Coaching versus Consulting

Why do you need coaching or consulting?   Quite simply,

if you keep doing what you’ve been doing, you will keep getting what you got.

What is the difference between coaching and consulting? 

In consulting, the consultant is recognized as the expert.  As such the consultant will evaluate the processes, systems, and procedures, make recommendations for improvement, then help put the accepted improvements in place.  The ideas are those of the consultant, the client may select which ideas to implement but relies primarily on the expertise of the consultant.  For any instituted changes to really stick, Management must be fully behind them.

Coaching is very different from consulting.

Professional coaching is designed to help people improve their performance and enhance the quality of their lives.  Coaching concentrates on where you are now and what you are willing to do to get to where you want to be in the future.

In Coaching, you - the client, are considered to be naturally creative and resourceful.  The coach seeks to draw out the solutions and strategies from you recognizing that the results are a matter of your intentions, choices, and actions.  The coach does not have the answers.  The coaches job is to ask questions.  These questions are designed to help you get to better know yourself, your fears and self-limitations, your motivations, strengths, and your vision.

With coaching, it has been found that the client is more resourceful, more effective, and generally more satisfied when they find their own answers.  Having found the answer themselves, they are more likely to follow through with the actions needed to succeed.