What is Coaching Psychology

Posted on April 28, 2016 by Joel Yang, One of Thousands of Relationship Coaches on Noomii.

What is Coaching Psychology?

Coaches come from a wide range of occupational backgrounds. These backgrounds include business consultancy; management; teaching; human resource training and development; and clinical, counselling, organisational and sports psychology. Each of these fields apply their own theoretical frameworks and knowledge. To date there is little communication between these groups and the lack of coordination has led to the confusion in the field.

Definitions of coaching vary considerably. Whilst some proponents emphasise an instructional approach where coaching is focused on the immediate improvement of performance through tutoring skills, others propose that coaching is unlocking a person’s potential to maximise their own performance through focusing on process rather than skills.

These two approaches lie on two ends of a continuum, and what is important is which best helps the client reach their goals, and which is the most apt at particular points in any specific coaching conversation. A good coaching conversation strike the right balance between process facilitation and content delivery, dependent on different points in the overall coaching engagement.

The coaching process is systematic and goal-directed; aimed at facilitating the maintenance of sustained change by fostering the client’s continuing self-directed learning and personal growth.

Evidence-based coaching

Broadly, we can distinguish between two categories of coaching — Performance and Developmental coaching.

Performance coaching focuses on the way the client sets goals, overcomes obstacles and evaluates and monitors themselves as they work towards their goals. A typical approach is the CIGAR model — to outline the Current situation, detail the Ideal outcome, analyse how to Get from the current situation to the ideal outcome, and formulate an Action plan and a Review process. Specific to coaching skills, the coach may model the required skills together with a rehearsal and feedback process. It could involve improving communication skills or rehearsing for presentations.

Developmental coaching takes a broader strategic approach, considering more intimate questions of personal and professional development. This form of coaching focuses on enhancing emotional competencies, such as working more effectively with team members. Developmental coaching is a bit like “therapy for people who do not need therapy” and often involves the creation of a personal reflective space where clients can explore issues and options and formulate action plans in a safe and nurturing environment.