All About Personal and

Professional Coaching

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All About Personal and Professional Coaching

Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC
The aim of this topic is to orient the reader to personal coaching, its many benefits
and applications, different kinds of coaching and some coaching models, core skills
needed by coaches, and additional resources about the profession and coaching.
The topic will be useful to you whether you plan to use coaching informally on
yourself, others, teams or organizations, or whether you seek to become a
professional coach. The topic also will help you if you want to start a coaching
service, whether it's a new organization, expanding a current organization, or starting
a new product or service.
If you think you would benefit from coaching, see our one-on-one coaching services.
If you are a coach and want to expand your toolbox of services (in this very competitive market of coaching), then
learn Facilitating Group Coaching.

Sections of This Topic Include

NOTE: The following links are to topics that are included later on below on this page -- and each topic includes yet more
links.

Understanding Coaching
What is Coaching? How Does it Compare to Other Fields or Professions?
General Framework of a Coaching Program
Coaching Conversations and Laser Coaching
--- Coaching Conversations
--- Laser Coaching

Coaching as a Service
Benefits of Coaching
--- Listings of Benefits
--- Coaching Culture
Hiring a Coach and Getting Coached
--- Would You Benefit from a Coach? What Kind?
--- Are You Ready for Coaching?
--- What Does Coaching Cost? How Long Does Coaching Take?

Field of Personal and Professional Coaching

Two Broad Categories of Coaching
--- Performance Coaching
--- Well-Being (Life) Coaching
Domains of Coaching
--- Self-Coaching
--- One-On-One Coaching
--- Peer Coaching
--- Group Coaching
--- Organizational Coaching
Some Common Types of Coaching and Virtual Coaching
--- Business Coaching
--- Career Coaching
--- Leadership, Executive and Management Coaching
--- Life Coaching
--- Virtual Coaching
Some Examples of Coaching Models

Doing Coaching
Useful Skills for Coaches
Coaching Others
Some Tools for Coaching
Evaluating Coaching (the ROI of Coaching)

Business of Coaching
Profession and Professionalism for Coaches
--- Profession of Coaching
--- Credentials
--- Professionalism and Ethics
--- Become a Professional Coach?
How to Start a Coaching Business

General Resources and Topics

Some Coaching Training Organizations and Associations
Resources With Many Resources About Coaching
Bibliographies of Books About Coaching
Many Related Topics
Also see
Related Library Topics

Also See the Library's Blogs Related to Coaching

In addition to the articles on this current page, also see the following blogs that have posts related to Coaching. Scan
down the blog's page to see various posts. Also see the section "Recent Blog Posts" in the sidebar of the blog or click on
"next" near the bottom of a post in the blog. The blog also links to numerous free related resources.
Library's Coaching Blog
Library's Leadership Blog
Library's Supervision Blog

Have a Question, Suggestion or Resource About Coaching?

Post it in the Library's LinkedIn group
Action Learning and Coaching For Everyone

UNDERSTANDING COACHING
What is Coaching? How Does it Compare to Other Fields or Professions?
The field of personal and professional coaching has grown rapidly in the past 15 years and, as with most fields and
professions that experience this kind of growth, there are many different perspectives on coaching. Here's a definition that
perhaps most people would agree with. (There are more perspectives provided in the next section, immediately below.)
Coaching involves working in a partnership between coach and client(s) to provide structure, guidance and support for
clients to:
1. Take a complete look at their current state, including their assumptions and perceptions about their work,
themselves and/or others;
2. Set relevant and realistic goals for themselves, based on their own nature and needs;
3. Take relevant and realistic actions toward reaching their goals; and
4. Learn by continuing to reflect on their actions and sharing feedback with others along the way.
Coaching can be especially useful to help individuals, groups and organizations to address complex problems and/or
achieve significant goals and to do so in a highly individualized fashion, while learning at the same time.
Many people believe that coaching is different than training and might describe training as an expert convey certain
subject matter to a student in order for the student to do a current task more effectively. Those people might add that

training isn't as much of a partnership as a coaching relationship. Many might also believe that coaching is different than
consulting and might describe consulting as an expert helping another person, team or organization to solve a problem.
Others might assert that a good consultant would use skills in training and coaching, depending on the needs of the client.
Many people assert that coaching is a profession, while others assert that it is a field, that is, that coaching has not yet
accomplished a standardized approach, code of ethics and credibility to be a profession. This topic in the Library
alternatively refers to coaching as a profession and a field.

