“If you look for just one thing, that's all you'll ever find.”

- Robert Flaherty

Coaching Defined

Coaching is a relatively new profession that synthesizes the best concepts from athletics, business, psychology, philosophy, and spirituality. It has become a valuable tool for many people around the world who are looking to achieve great things while maintaining balance in their lives. Coaching is earning devotees among CEOs, entrepreneurs, professionals, people in career transition and others grappling with life issues.

Teens can use coaches to set goals, deal with peer pressure, choose a college or vocation, and handle the many pressures associated with entering adulthood. One reason coaching works is that a coach helps you stay in action. A coach is like a small voice saying, "Are you really doing what you want to do? What have you done this week to accomplish your goal?" A Coach is your personal advocate, cheerleader and friend. They will help you stay on track to reach your goals and dreams.

Coaching Defined By the International Coaching Federation

Professional Coaching is an ongoing partnership that helps clients produce fulfilling results in their personal and professional lives. Through the process of coaching, clients deepen their learning, improve their performance, and enhance their quality of life. In each meeting, the client chooses the focus of conversation, while the coach listens and contributes observations and questions. This interaction creates clarity and moves the client into action. Coaching accelerates the client's progress by providing greater focus and awareness of choice. Coaching concentrates on where clients are today and what they are willing to do to get where they want to be tomorrow.

Using Definitions in Coaching

Our language is one of our most important tools. Throughout our lives we will all have defined our own dictionary. [Dictionary: n. a book that lists and explains the words of a language or gives equivalent words in another language] I focus with my client to be more aware of our definitions [Definition: adj. A statement of the meaning of a word or the nature of a thing] and how to understand and relate to others into a more conscious playground. [Playground: n. an outdoor area to play on]

Definitions of a Few Key Words (by Webster's)

Coach: n & v. a) a single-decker bus, comfortably equipped for longer journeys. b) give hints to; prime with facts.

Commitment: n. an engagement or obligation that restricts freedom of action.

Honest: adj & adv. Fair and just in character or behavior, not cheating or stealing.

Integrity: n. moral uprightness; honesty

Opportunity: n. a good chance; a favorable occasion.

Love: n & v. an intense feeling of deep affection or fondness for a person or thing; great liking.

Value: n & v. the worth, desirability, or utility of a thing, or the qualities on which these depend (the value of regular exercise).

What are YOUR Definitions? Are these definitions creating beliefs that hold you back? Moving you forward?

Distinctions in Coaching

My first coach gave me a wonderful analogy of the distinctions about what coaching is and how it compares to other professions that coaching gets compared to; consulting and counseling. I have heard this comparison a few times around the coaching circles so here is one version:

It's Like Riding A Bike:
Counselors help you ride a bike by uncovering fears and emotions related to past experiences. Consultants help you ride a bike by telling you about the mechanics of operating the bike. Coaches ride along side you ensuring that you reach your destination and have fun along the way.

Distinctions in coaching skills and language help clients make shifts in their thoughts, beliefs and outlook in their life. I’ve talked about what I believe to be the importance of definitions in language and now I’d like to share the power of distinctions.

Distinction: Definitions vs. Distinctions

Definitions give us a perspective of where we are at versus Distinctions can give us movement to where we are going to go.

MORE EXAMPLES

Distinction: Achievement vs. Accomplishment
Definitions :
Achievement - reaching a goal, a deserved success, won through merit or effort
Accomplishment - the mere successful finishing of a task
Comparisons: How it was done vs. That it was done

Distinction: Value of a service vs. Benefits of a service
Definitions:
Value of a service - why the service is desirable and important
Benefits of a service - how the service is helpful or profitable
Comparisons: long-term vs. short-term; bigger, better person vs. more stuff

Distinction: Transition vs. Cycle
Definitions:
Transition - the process of changing from one state to another
Cycle - a series of events that repeat regularly in the same order
Comparisons: one-time change vs. repetitive change; progression vs. circle

Distinction: Spiritual path vs. Spiritual principles
Definitions :
Spiritual path - a way of progressing in spiritual growth and awareness
Spiritual principles - ideas that help us understand and experience spiritual connection
Comparisons: the road vs. the paving stones in the road

Distinction: Strategy vs. Plan
Definitions:
Strategy - a method or approach for achieving an overall objective
Plan - a way of doing something thought out in advance
Comparisons: big picture vs. small picture; long term vs. short term

Distinction: Source vs. Symptom
Definitions :
Source - the place from which something comes
Symptom - a perceptible sign of a condition
Comparisons: what is happening vs. why it's happening; underlying vs. visible