Coaching and other support disciplines

Trainer / consultant and a coach

Trainers / consultants know how to approach to the subject, they know it and instruct the customer, they check him, enforce, evaluate and they implement a program aimed at acquiring knowledge and skills. The time that he had planned on a particular subject is strictly defined (hour, two or five days)

Advisors help the customer to solve problems, the coach - to pass the knowledge about the topic,in which he is an expert. Advisors are responsible for the solutions. The coach has previously prepared exercises and materials, and he decides when to use them.

In coaching the client is decisious, because it is his individual process, and he is an expert of himself. What a coach knows is the only purpose, he does not and he should not know what to do. The main purpose of a coach is to ask a question precisely, reaching the heart of the question and thanks to that our client should find the solutions just by himself. Time here is not precisely defined and it depends on the aim appointed by the Customer. It may last for 8 to 20 sessions.

The coach never gives clues to anybody, he does not judge and he does not have a plan, however he takes notes. All responsibility for implementation of the plan is on the customer.

Coaching is learning, training - learning.

 

The therapist and a coach

For the customer the most common reason for the decision to start a treatment is the desire to be free from discomfort, pain and not the pursuit for the desired goal.

The therapist interprets what he has to do with the patient, while the coach is dealing with the customer. This is the fundamental difference. The patient comes to the therapist with the assumption that "something is wrong", while the coach customer comes, when he wants to change-to achieve success.

In addition, treatment is focused on the search for causes in the past, while coaching – to find the solutions. What counts is the present time and the future.

Questions from the psychotherapist:

• Why can I not quit smoking?
• Why can I not accept people with crooked legs?

Questions on coaching:

• How can I quit smoking?
• How do I accept people with crooked legs?

In psychotherapy, the process is long-term (sometimes it even takes several years), the coaching process is much more shorter (6-8 months). 

 

A Friend and a coach

With a friend we share emotions and close relationships, their opinions are often subjective, based on their own experiences. Coaches, in turn, are neutral people, they treat the customer as a plane sheet of paper , the less you know the better it is.

 

A Priest and a coach

When we come to the priest for a confession, he knows that we have "sinned" and for this reason you are here. In the meanwhile, when we come to the coach, he knows that the customer has the resources, the advantages and potential, which is a base to work for them.

 

The essence of coaching is to help people, to make changes in the way that they want to and in the direction they want to. Coaching is a process which aims to strengthen the customer and support him in making intended changes by himself (based on his own findings and resources). Coaching is the process of improving competence in the field that the customer wants to develop. It is based on the relationship and mutual trust. It helps people in becoming who they want to be and being the best at it. Coaching Extracts and strengthens what it is to be the best person. It strengthens the company not only through the development of individual competence, but also through the development of appropriate attitudes. Coaching is a process that lasts and is positioned in time. This is very important, because any effect achieved today, is reinforced in such a way to make efficiency in the future. That is one of the reasons why coaching is an investment in companies - in constant and far development.

[A. Ratajczyk, P. Pilipczuk, KefAnn]

 

However, Coaching is not for everyone, there are conditions that must be met::

1. Voluntarily – both, the client and the coach have to feel comfortable during the session.
2. Activity – The customer is ready for hard work on his own, which will accelerate the achievement of the objective.
3. Trust – coaches provide the customer a sense of security and confidentiality of the process.
4. Willingness of the change – without it there is no coaching.
5. Time and regularity – The frequency of meetings is important and the execution of “homework” is determined by the customer .
6. Measurability – the goal is measurable. The customer after each session should feel that something is working in his mind ,that he is approaching his goal.