Some Basic Definitions to Get Use Started

Coaching
The Batting Coach Revisited: The Incredible Power of Coaching
Definitions of Coaching
Coaching Forwards Action and Deepens Learning
So What is Coaching?

Now, Consider Comparison of Coaching to Other Fields

Coaching, counseling, mentoring and consulting - what's the difference?
Compare Life Coaching to Consulting
Coaching is Largely a Sham and Leaders are Largely Born and Not Made
The Difference Between Mentoring And Coaching

General Framework of a Coaching Program

There is no standardized approach to a coaching program that all practitioners agree on, much like there is in medicine
where standardized procedures are used for certain maladies. Rather, each coach focuses on a particular type of, and
approach to, coaching that suits his/her nature and interests, and applies that approach to the types of clients that most
closely matches the coach's passions, interests and capabilities. However, the reader can get an impression of a general
framework that seems common to the approaches of many coaches.
How the framework is implemented depends on the coach's training and any particular model or school followed by the
coach. Also, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of coaches and, consequently, increasing competition
among them. One of the ways that coaches can differentiate each other is by how they customize their coach process to
seem even more powerful and unique. The framework seems to be:
1. Forming a relationship with the potential client, including assessing if the client is really ready for coaching,
orienting the client to personal and professional coaching, and clarifying how both the coach and client prefer to
work together.
2. Establishing a mutual agreement or coaching contract, including about the roles of the coach and client, ground
rules for working together, frequency of meetings, confidentiality, etc.
3. Developing client-centered goals to be achieved during the coaching project, the goals of which depend very much
on whether the coaching is performance- or well-being-oriented.
4. A series of face-to-face and/or phone-based meetings with the coach and client, including ongoing questions,
affirmations, accountabilities, etc., to identify relevant and realistic actions the client can take to achieve the goals
and learn at the same time.
5. Evaluating the coaching, both during and shortly after the project, which is made easier if the coaching was based
on mutually agreed goals.
Thus, it's likely that many coaches would have many opinions about the above rather simplified description The following
links are to resources that describe a similar framework.
How Coaching Works (a Short Video)

Coaching Conversations and Laser Coaching

Coaching Conversations
In contrast to a coaching program, which includes the above framework, coaching can be done in a one-time
conversation. The conversation might include a small sampling of the type of support that a coach would give in each of
the meetings in a coaching program. One of the hallmarks of coaching is the use of questions. (It's important to
acknowledge that the primary use of questions is not unique to coaching; consider, for example, Action Learning
(developed in the 1930s or self-directed Rogerian Therapy heralded by Carl Rogers.) Here's an example of the difference
between a coaching conversation and a common chatty conversation, when trying to help someone.

Example of Effective Coaching

Coaching on the Fly
Example of a Coaching Conversation

Laser Coaching
Laser coaching involves one or a few coaching sessions to address an urgent and/or very specific issue. It also can be
used to demonstrate the coaching process to a potential client. It's also useful for very busy people who are reluctant to
commit to a long-term program.
A useful blog discussion about laser coaching
Core Coaching Skills -- The 20% That Gets 80% of Results

COACHING AS A SERVICE
Benefits of Coaching
Listings of Benefits
Top 14 Reasons to Hire a Coach
101 Things to Work on With Your Coach
What Can Coaches Do For You?
Using Coaching to Get Unstuck
What Coaching Can and Cannot Do for Your Organization
Benefits of Workplace Coaching

A "Coaching Culture"
A coaching culture is where many people in the workplace instinctively coach in their communications with each other -they deeply listen and understand each other, generate relevant and realistic actions to make progress on current
priorities -- and learn at the same time.
How to Establish a Coaching Culture
Creating a Coaching Culture
How to Create a Coaching Culture
10 Steps to a Coaching Culture
Also see
Organizational Culture

