What is Coaching?

I am following classes of the first two modules as they fit into my schedule, in any odd order and I only yesterday listened to the first session -- Introduction to Coaching, with a great leader from Holland with a deep, firm and resonating voice. His passion for coaching rang through in every word. We heard his story of how he came to this field and he told us his understanding of what it means to coach others. Here are few of his gems:

"A great coach suspends judgement, is focused on the future and is all about action -- the coachee taking action and moving forward in change."

"It starts with your heart and soul."

"People come to you because they are stuck and cannot move forward. We teach them how to change. We do not give advice, they know the path that is right for them. We ask questions that help them clarify their own values and we form honest and sincere relationships. We show genuine, disinterested interest that allows them the space to become aware and change perspectives."

What to look for in a client? Eagerness for a positive change in their life and wanting help to get there. Coachee has to be committed to change.

Coaches give straightforward and clear feedback in order for you to take action, take responsibility and control of your life.

Coaching is not: Therapy, consulting, mentoring, friendship.

For the record, here is the International Coaching Federation definition of coaching:

"Professional coaches provide an ongoing partnership designed to help clients produce fulfilling results in their personal and professional lives. Coaches help people improve their performances and enhnce the quality of their lives.
Coaches are trained to listen, to observe and to customize their approach to individual client needs. They seek to elicit solutions and strategies from the client; they believe the client is naturally creative and resourceful. The coach's job is to provide support to enhance the skills, resources, and creativity that the client already has."

Cross-cultural considerations?
Obviously coaching is strong in the US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand -- all cultures that are strongly individualistic, future oriented, linear time oriented and place more value on an inner locus of control. The methodology and underlying concepts are all in line with values that are strongly present in these cultures -- onward we go, as individuals, under our own will, from the present to the future. Oddly coaching is also well-developed in Japan and Singapore. My peer coach is British living in Singapore I'll have to ask him.

In any case, I am curious how the clear, direct feedback works in a culture where indirect communication is the norm. How trust can be established in a culture where people do not acknowledge those outside their in-group. Can the coach/coachee relationship be as effective in other cultural orientations that swing towards flexible time, an outer locus of control, an emphasis on the importance of the past to understand the present and see the individual in his context of the group.
Hmmmm. food for thought and the basis of "coaching across cultures".

What is coaching for me?
Another way to put myself at the service of my vision of "a world in which people have a deep understanding of, and respect for, the power of culture – where they are humbled by, and marvel at, the wonder of cross-cultural differences." Coaching will allow me to work at a deep level with individuals who are committed to really understanding something of another culture and their own while living an experience abroad. People who are willing to allow a shift in perspective that will open them to a world of cross-cultural understanding. I am beginning to think that instead of adding coaching to training and consulting, I may turn around my overall approach and add training and consulting to intercultural and expat coaching. Hmmmm. I need to work with a coach on this one....before I get my website up and going. I am beginning to see the enormous potential of coaching in the field of cross-cultural skill development -- much more powerful than training because at the end of the day, cross-cultural skills involve shifts of perspectives.

a domani,
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