Coaching versus Teaching
Posted on 27th August 2021
How many of you have considered hiring a coach?
How many of you think coaches are superfluous?
What if you hired a coach, what benefits will you receive?
Are business coaches, life coaches, sports coaches overpaid or underpaid?
So many questions, and by definition that is exactly what coaching is about.
Coaching is a natural and effective process for learning
A baby learns by watching, copying, and modelling their parents or guardians. Parents in general want the best for their children and will guide and encourage them to progress and perform at the highest level possible.
In doing so, are we coaching or teaching them?
Some of us have a natural ability to create a coaching environment with our children and others to be honest have not got a clue. You may be aware that coaching is a natural and effective process for learning.
“Teachers TELL people what to do – Coaches ASK QUESTIONS and help people to reflect and then work out what is right for them”
Client / Student Centered
Tim Gallwey wrote a book called The Inner Game of Tennis. In this book he demonstrates how we can focus and train the mind to maximise its potential for learning. In fact it’s a proven method to overcome limiting beliefs and obstacles created by the individual.
When we teach we do it from a pre-ordained template, which attempts to get people to fit it. Coaching on the other hand is centred around the client’s or student’s way of doing things and helps them to adapt to a better way for them.
Teaching is ‘TEACHER’ centred – Coaching is ‘CLIENT/STUDENT’ centred.
A good coach actively listens
In teaching, the teacher decides the syllabus and the rate of learning. In coaching, the syllabus and rate of learning are based around the client’s/student’s needs.
In business, many managers and senior directors know how to manage their team but do not know how to coach them to increase their performance.
According to John Whitmore one of the creators of the GROW model, “Coaching is unlocking a person’s potential to maximise their own performance”
Does your manager, teacher, supervisor or parent ask a lot of questions about you, your desires, your health, your objectives and your values?
Does he or she let you talk, or does he or she do most of the talking?
A good coach talks less and tends to actively listen to what you have to say!
DRIVE to your destination
I don’t know if you have heard of the DRIVE model, if you have you will notice that the questions in this model are coaching questions, which help the individual move forward to their destination/goal.
Coaches pride themselves on asking insightful questions, and when you fully immerse yourself in the process expecting a favourable outcome, that is exactly what you will get.
If I could go back to my earlier years as a child in school, I think I would have preferred coaching as the lead with a sprinkling of teaching to support it. I also believe that parents would benefit by learning more about coaching when educating their children.
However much you are exploring the idea of hiring a coach, think about what you want first, e.g., what is the purpose or reason for hiring a coach.
Once you know what the reason is, speak or meet with two or three coaches and find one that fits in with your values and beliefs. To do that, you will need to ask some insightful questions.
Good luck and enjoy the journey.
To find out more about Coaching from Coach Forever, the D.R.I.V.E. model of coaching or any of the other services we provide contact us today
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