Coaching is a relationship that is built on mutual trust and respect, and allows for freedom of expression between both parties. Mutual trust means both people involved in the coaching relationship believe in the competence and sincerity of one another. Mutual respect means that both believe that each other do things from good intentions and they value who each other are, not just what they do. Freedom of expression allows for the ability to say whatever is needed without reprimand and that both parties are willing to be influenced by each other.
The role of a coach is to free people to take different and more effective action. People's behaviors are driven by the way they interpret their world of experiences. The job of the coach is to understand the person's structure of interpretation, then in partnership alter the structure so that the actions that follow bring about intended outcomes. The coach does this by providing new distinctions that allow the person being coached to make new observations. New observations are not enough though. A second critical element is providing practices that allow the new observations to become a permanent part of the person's structure of interpretation. The distinction, which leads to new observation, is what allows the person to become self-correcting and self-generating, and it's the practice that makes it possible for the person to be a long-term excellent performer.
For us, coaching is NOT just a new package for old techniques. Traditional ways of working with people take various forms:
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Management is about directing the work of others, based on achieving ordered priorities and goals.
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Psychology involves understanding the behaviors of others, motivating them with limitations and rewards.
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Teaching involves informing people's thoughts and actions.
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Our style of coaching is an approach that involves working collaboratively in a way that develops excellence in others -- a self-generated, self-correcting level of performance that consistently exceeds expectations.
