Good question! Although Coaching is nowadays a 2.4 million US$ industry according to the International Coach Federation [1], the coaching profession is (fortunately) not really regulated, and there is not the one definition for coaching.

Where does the term coaching come from?

Apparently coach comes from “Kocs (pronounced ‘kotch’), the Hungarian post town in the 15th century, which gave its name to a fast light vehicle, which later spread across Europe. Therefore, the English word coach (…) probably derives from the Hungarian word ‘kocsi’, literally meaning ‘of Kocs’ ” [2]

In other words, a coach, helps a person to get from where they are to where they want to be. And this applies for both, the carriage and the human coach. [3]

“Coaching is partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”  —International Coach Federation

I like to view Timothy Gallwey as one of the fathers of modern coaching. One key observation Gallwey made as a tennis coach was this: the more detailed instructions he gave players, the worse their performance got. When he gave less instructions and instead encouraged athletes to trust themselves and their own experience, performance increased rapidly. Watch this amazing video from the 1970ies in which Gallwey teaches absolute beginners to play tennis reasonably well within just one day:

This leads to a key principle in coaching:

Ask, don’t tell!

“To tell denies or negates another’s intelligence. To ask honors it.” —Sir John Whitmore

Coaching is not about giving advice. Coaches do not provide solutions for their clients. Instead, as coaches we help our clients to develop the best solution for themselves.

This approach is based on a number of believes:

• The client or “coachee” is full of potential. The coach is neither smarter nor does he know more than the coachee. Coach and coachee meet at eye level.
• No matter how many hours a coachee would take to explain their situation to their coach, the coachee would always have infinitely more detailed knowledge of this situation than their coach could ever have. How could a coach, who has never experienced the situation as their coachee, possibly give any useful advice at all? The answer can only be found within the coachee.
• Every person is different. My best solution to a particular problem will always be based on my experience, skills, believes & values, … You may have very different experiences, skills, values, … Therefore, my best solution may not be the best solution for you as all. As your coach my job is to help you to find your best solution.

Thus, good coaches refrain from giving advice. Advice may simply not work. And that’s where coaching is different from consulting and eventually mentoring.

“Coaching is unlocking a person’s potential to maximize their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them.”  —John Whitmore

What’s the difference between coaching and consulting?

Typically a consultant is an expert in a particular field. They probably have much more experience in this field than you. The consultant may have solved a similar problem that you are facing right now already, and you can draw on their prior experience without reinventing the wheel.

Furthermore, you don’t necessarily want to develop the skills required to solve the problem yourself. Very simply put, you pay the consultant to provide a solution for you.

A coach does not need to be an expert in your business. For instance, an executive coach does not necessarily need any experience in your industry or business. (See also “Executive Coaching & Business Coaching, What’s the Difference?”)

Instead, a professional coach is an expert in human change. A coach can help you improve your thinking, break though bad habits, overcome unproductive behaviors, and help you take the actions required to achieve your goals.

“Coaching is the art & science of helping people achieve positive changes in their thinking and in their behaviors, mainly by asking the right questions.” —Gerrit Pelzer

How is coaching different from psychotherapy then?

Indeed coaching is a lot about “applied psychology.” Unless a coach has a background in psychology though, a coach is neither trained to diagnose nor treat any mental dysfunctions. Sometimes therapy may focus on the past whereas coaching is mostly future-oriented. What coaches and psychotherapists have in common is that they will ask a lot of questions and refrain from giving advice.

See also the nice graphic overview “Coaching borrows from both consulting and therapy” in the Harvard Business Review article “What Can Coaches Do for You?” [4]

“Coaching is partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”  —International Coach Federation

And what is the difference between coaching and mentoring?

The terms mentoring and coaching are in fact often used interchangeably. I see the following major difference though: a mentor works usually within the same organization, and is often older and more experienced than the mentee. Typically, the mentor also has some stakes in the outcome of the mentoring.

In contrast to this, coach and Coachee meet at eye level. The coach does not necessarily need any knowledge of the business and the organization, and is neutral in terms of the outcome (although he or she of course wants the best for their coachee).

Here’s what I learned at my coaching school, the International Coach Academy:

“The term ‘mentoring’ originates from Homer’s Odyssey. In the Odyssey, the character Mentor advises, supports and counsels Telemachus, Odysseus’ son as Telemachus prepares to take on the responsibilities of the family in his father’s absence. Mentor also advises Odysseus on how to search for his father. Telemachus thanks him for his help: ‘Sir, I thank you for your kindness; you might be a father speaking to his own son, and I will not forget one word of what you say…’

The mentor is usually older and more experienced than the person being mentored. The mentor bestows their knowledge and wisdom onto the student. The student looks up to the mentor and seeks guidance and advice from the mentor. 

In a business setting, mentoring is a formal relationship that is established with someone who is an expert in his or her field. Like consulting, mentoring involves passing on the benefit of a set of specific experiences. A coaching relationship, on the other hand, is a partnership whereby the coach walks side by side with the client. The coach supports the client in drawing on their own wisdom and following their inner guidance.”

“Coaching is facilitating positive change by improving thinking”  — NeuroLeadershipGroup

[1] The 2016 ICF Global Coaching Study https://www.coachfederation.org/about/landing.cfm?ItemNumber=3936
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coach_(carriage)
[3] “The first use of the term “coach” in connection with an instructor or trainer arose around 1830 in Oxford University slang for a tutor who “carried” a student through an exam. The word “coaching” thus identified a process used to transport people from where they are to where they want to be. The first use of the term in relation to sports came in 1861.” — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coaching
[4] “What Can Coaches Do for You?” Harvard Business Review January 2009 issue or https://hbr.org/2009/01/what-can-coaches-do-for-you

Would you like to explore more about coaching and how coaching can help you achieve your professional and personal goals? Contact Gerrit Pelzer now for an individual consultation without any obligations:

email: [email protected]

phone: +66-2 107 2025