"Coaching is unlocking people’s potential to maximize their own performance."

    - Sir John Whitmore, renowned leadership coach and author

 

Not only does good coaching help people unlock their potential and maximize their performance, but it accelerates growth in important, carefully selected area(s) of life. It helps to bring out one’s best. It can transform a mediocre or even a good life into an extraordinary one.  

 

At Surgent Coaching, we help our clients expand their vision, build their confidence, unlock their potential, increase their skills, discover new frontiers for growth and success and step into life-changing new realities. It truly can be a life-changing and transformative experience. 

 

But, what exactly is coaching? Let’s first begin by looking at what coaching is not.

 

What Coaching Is Not

Coaching is not consulting. A consultant is a subject matter expert who provides solutions to identified problems. A consultant is hired to analyze, think, and then create and/or implement solutions for a client. Consulting solutions are generally consultant-derived and do not involve a client’s ability to solve the problem or achieve the goal themselves.

 

Coaching is not mentoring. Mentors are experts in a particular field who seek to pass on expertise to another person. Mentors provide knowledge, advice, guidance, correction, and encouragement to people who are newer and junior—by experience if not by position or age. They may use some coaching techniques, but mentors usually play the roles of advisor and teacher to guide and impart knowledge and wisdom.

 

Coaching is not therapy. Although some of the communication techniques are the same, such as active listening, reflecting, use of questions, limited advice giving, etc., therapy focuses on the past to bring healing and unblock a person, thus empowering them to move forward. Coaches use adult learning principles of self-discovery to motivate change from within the person being coached. But this is not the same as therapy. If a person is wrestling with emotional and or mental health issues, we recommend seeing a trained therapist.

 

Coaching is not authoritarian. If you ever had a tough sports coach who used to yell at you and make you run laps if you made a mistake, this is not that. Your coach will push you, but always in a supportive and encouraging context. Unlike relationships with athletic coaches, here you are in control. The responsibility to decide and act is, and will always be, yours alone.

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What Coaching Is

First and foremost, coaching is about you – your goals, your growth, your challenges, your dreams, and your future. 

 

Coaching is about learning rather than teaching. You are the expert on your life. As we've written in our blog, we believe that you are best equipped to call your own plays. Coaches don't talk; they listen. Coaches don't give information; they ask questions. Coaches don't offer ideas; they help their clients generate great ideas. Coaches don't share their stories; they tap into the client’s story.  Coaches don't present solutions; they expand the client’s thinking.  Coaches don't give recommendations; they empower their clients.

 

Coaching is about action. During each coaching session, you will determine specific action steps to take before the next session. By helping clients carefully construct appropriate action steps—and by providing accountability—clients are often surprised at how quickly they can progress toward their goals.

 

Coaching is about all of you, and not necessarily only about your professional life. Every leader knows that one’s personal life is as important—if not more so—than one’s professional life. We help clients in both realms.

 

As mentioned elsewhere, it is our conviction that every person will go further and faster with someone coaching them than they would on their own. We would be honored to join you on your journey of exploration, discovery and action that leads to success if you think coaching is right for you.

  

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