Hiring a Coach and Getting Coached

Would You Benefit From a Coach? What Kind?
The following articles will also help you discern whether you'd benefit from a coach. Be sure to review some of the
resources at Benefits of Coaching and Some Common Types of Coaching and Virtual Coaching. You might also benefit
from undergoing some assessments to see if there are any areas of your life or work that you might address in coaching.
See Self-Assessments, Team Assessments and Organizational Assessments.
What You Need to Know About Coaching Service
10 Tips for Hiring a Coach
How to Choose an Executive Coach
Coaching Tip -- A Simple Tool to Ask for Feedback
Finding the Right Coach for You
How To Pick The Right Business Coach For You
What Do You Want?

The Benefits Of Executive Coaching

Getting a Coach
How to Avoid Toxic Coaching

Are You Ready for Coaching?

You might have realized some benefits that you might gain from coaching. That's not enough. You also need to be ready
to work with someone in a relationship where the other person (the coach) is there to help you -- you need to be ready to
accept that help. Here are some quick assessments to help you think about whether you're ready for coaching.
Coaching Readiness Scale
Coaching Readiness Quiz
Coaching Readiness Index
How Coachable Are You?

What Does Coaching Cost? How Long Does Coaching Take?

This is a little like asking "How much does a car cost?" because the cost and duration of coaching depend on what you
want to accomplish by using a coach and also on your nature when being involved with a coach to meet your needs.
However, the following links are to a variety of types of coaches and perhaps it'll be useful to scan their information to get
a sense for fees, duration and even how they work with clients. (We are not endorsing the following sites or coaches.)
Life Coaching Fees
Executive Coaching
Cost -- Quantum Leap Coaching
How Much Does Life Coaching Usually Cost?
Executive Coaching -- How Much Does Executive Coaching Cost?
Personal Coaching Fees
Life Coaching FAQ's
3 Steps To Choosing The Right Money Coach
Also see
How to Draft a Life Coach Contract
Example of Coach Contract
Also see
Authenticity
Changing Behaviors
Motivating Self and Others
Personal Development
Personal Productivity
Personal Wellness

FIELD OF PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL COACHING

Two Broad Categories of Coaching
Performance Coaching
Performance coaching aims to enhance the performance of an individual, team, project or organization, especially to
establish and achieve desired goals, whether they be goals for individual, team, project or organizational development.
The very popular business coaching is usually a form of performance coaching. Performance coaches are often -- but not
exclusively -- hired by organizations, rather than by individuals.
Coaching for Improve Performance
Performance Coaching
Performance Coaching for Business
Also see
Performance Management (Basics)
Employee Performance Management
Group Performance Management

Organizational Performance Management

Performance Consultants

Well-Being Coaching
Well-being, or being coaching, aims to enhance the quality of life for an individual, for example, to support the individual to
accomplish more personal or professional development, such as enhanced health, meaning and satisfaction in his/her life.
The very popular life coaching is usually a form of well-being coaching. Well-being coaches are often -- but not exclusively
-- hired by individuals, rather than by an organizations.
Five Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Life Coach
Six things I Secretly Hope Are Included in Life Coaching
Life Coaching Articles
Also see
Authenticity
Changing Behaviors
Motivating Self and Others
Personal Development
Personal Productivity
Personal Wellness

Domains of Coaching
Self-Coaching
Long-term change, whether in your career, work or organization, usually begins with yourself, so self-coaching is an
extremely important capability. Self-coaching can be done for yourself at any time.
How Self-Coaching Can Help You Create the Results You Want
Behold the Power of Self-Coaching
Self-Coaching Guides
Self-Coaching
Also see
Personal Development
Personal Productivity
Personal Wellness

One-On-One Coaching
One-on-one coaching is perhaps the most well-known form of coaching and is what most people think of, when they think
of coaching. The process and manner in which this form of coaching is done depends very much on the particular
coaching model, training and nature of the coach. An important topic is how coaching compares to therapy (see What is
Coaching?).
One-on-One Consultations
Individual vs. Group (Financial) Coaching -- Which is Beset for You?
Also see
Communications (Interpersonal)
Interpersonal Skills
Guiding Skills

