5 things what the real coach in not (part2)

We continue to make clear what the real coach is by giving examples what the coach is not.

A coach is not a consultant because:

• he or she does not provide ready solutions but utilizes skillful questions to further exploration of alternatives and catalysts. The implementation phase, participants cannot be replaced. If a consultant or his or her client becomes ill, a substitute may resume the process the following day. In coaching, however, the session would be rescheduled in such an event.
• In corporate coaching, for instance, the focus is primarily not on the organisation but on the executive who is being coached. It is the executive who will develop, which in turn will positively impact the organization.

One of my clients summarized this for me the following way: „If I want to „sweat” for my success, I will recruit a coach. If I want someone else to „sweat”, I call a consultant, even thought I know I will have to call them again when I am faced with a similar problem.

A coach is not a mentor because:

• he or she and the client are not employed by the same organization;
• he or she does not suffer from „work myopia”;
• a mentor is expected to possess leadership experience, whereas a coach is expected to demonstrate coaching knowledge and experience;
• a coaching engagement lasts for a concerned term, generally 3 to 12 months, while the duration of a mentoring engagement is longer, lasting even until both parties are employed by the company, sometimes 3 to 5 years;
• coaching centers on performance (except for career coaching) while mentoring focuses usually on careers.

Coaching is not a conversation with a fiend due to the fact that:

• only the coachee's issues are addressed;
• it is structured (Situation – Positioning (yourself) – Alternatives – Route – Key Obstacles – Leverage – Evaluation); specific coaching tools are employed.

Toolful Coach: SPARKLE coaching model with 150 useful tools and case studies by Laura Komocsin (Author)

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