posted by Debra on Jun 18
Coaching is said to be a unique profession that uses a combination of suitable therapy, consulting and mentoring to assist client in creating a partner relationship between the coach and client. A coach is someone who supports the client and helped to bridge their inner purpose and passion toward achieving a goal and accomplish tasks.
A consultant on the other hand, is one that listens to your problem. Based on the information that you gave and a time frame provided, they will analyze the problem and consider them thoroughly before coming up with a solution as well as recommending steps to take to solve the problem. Most consultants deal with clients on a professional basis, giving corporate advices and services.
Some of the differences between consulting and coaching lie in the delivering method of the problem. The act of coaching is an on-going process that may involve a broader subject of the client’s life, hence constant communication is essential to ensure that both the coach and client are heading towards the same direction along the coaching process.
Consulting is more of a one-way communication. You approach the consultant because you expect them to have expertise in the area better than you do. So you communicate your problems to them, in trust that they will work on a plan for you that are in line with your set of priorities, goals, vision and values. Consultants have certain expectations to meet that are set by their clients.
Some of the goals of coaching may include a specific area ranging from career, finances, friends and family, personal growth and so on. In coaching, the client’s personal development becomes the main focus. Whereas in consulting, consultants turn their focus on the client’s problem that needs to be resolved first hand.
The coaching process is usually an enlightening one. The coach will help you to see things in a different light of perspective. They will coach you to feel inspired to reach out and achieve your goals. In consulting, consultants will present you with their solutions, and leave you to decide which solution to take upon their professional advice.
Perhaps the best analogy to illustrate the disparity between a coach and a consultant would be to use bike riding as an example. In bike riding, a coach will give you a picture on how and why you ride a bicycle. They will help you examine the things that may cause you to fail from riding the bike successfully, and will be present when you ride the bike.
A consultant explains to you the comparison between one bike and another. They will teach you how to ride the bike, and will demonstrate a bike riding for you if necessary. Suffice to say, the decision to go for consulting or coaching should depend on your time constraints allowed and the end result you’re hoping for.
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