The Coaching Coin
by Jonathan Drew MBE, FRCP Edin, ACC
People often approach me unsure of what coaching actually is and what I can offer them as a coach…
The confusion is understandable as the terms “coach” and “coaching” are widely used in sport and ubiquitously by the plethora of people who called themselves coaches but who are not qualified in coaching science, or a close field of study, and are not credentialed or accredited by one of the key coaching professional bodies.
Often my prospective coaching clients will start by saying one or more of the following three things:
They want my advice
Could I help them understand how a leader thinks, given my own leadership background and experience with leaders - and would I share my networks with them
They are struggling with an issue that has happened in the past – for example the death of a family member and how they can overcome that grief or trauma
Following any of these approaches, or indeed if someone just comes to me with no knowledge or experience of coaching, I pull out a large coin (normally a 50p or a 2p piece if I can find one) and explain to them what I call ‘The Coaching Coin’. Each side of the coin represents two halves:
TAILS – the “tails” side of the coin is sponsorship and mentoring.
Sponsorship is about the sponsor sharing his, her or their contact and other networks with the sponsee. Mentoring is about the mentor sharing their experience with the mentee and giving their advice directly accordingly. These can of course include consultancy: you can pay a consultant to advise you on what to do and who you could contact based on their expertise, experience and networks.
“Tails” relationships are by their nature unequal and involve the passing of something “down the tail” from the sponsor or mentor to the sponsee or mentee. These relationships can be confidential or not depending on what the parties agree to.
HEADS – the “heads” side of the coin is psychotherapy and coaching.
Psychotherapy helps a client deal with issues in their past so they can live in the present.
Coaching, and so coaches in this context, helps you to think through how to reach a future objective, bringing out from within you the way to obtain that objective. Coaching allows a client to reflect, frame and strategically direct their thinking and experience to be more present, self-aware and successful in the future, more deliberately and quicker.
Both psychotherapy and coaching are psychologically based and are relationships between equals which use a process of questioning to help draw the clients the answers they seek from within themselves. They involve the client “using their head”, just like this side of the coin. These relationships are by their nature confidential, based on trust between the parties and are close thinking partnerships.
Are you are interested in what the coaching coin means for you?
Are you curious to explore who you are and could be?
Do you want to know how to best use your mind to design your future?
Then book your free exploratory chat with Jonathan Drew