Peer Coaching
Peer coaching is when the participants are equal in their commitment to helping each other -- they don't have to be peers
in responsibility or expertise. Peer coaching is increasingly popular because it can be done spontaneously when needed
and is low-cost because coaching experts typically are not being paid for services.
Peer Coaching Overview
Co-Coaching: I'll Coach You If You'll Coach Me
The Evolution of Peer Coaching

Also see
Communications (Interpersonal)
Interpersonal Skills
Guiding Skills

Group Coaching
There are various forms of group coaching. For example, a coach can coach each member one at a time or support
members to coach each other (a peer coaching group). Action Learning is a very popular form of group coaching and is
used by most Fortune 1000 companies in the US, as well as being very popular in Europe. Many people would consider
team building to be team coaching.
Action Learning
Group Coaching vs. One-On-One Coaching
Peer Coaching Groups
Basic Guidelines for Evaluating Action Learning and Coaching Groups
All About Action Learning
Also see
Group Skills
Group Performance Management
Team Building

Organizational Coaching
Organizational coaching aims to enhance the performance of a unit in the organization (a department or process) or the
entire organization. This type of coaching gets best results when its goals are closely aligned with the business goals of
the unit or organization.
Approaches to Research on Executive and Organizational Coaching Outcomes
Learn From Organizational Coaching Studies
Organizational Coaching and the Employee Assistance Professional
Team Coaching vs. Organizational Coaching
Also see
Organizational Change and Development
Organizational Communications
Organizational Performance Management

Some Common Types of Coaching and Virtual Coaching

There are numerous types of coaching and the number seems to increase with each type of work, interest or challenge
that people experience. In this section are some of the most common types. For example, there's business coaches,
creativity coaches, career coaches, executive coaches, health and wellness coaches, financial coaches, life coaches,
leadership coaches, marketing coaches, relationship coaches, sales coaches, small business coaches, spiritual coaches,
team coaches, work-life coaches ... and the list goes on and on. Coaching is so popular, and there are so many types of
coaching, and the rate of those entering coaching is so high -- that there's a growing industry in training coaches and
getting business for coaches. Here's an overview of a few of the most common types of coaches.

Business Coaching
A business coach helps business owners or members of the organization to improve the business by using the
philosophies, models and tools of coaching. The business coach also might impart knowledge about various functions of
business, for example, planning, marketing and finances (many coaches might argue that coaching does not involve
imparting expert knowledge, but that depends on the coach). Some people might consider a leadership and executive
coach to be a business coach because that type of coaching usually occurs within the context of a business.
What's a Business Coach?
What's the Difference Between a Business Coach and a Consultant?
What Are Business Coachable Goals?
Also see
Business Planning
Growing an Organization

Marketing
Staffing
Strategic Planning

Career Coaching
Career coaches help individuals to discover what they want to do as a vocation, plan their careers, increase job
satisfaction, and sometimes to make a career transition, or even to advance in their own careers.
Definition: Career Coaching
How to Become a Career Coach For-Profit
How to Become a Career Coach
How Many Articles About Career Coaching Will The Average Person Read Before They Become a Career Coach?
Also see
Career Advancement
Career Change
Career Planning

Leadership, Executive and Management Coaching

What an Executive Coach Can Do for You
Executive Coaching is Focused On Getting Results
Ethical Issues in Executive Coaching
Developing Leadership Potential Through Coaching
Study: Half of Managers Have Gotten Coaching
Coaching on Business Acumen Is Critical
Supervising vs. Coaching (includes tool)
Coaching Supervision: Maximizing the Potential of Coaching
Executive Coaching Project
Also see
Leadership
Management
Role of Chief Executive Officer
Supervision

Life Coaching
See Well-Being (Life) Coaching

Virtual Coaching (E-Coaching)

Virtual coaching is coaching done by means of telecommunications, for example, phone or Web-based tools.
5 Benefits of Virtual Coaching Engagements
Virtual Coaching -- Using Technology to Boost Performance
Also see
Computers, Internet and Web
Facilitation

