Coaching

The Evolution of Coaching

Prior to the 1960s, the term coach referred to a person in an instructor role. However, the term has evolved to often refer to someone less prescriptive and instructional and more supportive and facilitative. Since the term was first widely used in the 1960s, positive psychology became a major force behind broadening coaching, with its strengths-based focus on individual growth as well as healthy growth of populations. With this shift toward positive psychology, in the 1980s and 1990s, the use of coach increased dramatically across a number of fields.

The prolific use of the term coaching has led to criticism that the term is confusing and often does not adhere to any particular theoretical framework. Some researchers have argued that there is an uneven understanding of what coaches do. In addition, when used as an intervention strategy, there can be issues with the fidelity of implementation. Simply adding coaching to an intervention group, without adherence to strict guidelines, provides limited information about what actually takes place and therefore what outcomes can be attributed to it.

Another issue around the meaning of coaching is how it compares with similar concepts, particularly mentoring. Some people and organizations use the terms coach and mentor interchangeably, whereas others stress the differences. In general, although mentoring tends to be instructive, coaching is nondirective. Furthermore, coaching can reflect expertise in coaching methods without expertise in a particular domain.

In response to these challenges, coaching professionals have created training, accreditation, certification, and credentialing programs to provide a shared set of expectations. For example, the International Coaching Federation (ICF), created in 1995, offers individual credentialing and program accreditation. Membership in the organization offers credibility, ongoing professional development, access to research, and a sense of community among coaches. With virtual and in-person meetings, coaches can compare strategies, agree on definitions, and present a coherent model of what coaching is and is not.

Coaching Across Disciplines

Coaching is used across a number of disciplines, including counseling, psychology, business, education, and sports. Since the 1990s, the use of the word coach has dramatically increased in popular literature, and the general public has become familiar with many kinds of coaches, including coaching psychologist, developmental coach, executive coach, career coach, expert coach, coach–mentor, performance coach, health coach, athletic coach, birth coach, life coach, and leadership coach. Within each discipline, coaches can adhere to different philosophical frameworks. For example, coaching in a business context tends to be [Page 379]more goal oriented and behavioral. Psychological coaching serves a therapeutic purpose and adopts cognitive and psychodynamic approaches.

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