Frequently Asked Questions Around Coaching

What is coaching?

Coaching is a practice that facilitates an accelerated process of personal/professional development via a one-on-one process. Through it, people achieve specific goals faster than they otherwise would. Your coach focuses on where you are now and how to bring about future results faster. Through goal-setting, people come to understand and overcome obstacles to these goals and learn how to maximize their strengths and motivations in the achievement of that goal. Coaching also helps people set new patterns in place and fosters self-discovery, most importantly in the understanding of what is really important to them. In short, coaching helps people design the life of their dreams.

How does coaching differ from consulting, therapy or from talking to a friend?

Consulting: A coach is a type of consultant. A consultant is hired for their expertise in one specific area and they are paid for the advice that they give. A coach is an expert in the area of questioning and discovery but they do not tell you what to do. You are the expert in the material of your life – a coach merely shows you how to eliminate all obstacles, set clear goals and helps you achieve them.

Therapy: Coaching is not therapy. Coaches don’t work on “issues” or get into the past or deal much with understanding human behaviour. Coaches are future-oriented. They focus on looking forward and goal achievement.

Best friend: A best friend is wonderful to have. However, they are biased and have an opinion on what direction you should take. A coach is an unbiased professional who helps you determine what you think is your best course of action and then works with you to ensure you achieve your goals.

What happens when I hire a coach?

Once you hire a coach, you will work together to determine what your vision for the future is and set a clearly-defined measurable goal. Once you hire a coach you will notice many things, including:

  • That you take yourself more seriously
  • You take more effective and focused actions immediately
  • You stop putting up with what is dragging you down
  • You make more conscious decisions, choosing to take action that moves you towards what you want
  • You create momentum; quick results are achieved with ease
  • You set better goals than you might have without the coach

How long must I commit if I start working with a coach?

You can hire a coach for any length of time, though most people commit to a 3 month period, since that is the length of time it takes for many to make significant progress toward their goal or to achieve their goal. Usually coaches agree to stop immediately if coaching is not working for you.

What type of goals can I have?

There are no rules as to what can be a goal. Anything works. A sample of some common goals include:

  • I want to achieve more balance in my life
  • I want to reduce the stress in my life
  • I’d like to figure out what my passion/ life purpose is and then develop a bath to achieving it
  • I’d like to be more effective at work and improve my business relationships
  • I’d like to start my own business
  • I want to lose 20 lbs

What’s the ROI (Return on Investment) on coaching?

One survey of coaching clients confirmed that 98.5% found their return on coaching to be worth the investment (70% of coaching clients rated it as very valuable, and another 28.5% rated it as extremely valuable). Coaching focuses on your own goals and context, determining the return on your investment is a unique process. Your coach will be able to work with you to create a measure of return that would satisfy the demands of your situation.

(Source: ICF-GTA Coaches Organization. 2009)