Coaching
Coaching is a facilitated process
Coaching helps individuals improve performance and self-awareness through structured conversation, reflection, and accountability. Distinguish coaching from mentoring (mentoring is advice and career guidance from a more experienced person), from counseling (therapeutic), and from managing (directing work). Know when coaching is appropriate: the person has the will and potential but needs support to find their own solutions.
Models and skills
Recognize common frameworks: GROW (goal, reality, options, will), the coaching continuum from directive to non-directive, and feedback models such as SBI (situation, behavior, impact). Core skills include active listening, powerful questioning, paraphrasing, reflecting, and holding silence. Understand the importance of contracting-agreeing on goals, boundaries, confidentiality, and success measures at the start.
Coaching in organizations
Know how coaching supports talent development, leadership transition, and performance improvement, and how it differs from training. Recognize ethical considerations: confidentiality, competence, and avoiding dual relationships.
Traps
Common traps: slipping into advice-giving and calling it coaching; using coaching when a performance problem requires clear direction or disciplinary action; and skipping the goal-setting or contracting phase. Another trap is confusing coaching with feedback-feedback is one input within coaching, not the whole process.
Rule of thumb
If you are talking more than the coachee, you are probably advising, not coaching. Worked example: a new supervisor struggles with delegating. Using GROW, the coach asks what success looks like (goal), what happens now (reality), what options exist (options), and what they will try this week (will), then schedules a follow-up to review results.