In recent years, coaching has been seen by some as a new professional phenomenon, a trend, even though coaching has existed since the 1970s. What is professional coaching? What are the proven benefits, and when should one seek a career development coach?
A professional coach is a specialist who supports their client in achieving one or more professional goals, using various framing techniques to do so. They use questioning, rephrasing techniques, and tools that promote awareness, helping the client discover their own resources to reach the goal they’ve set.
The coach adopts a neutral stance, meaning they don’t share opinions, advice, or solutions. They work in partnership and shared responsibility, not as a model to follow, but as a guide that helps the client reveal their resources.
The coach also does not impart knowledge or technical skills; instead, they use effective and powerful questioning. This approach distinguishes coaching from consulting, mentoring, or training.
The Benefits of Professional Coaching
A study conducted in 2008 by Duijts, Kant, van den Brandt, and Swaen proves that medical and educational organizations that enlisted a professional coach observed:
Published in 2009, this study shows that coaching helps develop resilience and mindfulness.
Another study, conducted by Bozer and Sarros in 2021, demonstrates that professional coaching has a positive impact on employees’ attitudes at work. This, in turn, leads to a positive impact on their performance.
In 2020, the ICF, one of the largest federations of professional coaches in the world, conducted a survey of coaches and their clients in partnership with PwC to prove the benefits of this technique.
The following results emerged from this survey:
Within companies that offered professional coaching to their teams, the benefits were as follows:
The average return on investment for companies is about 5.7 times the amount invested in coaching.
When to hire a professional coach?
While professional coaching offers many benefits, it’s important to clarify that it is not a miracle method. The coach does not share well-kept secrets that will change your life in no time. No, this support requires significant investment from the coachee. It demands introspection, a voluntary and deep commitment to creating and executing action plans in order to reach the set goal. It’s also important to highlight the context in which coaching is effective, as not all requests are suitable for it.
If you have a goal to achieve, a professional project you want to bring to life but don’t know how to go about it, or if a career transition is on the horizon, professional coaching could be an ideal solution.
Indeed, the coach will hold you accountable for achieving this goal and help you become the driver of your life by asking insightful questions and triggering moments of self-awareness.
In a business setting, a professional coach can assist you with objectives such as improving your management skills, communication, onboarding process, and your ability to delegate effectively.
When to call on another professional?
If you don’t feel ready to engage in deep personal work, then professional coaching may not be the right solution. Working with a counselor or consultant, who will provide you with tools to move forward, could be a better option.
If you wish to quickly acquire technical skills or soft skills, you should prioritize a training organization or a professional trainer. They will provide you with only the knowledge and skills you seek.