“Coaching is the art of helping a person find their own solutions” according to Socrates

Coaching has no therapeutic aims, even if it is part of the disciplines of personal development. However, it may be relevant to accompany a therapeutic approach, to help better support treatment or to generate behavioral changes beneficial to health.

To date, the majority of publications have focused on the usefulness of additional coaching training. Indeed, many health professionals (nurses, pharmacists, dentists and others) use coaching to help patients adopt new lifestyles, cope with changes or better cope with various treatments2-5

It is also easier to define what coaching is not than what it is. Indeed, today, the term coach is very much usurped and sometimes overused. A coach is neither a psychotherapist, nor a counselor, nor a mentor, nor a trainer.

You could compare the coach to a private “motivator”. A bit like having your own sports trainer, but for your professional or personal success. In short, the coach’s objective is to help his client to clearly define his objectives, to establish concrete strategies to achieve them and to persevere in his approach.

The preferred tool of coaching is questioning. Some coaches only communicate with their clients by phone or Skype, others prefer face to face. By asking the right question at the right time, and thanks to questionnaires, various communication exercises and scenarios, the coach seeks to thwart the defense mechanisms of his interlocutor. “And if you were to fail in this project, what would be the impacts in your personal life? It helps them to discover their strengths and weaknesses, to redefine their values ​​and to call on the full range of their resources. Between coaching sessions, the client has exercises to do, whether theoretical (specifying his goals, finding new strategies, etc.) or practical (adopting a new attitude with his employees or his boss, no longer snacking between meals …).

Another essential element, a coach does not give advice to his client, does not offer solutions or influence him, but he helps him to discover his own resources, often unsuspected, and to make the most of them. Like a sports coach, a coach can suggest strategies, motivate his players, demand the best from each of them; but he will never score goals. Only clients can achieve their goals, their objectives. They must therefore at the outset be solidly determined, willing to change… and ready to face change.

• Better manage stress and emotions
• Restore self-esteem and self-confidence, by identifying one’s strengths and knowing how to value them
• Become an actor in your life: act rather than suffer
• Better live the phases of personal and professional transition: separation, bereavement, dismissal, retraining, retirement …
• Build a personal and professional life plan, consistent with your personality and deep values

The specialist

As the term coaching is not protected, anyone can claim to be a coach.

You will therefore have to ensure yourself of the competence of the speaker. Certification by a professional association is a good place to start. But check the credibility of the association in question: number of members, code of ethics, possible recourse, etc. Most associations offer a referral service to their members. However, some reputable coaches are not part of any association.

The relationship of trust and “complicity” with the coach are essential. Do not hesitate to consult people around you and ask for references.

There are several styles of coaching, some more humanistic, others more pragmatic. For example, members affiliated with the International Coaching Federation (ICF) readily use coaching by phone or email, while those of the French Coaching Society (SF Coach) favor face-to-face meetings. Similarly, some coaches focus more on personal development (nutrition, physical condition, family, career path, etc.) while others are more focused on conflict resolution within companies. or on the development of professional capacities (time management, creativity, communication skills, etc.).

Although the duration and frequency of the meetings may vary according to the needs of the person and the model developed by the coach, the coaching programs are most often spread over about three months, at the rate of one session of one hour per session. week.

Course of a session

Coaching support takes place over a period of 3 to 6 months, with sessions of between 1 hour and 2 hours depending on the objectives, and in 2 stages:

Step 1: Analysis of the client’s needs and definition of the objectives

The 1st session is devoted to the establishment of a climate of trust and a benevolent framework between the coach and his client. It also allows the client to express his objective, which will be clarified during the following sessions.

Step 2: Follow-up of actions

This step makes it possible to evaluate the actions carried out, analyze the results, what worked and what did not, identify the obstacles encountered, the brakes, and implement new solutions.

The number of interviews varies depending on the objective. Count between 6 to 10 sessions.

Each session begins with the definition of the objective of the session and ends with a new action plan.

The different types of coach

The life coach

It supports men and women in developing their resources and talents to achieve their professional or personal goals.

The business coach

He intervenes either for individual or team coaching on issues experienced in the company: How to be a good leader? How can we communicate better together? How to prepare to better live your retirement?

The sports coach

He takes stock of his client’s athletic and physical goals, by setting up a tailor-made sports and / or food program.

I coach in nutrition

He supports, advises and motivates his client (sedentary or athletic) towards a better diet while meeting his specific needs.

There are still other fields of application of coaching. However, it is advisable for everyone to use discernment in order to verify the seriousness of the coaching professionals.

Coaching appeared in the 1960s in the United States, where the coach was a coach for actors. Then in the 1980s in France, he applied to the sports field where the word coach replaced that of coach. Then it was transposed to the corporate world largely thanks to Vincent Lehnhardt. The latter gave it meaning by considering that anyone working in a company was a champion to whom coaching could bring out all the talents and resources. He created the first coaching school at the end of the 80s.

Originally, coaching was designed to enable managers and business leaders to become more successful and give the best of themselves in their professional and personal lives. Coaching has since broadened its scope. In addition to strategic coaching, career, team or development coaching, we now find coaching for life, sports, school, nutrition, etc.

Coaching support is always a voluntary and motivated process on the part of the client. Indeed, its commitment is essential and will facilitate the achievement of its objective in a sustainable way.

Coaching is a process that can “shake up” and challenge beliefs and values ​​that have often existed since childhood. In this, we can consider that the coach is a revealer of talents and resources for his client. And the latter will emerge more confident and strengthened in his personal capacities.

Be careful, however, to check the professional references of the coach (schools, diplomas validated with RNCP certification, code of ethics, referencing in professional directories), because abuses may exist and thus have harmful consequences on people.