Some Examples of Coaching Models

A coaching model is a framework that concisely depicts the concepts and approach of the approach to coaching. There
are many models, and it's best for a coach to know more than one. Here are some examples. The purpose of this listing is
not to suggest which models are best, but rather to give the reader a sense of what a coaching model is. (Some people
refer to "methods," rather than models.)
Coaches Training Institute's model
GROW Model
Coaching With OSKAR

Communication Skills
Instructor led training materials to teach communication skills. Go to corporatetrainingmaterials.com

DOING COACHING
If you plan to do some coaching, whether you want to become a professional coach or not, be sure to review the above
information, at least the major sections "Understanding Coaching" and "Coaching as a Service," in this topic before
reviewing some of the resource referenced in this section.

Useful Skills for Coaches

Self-Management
Assertiveness
Emotional Intelligence
Understanding Yourself as an Instrument of Change
Self-Confidence
Stress Management
Time Management
Work-Life Balance

Build Relationships
Authenticity
Building Trust
Empathy

Generate Learning
Appreciative Inquiry
Awareness
Questioning
Reflection
Understand Learning

Communications
Listening
Communications (written)
Communications (body language)
Feedback

Cultivating Relationships
Conflict Management
Emotional Intelligence
Handling Difficult People
Valuing Diversity

Coaching Forward
Assessments
Planning
Goal Setting
Action Planning
What To Do When People Don't Follow-Through
Power and Influence
Changing Behaviors
Motivating

Coaching Others
Coaching Best Practices
When to Facilitate, Train or Coach
Issues Related to Changing Someone Else's Behavior
Daily Tips for Consultants
Tips for Effective Coaching
Core Coaching Skills -- The 20% That Gets The 80% of Results
Coaching People With Teachable Moments
Coaching Tip -- Perfect or Best?
Coaching Tip -- The Power of Metaphors
Coaching Tool -- Relationship Mapping to Strengthen Relationships
Coaching Tool -- The Power of Vision
Coaching Tip -- The Art of Being Succinct
Coaching Your Top Performers
Coaching Tip -- How to Give Effective Appreciation
Coaching Tip Manage Self Limiting Beliefs
8 Coaching Tips to Enhance Interpersonal Communication
Basic Guidelines to Reframing to Seeing Things Differently
Basic Modes and Formats of Coaching
When Do You Tell the Truth During Coaching?
Also see
Useful Skills for Coaches

Some Tools for Coaching

The list of "tools" needed for coaching is an expansive, long list because coaching is a relationship between people -- and
people are very dynamic "systems," so there are many tools needed in cultivating and maintaining that successful
relationship (some of the tools are already listed in the previous section Useful Skills for Coaches).
Assessments (Personal) (includes many types of assessments)
Action Plan Examples and Templates
Urgent / Important Matrix
Coaching Development Plan
Coaching Tool The Art of Challenge

Evaluating Coaching (the ROI of Coaching)

Measuring ROI in Executive and Business Coaching
What ROI Studies of Executive Coaching Tell Us
Return on Investment (ROI) for Executive Coaching
Coaching ROI
Also see
Evaluations (Many Kinds)
Evaluation of Training and Development (although coaching is different than training, this might be helpful)

BUSINESS OF COACHING
The Profession and Professionalism for Coaches
Profession of Coaching
Coaching, counseling, mentoring and consulting - what's the difference?
Compare Life Coaching to Consulting
Coaching is Largely a Sham and Leaders are Largely Born and Not Made
Future of Coaching as a Profession

Credentials
A Guide to Coach Credentials
Credentialing for Coaches
Coaching Credentials -- the Low Down

Professionalism and Ethics

Code of Ethics -- International Association of Coaches
Coaches Code of Conduct -- What to Look for in a Coach
Although there is a difference between the nature of coaching and consulting, guidelines for professionalism and working
with clients can be very similar.
Principles for Effective Consulting
Ethical Consulting
Boundaries for Consultants
Working on Ourselves, as Consultants
Understanding Yourself as an Instrument of Change

Become a Professional Coach?

