Welcome to the Revolution

 What Now Makes Coaching a Trend, Rather Than a Fad

For several years life coaching has been stealthily moving from a so called "fad" to what many now call a pacesetting trend.  I call it the silent coaching revolution.  And I believe that it is poised to change the way we train and empower leaders in the 21st century.

To quote the famous Renaissance man Victor Hugo, "There is nothing more powerful as an idea whose time has come." I believe coaching fits this principle.

So the question is, "What now makes coaching a trend?" With a growing body of credible evidence to validate the coaching model, I still tend to be a pragmatic optimist!  I say "show me the money." So - here are a few things that cause me to believe the coaching revolution has begun:

1. Coaching is no longer seen as being remedial in nature.

In it's inception, life coaching was viewed as a last ditch effort to change a leader or an organization. Not any longer. In corporate settings, coaching is now primarily offered to enable the good become better. To sharpen and improve those who are already competent. 

2. Coaches are no longer seen as mere "fixers" with all  the answers, but rather, as thinking partners.

Rapid changes in technology and culture have forced good leaders to stand in the need of continued improvement. With information and knowledge doubling every 18 months, leaders are in a constant state of flux. The leader must be able to recreate themselves or their organizations quickly and safely.

The coach comes along side and helps the leader move with speed and accuracy. He also helps them avoid the landmines that often come with rapid change. A good coach is a thinking partner.

3. Coaching no longer needs to fit into an old paradigm, it now stands alone.

In years past, coaching was a buzz word that was used interchangeably for almost any and every form of training. It has been used to describe things like mentoring, counseling, discipleship, etc; that simply is not true. Yes, they are first cousins and often skills overlap, however, coaching has taken on a unique distinction of its own.  That is, its primary function is to pull out of people that which is in them.  Intangible things like potential, destiny, life purpose, calling, and creative ability.

Of course, these other skills are needed but don't just re-label your mentoring and call it coaching. Don't slap the name coaching on any and every training event and expect anything to change.

Coaching now stands alone as a new and innovative paradigm that differentiates itself from other models and gets the job done.

Conclusion

With many individuals and organizations standing in need of revival and reinvention, life coaching now is poised to move to the forefront of leadership training.

So are you informed and competent in this new paradigm called coaching or do you just use it as a buzz word that is catchy and new? How you answer these questions determine if you are ready for the silent revolution?

Coach John

Works cited: Robert Hargraves, Masterful Coaching, Jossey-Bass, 2003, San Francisco CA

Comments

[Angela Lampley]

Coach John,
That was a great blog! Thank you for reminding me to listen. Grad school hermanutics has my brain nuts lol
As always you are a great inspration!
thank you!
Angela Lampley

[Coach Rodney Hall]

Great Summation! Thanks!