The Coaching Relationship

 Coaching is a relatively new profession. It is described as “a powerful alliance designed to forward and enhance the lifelong process of human learning, effectiveness, and fulfillment” (Coaches Training Institute). Coaches help people:

• Set better goals and then reach those goals
• Ask clients to do more than they would have done on their own
• Focus their clients better to produce  results more quickly
• Provide the tools, support and structure to accomplish more
   

More on the definition of the coaching profession 

 Absolutely not! Having a coach means the exact opposite. Coaching is about learning to become even better than you already are.
 

Constant self improvement is the way we evolve as human beings. This explains why coaching is one of the top executive perks being offered today.
 

It's one way a corporation can keep its top performers. It's also the reason why top athletes have coaches – to continually seek improvement. To accelerate and be a better leader than you were last week. To be a better father or mother than you were yesterday. To be a better human being (as opposed to a human DOING).

Imagine a basketball team with a team doctor that tends to sprains, broken bones, muscle spasms and other physical ailments. The team doctor is like a trained therapist and psychologist.
 

Coaches are like the team coaches in basketball, except we coach a game call LIFE! We don't work on "issues" or get into the past or deal much with understanding human behaviour. We leave that up to the client to know and figure out while we help them move forward, setting personal and professional goals that will give them the life they really want.
 

More on the difference between coaching and therapy 

Consulting brings expertise to you. Coaching brings expertise out of you. It allows you to make the best decision because coaches stretch more options out of you.
 

Mentoring is moving you toward being more like me; coaching is moving you toward being more like you and the essence of who you are.  

 Many people are tired of doing what they "should" do and are ready to do something special and meaningful for the rest of their lives. The problem is, many can't see it, or if they can, they can't see a way to reorient their life around it. Usually, it revolves around a fear – fear of not having enough money while they are in transition; fear of failure; and/or fear of success. These are just a few examples of what gets in the way. A coach can help clients identify and then move through these barriers.
 

People are realizing how simple it can be to accomplish something that several years ago might have felt out of reach or like a pipedream. A coach is not a miracle worker (OK, sometimes they are) and a coach does have a large toolkit to help the big idea become a reality. Fortunately, people now have time and resources to invest in themselves and in this kind of growth. 

This question really stirs my core as I believe this same question can be asked of leaders. I think the answer in both cases is that it depends on what your purpose is in this lifetime. If your purpose in this life is to lead, you will be given the kind of gifts and experiences that will sharpen your leadership skills. There will be many opportunities for you to develop those gifts further.
 

Of course, you always have a choice about whether you want to learn and develop your gifts or not.