What is Coaching?

So what is coaching anyway? If you’re not sure what it means to be coached, think of it as having a partner to help you figure out what strategies work for you, how you want to use them, and to keep you on track as you advance toward your goals. Coaching relies on client participation and insight rather then instructions given by someone else. I share what I know to help clients' understand and advocate for themselves, but I don't hand out "solutions." The core of coaching is working in partnership with clients as unique individuals. Instead of advocating for one solution, I take time to understand my client's goals, and then we discover, together, the approaches that work for them. 

Working with a client to problem-solve supports their efforts to reach their goals, but also demonstrates and allows them to practice how to create and follow through on a plan. Since even the best-laid plans tend to encounter speed bumps along the way, coaching also teaches how to make adjustments or even start over with new insights and lessons learned (Kyra Todd- Northern VA Coaching Solutions).