What is a Coach?

A Means of “Transportation”
The word “coach” was first used in the 1500s and referred to a means of traveling. The coach of the 1500s was a kind of carriage that carried important people from where they were to where they wanted to be.

Later, the word coach also came to refer to a person that carried athletes from where they were in ability in a particular sport to where they wanted to be. The job of the athletic coach is to bring out the best in the athlete, to encourage and cheer them on, to identify areas that need work, to give the athlete exercises and drills that will improve their performance and heighten their success in their chosen sport.

A New Paradigm
Personal and professional coaching incorporates attributes from both of these types of “coach”. Notice that in both of the above instances the person using the coaching service is the one who determines the desired outcome. A good coach in the 1500’s would not take you to New York if you said you wanted to go to Boston! And a good athletic coach will not say, “I know you joined the basketball team, but I think you should be a swimmer. So I’m going to coach you in swimming.” The same is true of a personal and/or business coach. The client determines the destination, the “sport”, the agenda and the coach coaches him or her in that.

Coaches Fill the Gap
The collaborative partnership that a coach provides a successful person fills a gap.

It’s not a gap of ignorance – you know your desired destination and what to do to get there.
It’s not a gap of intention - you want to get there.
It’s not a gap of effort – you have tried many times to reach your destination.
It’s not a gap of unconcern – you care about your destination and successfully making the journey.

   It’s a structural gap – most successful people have some hoped for destination in life or work that they just can’t seem to get to on their own.
It’s not that you don’t know how to get there, it’s not that you don’t want to get there, it’s not that you haven’t put out the effort to get there, and it’s not that you don’t care. You simply need a little more structure to make it happen. A coach provides the missing structure that allows you to reach your destination. Take Michael Jordan for example. He was already a great ball player, but what did he need to fill the gap between his desire and reality of greater success? Does the name Phil Jackson ring a bell?

The Necessity of a Coach
Coaching is a proven way of developing sustained personal and professional growth. But click here to find out if you actually need a coach. OR………

More Questions?
Maybe you still have more questions about coaching and what it is? Click here to read common myths and frequently asked questions about coaching.