Consulting Is Not Coaching
The first time I coach someone new, there are two questions I always ask.
What would you like to have by the end of our session?
What was this coaching experience like for you?
The answer to the first question is usually one of the following: a few tips, some strategies, a plan, or more clarity around a particular topic related to their health and wellbeing.
The answer to the second question almost always comes with a genuine sense of surprise at what just took place.
I often hear, “It’s not what I expected. You really got me thinking!” or “I thought I needed advice, but I actually answered my own questions. I guess I just needed to talk it through.”
But wait—why would someone hire a coach if they already have the answers to their questions? 🤔
Well, just because you have all the puzzle pieces doesn’t necessarily mean you are ready to put the thing together. Change can be hard, and knowing is different from doing.
Plus, when we’re feeling stuck or indecisive, we tend to look for more information or an outside opinion, when in reality we might just need the space to sort through what we already know.
So…what is a coach’s role then if not to impart some kind of wisdom or expert advice to move their client further along?
I get the confusion. The word “coach” can be misleading! Maybe you’ve worked with an athletic coach or a business coach whose primary role was to instruct or give advice. In many coach-client relationships, the coach leads and the client follows. This is likely why so many people come to health coaching expecting to be handed a plan, but coaching and consulting are two very different things.
Don’t get me wrong—there is definitely a time and place to share information within a coaching session if that’s what’s needed. But more often, people need support in finding their motivation and creating realistic steps to achieve their desired change, which requires a completely different skillset than educating or consulting.
When it comes to creating lasting change, we know that client-originated ideas and plans are the ones that stick. This is why the coach approach is so successful for overcoming health and wellness-related challenges.
There is SO MUCH I can say about coaching but there is really only one way to find out if it can help you, and that is to give it a try. Click the button below to schedule a call and experience the magic of it for yourself! ⭐️