Coaching is partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. It is a process that supports the client in reaching deeper levels of fulfillment and success quicker and with more ease. Individuals engage a coach for many reasons and for support in any area of their life: career, business, personal transitions, relationships, financial, life balance, spirituality and more.

So often people confuse coaching with mentoring, consulting or therapy, and although coaching draws from these disciplines it is a distinct and independent discipline.  Coaching is not to be seen as taking the place of these other professions, nor is it in conflict with them. In fact, coaching often works in harmony with these fields.

Therapy is primarily for the purpose of diagnosing and healing mental illness. Coaching, on the other hand, supports fully functioning and capable individuals in making desired changes in their life and moving forward with intentional action.

Consulting is about solving specific problems and providing expertise, direction and advice. Coaches use well-crafted questions, as well as other techniques, to help clients tap into their own experience, knowledge and wisdom.

Mentoring refers to a developmental relationship between a more experienced mentor and a less experienced partner in order to obtain information, good examples, and advice as they advance. Although highly skilled mentors often provide some level of coaching the focus is on information and teaching.

A supportive friend can be a wonderful sounding board and cheerleader yet cannot provide the powerful questions and direction that a coach can offer. A professional coach brings unique skills, new perspectives and objectivity without emotional attachment to the client's choice.

A professional coach possesses talents, techniques, skills and tools that support the client in making the right changes, with greater ease and lasting effectiveness. The coach assists the client by helping them to:

• Discover what they truly desire
• Recognize their strengths and assets
• Uncover the unconscious thoughts and beliefs that hold them back
• Explore new perspectives
• Gain clarity on values and life purpose
• Identify and end self-defeating habits and patterns
• Clarify goals and create action plans to achieve them
• Learn from mistakes and failures
• Celebrate successes

According to the International Coach Federation survey, the duration of a coaching relationships average around 9 months. However, clients often see the long term benefits of working with a coach and even after they have accomplished specific goals and/or projects they continue the relationship focusing on other aspects of their life.

Typically, a coach starts the relationship with a detailed intake session to get acquainted quickly, develop a connection, and set the intention and direction of the coaching relationship.

The typical scenario is for a coach and client to meet privately, one-on-one, 2 to 4 times per month for up to an hour. Meetings may be held in person, by phone or by e-mail, although phone is most common. Another common one-on-one offering is laser sessions which may be e-mails or short phone calls targeting a specific issue to be resolved quickly.  Laser sessions may be offered separately or in conjunction with more structured sessions.

Group coaching is an offering in which the coach works with multiple people with similar goals. Group coaching sessions are normally held using a teleconference line although some coaches hold group sessions in person at offices or other meeting facilities.

The cost of coaching varies widely based on the coach's experience, credentials, and area of specialization. Often a personal coach will charge less than an executive coach. Group coaching sessions are less expensive than private one-on-one sessions. A coach may charge by the month, by the program, by the project, or by the hour.

Some coaches offer sliding scales for clients who cannot afford the full fee.

The most important thing is to conduct interviews. When searching for a coach, we recommend that you interview three different coaches to see who best fits your needs and style. This site lists TBPCA member coaches that are available to support you. Check out our membership directory. 

In addition to our membership, the International Coach Federation and other web sites have "Find a Coach" capabilities that enable people to search for a coach based on certain criteria, such as background, coaching specialty and/or fee range. 

Because trust and openness are necessary elements for a successful coaching experience, perhaps the most important criterion in hiring a coach is rapport and "chemistry" between the client and coach. Beyond this, consider the coach's background, credentials, areas of expertise, and fees. Discuss what you or your company are looking for and see what kind of experience the coach has in that area. Many executive coaches go through different training specifically geared towards business; this would be a more qualified coach for an executive engagement.

Coaches have professional certifications from coaching schools and the International Coach Federation (ICF). Since coaching is a self-regulating profession with clearly defined standards of competency and ethics we highly recommend that you hire to a certified coach. Or at least one that has been trained through an ICF approved program. The ICF is the premier organization that establishes and maintains these standards, and encourages coaches to apply for professional certification through its own independent program.