Business Coaching

Coaching is not Counselling
Again, there may be a superficial similarity in that both of these activities are one-to-one conversations, but their tone and purpose are very different:

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  Counselling and therapy typically deal with personal problems - Coaching addresses workplace performance.
  
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  Counselling usually begins with a problem - Coaching can begin with a goal or aspiration.
  
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  Counselling is sought by people having difficulties - Coaching is used by high achievers as much as beginners or people who are stuck.
  
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  Many (but not all) forms of Counselling focus on the past and the origins of problems - Coaching focuses on the future and developing a workable solution.
  

4. Different Types of Coaching
Following on from the differences between Coaching, Training, Mentoring and Counselling, this chapter will look at different types of coaching. These should not be seen as rigid categories but areas of specialisation, and many coaches work in more than one of these areas.
Sports coaching
This is what many people think of when they hear the word ‘coach’. The term ’sports coach’ encompasses a wide range of roles and approaches, from the football manager on the touchline, through one-to-one coaches for athletes and players, to specialist coaches for fitness and health. There are also coaches who focus on the ‘mental game’, helping sports players fine-tune their psychological preparation for high-pressure events.
Several coaches have bridged the gap between sports and business coaching. Tennis pro Timothy Gallwey proposed a radical new approach to tennis coaching in his book The Inner Game of Tennis, which he later adapted for business in The Inner Game of Work. Another coaching classic is Coaching for Performance by John Whitmore, a former champion racing driver, which is chiefly concerned with coaching as an approach to management in business. Another example of сross-over between sports and business coaching is The Little Book of Coaching by business author Ken Blanchard and the American football coach Don Shula.
Life coaching
A life coach works with clients to help them achieve their goals and reach fulfilment, in the personal and/or professional sphere. Finding a healthy balance and integration between work and personal life is often a key feature of life coaching. Coaching can encompass a wide range of issues, from inner work on thoughts and emotions through relationships with significant others, to very specific career goals and practical action plans.

The difference between life coaching and business coaching is often one of degree of emphasis, and will depend on the individual coach and client. Broadly speaking, in life coaching the main focus of attention is on the client’s life as a whole; while in business coaching, the main focus is on someone’s work, while recognising that truly effective professional development requires a healthy balance between work and other areas of life.

Another difference between life coaching and business coaching is that life coaching clients are more likely to be private individuals, whereas business coaches are more typically employed by organisations. There are exceptions - some companies engage life coaches to help their employees balance their personal and professional needs, and business coaches are also hired by individuals to help them achieve their career goals.