Coaching versus Consulting
What is Coaching, what is consulting?
Process versus Expert
Coaching has become a popular word which is use to create lots of special term too. There is corporate coaching, executive coaching, coaching for performance, coaching for life or life coaching just to name a few. On top of this coaching floats around with other terms that seem to have a similar meaning such as consulting, counseling, mentoring etc.
I hope to bring a bit of light into the dark with a few little articles explaining the core meaning of these expressions and the difference to other terms used in this industry.
Differences between coaching and consulting
Are you unsure if you should hire a coach or a consultant? It is important to know the differences between the two because there are certainly significant differences between consulting and coaching. Here are some of the main differences:
| Coaching | Consulting |
|---|---|
| You realize you have a problem and you need to fix it. You don’t know exactly what is wrong but you know that your business really needs some help. Change is unavoidable. Here the coach comes in. He does not necessarily bring in a certain expertise as he believes that all necessary knowledge is in your company. The coach will guide you through a process during which you will do all the analysis, determination of weaknesses and strength etc yourself. |
An independent outside consultant will analyze and look at your business and determine weak spots, strong points and identify missing elements and gaps. They will then propose a plan and a cost. If hired the consultant will either tell you what needs to be done or in many cases do it for you. |
| A coach offers a processes and leads through them. The client stays in control of the content. Coaching is providing methods for self-help. | A consultant is an expert providing advice, specialized information and solutions. (Accounting, legal advice, technology, staff etc.) |
| Coaches ask, support, challenge and guide | Consultants teach, tell and advise. |
| Coaching is using clients own resources. | Consulting offers external resources |
| The coach will ask the right questions, so that clients can decide which solution, road is personally best for them. | A consultant will provide a solution for the client, e.g. exactly which road to take to get somewhere. |
| The coach remains on the scene to continue to encourage the client to fully reach their goals and dreams. | Once the goal, is reached the consultant usually leaves the scene. |
When to choose coaching or consulting
There is a time and place for both methods, coaching and consulting. Which ever road you choose, make sure you enjoy the journey.
What a consultant cannot do though is help you transform your business into being successful if the problem is you. Most consultants don’t focus on people and in fact can benefit from a coach themselves.
A coach is a facilitator of growth and change. The role of the coach is to help you and through you they can make a difference in your business and your life. Hiring a coach doesn’t mean you have serious problems. Hiring a coach means you are aware that if you make certain improvements in your behaviors and core beliefs, your chances of being successful will increase dramatically.
To simplify
- a consultant will advise their clients on how to solve the problem
- a coach helps to guide the client to their own conclusions
- Consultants are focused on the results
- Coaches are focused on the individual
- you hire a consultant to produce a certain outcome
- you hire a coach to support and guide you to achieve the outcome yourself
Metaphorically, a consultant gives you a fish and feeds you a meal, while a coach teaches you to fish so you can feed yourself indefinitely.
So you see, coaching and consulting can both help you, it just depends very much on what you want to achieve. Next time: Coaching versus Mentoring – stay tuned
From "Today’s Cartoon by Randy Glasbergen", displayed with special permission. For many more cartoons, please visit Randy's site @ www.glasbergen.com
Thanks. What do you recommend to do?
Frank
businesscoach said this on April 5, 2010 at 3:50 pm
I really love what you write here, very fresh and intelligent. One thing though, I’m running Firefox on Ubuntu and parts of your site structure are a little broken. I realize it’s not a popular setup, but it’s still something to keep an eye on. Just tossing you a heads up.
Robin Simmer said this on July 25, 2010 at 7:03 am