What role does advice play in coaching?
Coaching is a professional service that attracts clients who want to make big changes in their lives or overcome obstacles. Many clients assume that they are going to work with someone who can give answers or solutions. Persons who seek help in improving their life or business might then believe that they will be receiving advice from a professional. When we begin to have coaching conversations with prospective clients or contracted clients, we as trained professional Life Coaches (aka personal and professional coaches) must really be clear that giving advice is not really part of the coaching paradigm. Advising (the act of giving advice) according to the Webster’s collegiate dictionary is ‘to make a recommendation regarding a decision or course of conduct,’ and it ‘implies real or presumed knowledge and experience.’ . Coaching is to empower, to motivate, to enrich, to co create with our clients. In fact, I believe that effective coaching is even more than problem solving or being solu
