coachingu

Coachingu, or coaching, is a professional process in which a trained coach helps a client set and achieve personal or professional goals through structured dialogue, questioning, and action planning. It is typically client-led, goal-oriented, and ethical, with confidential and boundary-respecting relationships.

Origin and scope: Modern coaching emerged in the late 20th century from sports, psychology, and organizational development, and has since spread across business, education, and personal development. It differs from therapy in focusing on current goals and future actions rather than analysis of past issues.

Types and process: Common forms include executive coaching, life coaching, career coaching, and team coaching. A typical process includes contracting, goal setting, exploration, options generation, action planning, and accountability, often guided by models such as GROW.

Methods and standards: Effective coaches use active listening, powerful questioning, feedback, and congruence with the client's values. Professional standards are provided by bodies such as the International Coach Federation (ICF) and the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) through certifying programs and ethical guidelines.

Impact and considerations: Research finds variable evidence of positive effects, with stronger results in leadership development and performance when coaching is well-implemented and integrated with organizational change. Critics note risks such as inconsistent quality, overclaiming, and insufficient regulation in some regions.