What Do We Mean by “Good Coaching”?

There is a huge variety of coaching out there, and I’m often asked, “What kind of coach are you?” It’s a fair question. Coaching can mean many things: challenge or containment, structure or space, performance or reflection. Indeed, it could be said that the word itself no longer tells you very much about what the encounter will actually be like.

At the same time, there’s a wider cultural shift back toward apprenticeship and accreditation. In professions where trust matters, we’re rediscovering the value of learning under supervision, being accountable to shared standards, and practising with care. Not because credentials are the purpose, but because craft needs a frame.

The same dissonance arises with boards and senior teams. Whilst searching for conversations that are human and reflective, they also need them to be properly grounded. Not therapy. Not management. And certainly not just a good chat.

What seems to lie beneath these questions is whether it’s possible to hold the space well whilst also working with rigour and integrity.

That's the tension that sits at the heart of coaching. It's what makes a conversation trustworthy and it's what helps people think more clearly, rather than more comfortably.

* So what are you really looking for when you ask for coaching?

* What tells you a conversation is being held well?

* And where does good intention need to be matched by good practice?

If you’re exploring (or want to explore) these questions as an individual or an organisation there’s space for a conversation that matters to you.

Call or WhatsApp me on +44 780 360 9795.

PS Did I mention I just passed my ACC accreditation! 👍