But, as the researcher went on to describe, the reality is quite different. Rather than being given a set of instructions, they were offered the chance to slow down and think. It was a chance to reflect on how they approach challenges, and question assumptions and habits they have developed around their work.
What followed wasn’t, they said, a fixed solution, it was about noticing patterns in their behaviour and exploring alternative ways of doing things.
Coaching, then, isn’t about adopting someone else’s way of doing things, rather it’s about creating the space to develop your own. And that’s important because it’s easy to default to familiar ways of working, even when they no longer serve us. Stepping back to see things differently and being prepared to change your approach is a really important part of being a leader.
Coaching or mentoring – what’s the difference?
One of the most common questions we hear is whether coaching is the same as mentoring. They’re closely linked, but they’re not interchangeable and serve different purposes.
Mentoring tends to be more direct, drawing on someone else’s experience to guide your own. Coaching takes a different approach; it’s less about answers and more about questions to help you think differently, test assumptions and arrive at your own conclusions.
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