If you wait for crisis to strike before engaging the services of a coach, the role they play may seem like counselling. Up to a point. The objective view, the emphasis on guiding rather than doing, the hope that they can fix you… but a coach is not a counsellor and a counsellor is not a coach and it’s important to understand the differences.
Counselling is seen as a form of clinical intervention and will often be prescribed by a GP. It plays an important role in helping people suffering with mental health conditions to understand the underlying cause or causes, and thus begin a process of healing. Coaching is not designed to help people heal – even though coaches are often called in at the point where remedial action is required. The purpose of a coach is to enable improvement and growth and it works best when the foundations are solid. A good analogy is a sports coach. Even the best players in the world have a coach giving them constant support: constantly fine-tuning those basic skills, helping with game plans, psychology, fitness, diet, lifestyle…
If you equate the challenges in your life and work to the challenges facing a sports player, you can understand the positive role a coach can play. The purpose is not to provide a cure so much as an action plan for growth. While counsellors are often faced with scepticism from their patients, at least in the initial sessions, coaching speaks to individuals that have committed to making a positive change and are actively looking for structural support.
That said, a good coach will also be trained in emotional management and will be able to factor the emotional condition of their client into the guidance they give and the objectives they set. Their skills bridge the gap between work and domestic life, providing objectivity and structure for improving relationships as well as writing business plans. Indeed, it’s not uncommon for executives to have coaches that not only offer strategic guidance for the workplace but help them domestically too.
In simple terms, it’s the difference between therapy and professional action planning. As your business grows and thrives, the need for coaching remains, to make sure you continue to meet those challenges in the best possible condition.