7 very common Coaching- Errors

” Coaching is a kind of therapy” It is true that many business-coaches are trained as therapists. Yet coaching and therapy are two completely different processes. A metaphor makes this clearer: In a coaching you will find out how to design and create your garden. For me, therapy deals with “the soil”. It helps to detoxicate the soil and to cultivate it again. Counseling supports people to become healthy again. It enables them to get back their self-monitoring. Coaching requires the coachee’s ability to act and decide in a self-controlled way.

It is true that many business-coaches are trained as therapists. Yet coaching and therapy are two completely different processes. A metaphor makes this clearer: In a coaching you will find out how to design and create your garden. For me, therapy deals with “the soil”. It helps to detoxicate the soil and to cultivate it again. Counseling supports people to become healthy again. It enables them to get back their self-monitoring. Coaching requires the coachee’s ability to act and decide in a self-controlled way.

” The Coach directs” On the contrary, a coach supports you to find out yourself what you need and what you want. He or she is a partner at the same eyelevel. What exactly does this mean? You are always and anytime equal. A professional coach does without any advice. Advice would mean that he or she knows what is best for you. You know best what is best for you.

On the contrary, a coach supports you to find out

yourself what you need and what you want.

He or she is a partner at the same eyelevel. What

exactly does this mean? You are always and

anytime equal. A professional coach does

without any advice. Advice would mean that he or

she knows what is best for you. You know best

what is best for you.

” Coaching is obscure” Anything but obscure: respectable and professional coaches are always conscious and transparent. They know why they propose a certain tool or intervention. And they will surely tell you. That is what makes the processes so precious: You want what is happening and you can say ”Stop” at any time.

Anything but obscure: respectable and

professional coaches are always conscious

and transparent. They know why they propose

a certain tool or intervention. And they will surely

tell you. That is what makes the processes so

precious: You want what is happening and you

can say ”Stop” at any time.

” Coaching lasts eternally” A coach that takes month after month to work with a client will literally spoil his or her reputation in the long run. The signature feature of successful coaches is a solution orientated and reasonable process.

” Coaching unmasks weak points & flaws” Professional coaching is always constructive and respectful. Feedback invites you to think about your coach‘s perceptions. Everybody has weak points. Your coach is a human being like you. At the same eyelevel coaching is a precious chance, even if issues are painful.

Professional coaching is

always constructive and

respectful. Feedback invites you

to think about your coach‘s

perceptions. Everybody has

weak points. Your coach is a human

being like you. At the same eyelevel

coaching is a precious chance, even

if issues are painful.

” Coaching is blah” The supreme discipline of coaching is to ask questions. There is far more in professional coaching than the dialogue between coach and client. This constitutes an excellent coach, too: He or she knows exactly which interventions and tools are adequate for your issue. And sometimes even a mousy question activates astonishing processes.

The supreme discipline of coaching is to ask

questions. There is far more in professional

coaching than the dialogue between coach and

client. This constitutes an excellent coach, too:

He or she knows exactly which interventions and

tools are adequate for your issue. And sometimes

even a mousy question activates astonishing

processes.

” Coaching is expensive” Unprofessional coaching can be expensive, yes. It takes very long and/or does without clearly defined and checked goals. Caution with so called special offers like ”10 sessions à...”. Such an offer binds you. It defines a fixed duration. A professional coach lets you go anytime you want to stop. There is no such duration. Coaching normally is tax-deductible.

Unprofessional coaching can be expensive, yes. It takes very long and/or does without clearly defined and checked goals. Caution with so called special offers like ”10 sessions à...”. Such an offer binds you. It defines

a fixed duration. A professional coach lets you go

anytime you want to stop. There is no such

duration. Coaching normally is tax-deductible.

Sandra Heinzelmann Business-Coach, Trainer & Author http://www.sandra-heinzelmann.de