The following resources are to help you think about whether to learn a lot more about coaching. If you want to be really
good at coaching, or even to be a professional coach, then certification in coaching is the best way to ensure professional
skills and to establish strong credibility. See Some Coaching Training Organizations and Associations.
Tips for Entering the Coaching Profession
What Makes a Coach?
The Life of a Coach
Benefits of Becoming a Coach
Are You Doing OD? Training? Consulting? Coaching? All of These?

How to Start a Coaching Business

This topic assumes that you already have expertise in coaching and are thinking about starting a business to be a
professional coach. The guidelines in this topic are focused on helping you to start a new organization, expand a current
organization, or start a new service. If you do not yet have expertise in coaching, you should review much of the contents
of this overall topic, and then certainly practice coaching in a variety of venues, including with evaluation from other
professional coaches and clients in your coaching. Certification in coaching is the best way to ensure professional skills
and to establish strong credibility. See Some Coaching Training Organizations and Associations.

Are You Really an Entrepreneur?

Are You Really an Entrepreneur?
Preparation for Starting a New Venture

Starting a New Organization?

Preparation for Starting a New Venture
Starting a For-Profit Organization
Starring a Nonprofit Organization
Planning Your New Organization
Strategic Planning
Business Planning
Deciding the Legal Structure of Your New Organization
U.S. Enterprise Law -- Forming Organizations

Or Expanding a Current Organization?

Business Development

Or Starting a New Product or Service?

Product Development

Marketing Your Organization, Product or Service

Marketing
Social Networking

Getting and Keeping Clients

Sales
How to Sell Coaching -- Use These 5 Steps
Customer Service
Customer Satisfaction
Close More Business (Get More Clients)

Getting Paid
The Reason It Feels Hard to Get Paid What Youre Worth

Dealing With Clients

Types of Clients (to answer critical question: "who is current client?")
Defining Success Between Consultants and Clients

When to Bail from a Project

When to Bail from a Consulting Project

Sustaining Your Business

How to Build a Sustainable Coaching Business (And Double Your Rates in the Process)

Minimizing Risk
Minimize Consulting Liabilities and Risk
Risk Management

Staying Centered as a Coach

Personal Wellness
Stress Management
Time Management
Work-Life Balance

GENERAL RESOURCES AND TOPICS

Some Coaching Training Organizations and Associations
Authenticity Consulting (peer coaching)
Coach University
Coaches Training Institute
Hudson Institute
International Coach Federation
New Ventures West
Newfield Network
The International Consortium For Coaching in Organizations
WorldWide Association of Business Coaches

Resources With Many Resources About Coaching

Worldwide Association of Business Coaches (WABC)
Numerous free articles about Coaching
International Association of Coaching

Bibliographies of Books About Coaching

Some Publications To Help You Learn More About Coaching

Many Related Topics

Appreciative Inquiry
Assessments (Personal)
Changing Behaviors
Career Development
Communications
Continuous Learning
Decision Making
Emotional Intelligence
Employee Performance
Feedback (Sharing)
Goals (Setting Personal)
Interpersonal Skills
Leadership (All Kinds)
Listening Skills
Motivating
Personal Development
Personal Wellness
Power and Influence
Problem Solving
Questioning (Skills In)
Supervision
Systems Thinking

For the Category of Leadership:

To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link
below. Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.
Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been selected for their relevance and highly practical
nature.

Related Library Topics

Recommended Books

Foundations of Coaching
The following books are recommended because of their highly practical nature and often because they include a wide
range of information about this Library topic. To get more information about each book, just click on the image of the book.

Coaching for Performance

John Whitmore
Best Price $8.90
or Buy New $16.54

Start Your Own Coaching

Business
Monroe Mann, Entre...
Best Price $1.43
or Buy New

Coaching
James Flaherty
Best Price $23.54
or Buy New $40.23

Privacy Information

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Coaching Skills for

Nonprofit Manage...
Judith Wilson, Mic...
Best Price $17.96
or Buy New $43.21

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Also see
Career Development -- Recommended Books
Interpersonal Skills -- Recommended Books
Personal Development -- Recommended Books
Personal Productivity -- Recommended Books
Time and Stress Management -- Recommended Books
Training and Development -- Recommended Books

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