulting
Is a process usually provided by an outsider with a viewpoint on what your situation looks like. Then guidance and/or advice is provided from their perspective and experience on how to achieve what they suggest is necessary for you.
Focus is usually problem-solving; creation of action plans and strategy; and it's more of a directive and advisory role.
The expertise of the consultant is a focus and could determine the success/failure of what is required by client. Very often, a specific project is focused on.
Mentoring
An arrangement where an expert in a field helps more junior professionals to gain knowledge, skills and experience. A mentor has a large resource pool and is usually in the same role as the person being mentored.
