Coaching is a term that gets used broadly – and sometimes loosely. It gets conflated with consulting, mentoring, supervision, and therapy. All four are valuable in the right context, but they operate according to entirely different logics.
Jag genomgår just nu en ICC coach certification genom Unestål Education, ackrediterad av EMCC. Det har skärpt min förståelse för vad coachning faktiskt är – och vad det inte är.
What coaching is
Coaching starts from the premise that the client already has the answers – or the capacity to find them. The coach asks rather than advises, listens more deeply than most conversations allow, and helps the client see themselves and their situation more clearly.
It's demanding for both parties. And it creates insights that are hard to reach any other way – precisely because they come from within.
What coaching isn't
Det är inte rådgivning. En coach som vet bättre och berättar det är inte en coach – det är en konsult eller rådgivare. Inget fel med det, men det är en annan process.
It's not therapy. Coaching is focused on the ability to act and develop in the present – not on processing historical trauma or mental health issues. When those things surface, it's the coach's responsibility to refer the client to the appropriate support
When coaching is the right tool
When someone knows something needs to change – but is stuck on how. When a leader needs space to think out loud, without having to keep up appearances. When the goal is greater self-awareness, clearer capacity to act, and stronger accountability.
Coaching isn't a quick fix. It's work. But for the right person in the right situation, it's one of the most powerful tools for leadership development.
If you're curious about what coaching could offer you or your organization, reach out. I'd be happy to tell you more.
If you have thoughts, questions, or simply want to talk something through — feel free to get in touch. I am happy to have an initial conversation with no agenda.
Right person. Right place. Everything changes.