Book Excerpt: “The Future of Coaching” by Patrick Williams

From Therapist as Life Coach, by Patrick Williams, Chapter 13:  “The Future of Coaching.”  Read WTCI’s interview with Patrick Williams here.

The Future of Coaching

“You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the
courage to lose sight of the shore.”

Unknown

Is coaching a passing fancy or is it the true evolution of a new profession? Several indicators point to coaching being a new profession that is establishing itself within the framework of existing helping professions. First, the establishment of a professional organization—the International Coach Federation—and associated ethical standards and minimal competencies, predict the continuation of this profession. Second, the number of practicing coaches (which the ICF estimates at 10,000) is growing rapidly and responding clearly to the needs and demands of our fast-paced, disconnected society. Third, there is evidence of an increasing number of recognized coach-training organizations and a growing number of college courses on coaching, which further establishes the profession within the mainstream of continuing education for professionals.

Perhaps coaching would be just a passing fad if not for its widespread appeal to the general population, which provides a powerful motivation for continued growth and success for individuals and organizations. The growth of the life coaching profession specifically, as we indicated earlier, had many of its roots in the corporate world of mentoring and executive coaching. However, in the early 1990s, personal coaching burst upon the scene with the creative vision of Thomas Leonard (founder of Coach University) and some of the other coach-training schools (the Resources section). The coaching movement has been fueled by the concept and attractiveness of personal coaching. It is a very palatable concept for the self-employed entrepreneur, or corporate refugee who wants to design a life and career that blends with their larger life’s purpose. Coaching continues to grow and evolve in the corporate setting and is a powerful technology for retaining employees, developing leaders, and even transforming the corporate culture of a company. However, we believe that if coaching had only been seen as a corporate phenomenon, it would have rapidly disappeared just like Total Quality Management (TQM), Quality circles, T-groups, Theory X, Theory Y, and other associated “quick fix” strategies. Instead, the quality of a well-trained, personally hired coach, coupled with the internal coaches in corporations, makes it increasingly likely this popular profession will continue to grow in scope and recognition.

Another powerful attraction of life coaching is that having a personal life coach provides a partner who really cares about helping you develop and implement your ideal life. Life coaching also gives a sense of connection, of belonging, of significance in a world that can sometimes seem isolating, overwhelming, or both. Coaches also keep us focused, challenged, and motivated for living our lives (personally and professionally) on purpose. We both have our own coaches for those very reasons.

It is our hope that life coaching, in all its various forms, will begin to permeate society at all levels. We want to see coaches in schools, probation departments, churches, nonprofit corporations, and other community agencies. In reality, this has already begun to happen. Coaching is a combination of communication and empowerment that should become ingrained into our entire cultural fabric so that relationships at all levels can implement the coaching paradigm as a new and effective way to bring out the best in people and create solutions to complex problems.

We do believe psychotherapy has played an important role in those who are lives of many clients and that psychotherapy will still be needed in our society, especially for the seriously mentally ill. However, it has also pathologized a significant number of individuals with sometimes meaningless and unnecessary labels. We believe coaching will become the prevailing way to get help or to learn how to bring out your strengths and overcome obstacles and challenges while pursuing possibilities. We believed this is what the human potential movement of the 1970s intended. Psychological research and theory of the last several decades have contributed much to our understanding of how people change, how they adjust to life’s struggles, and how they develop into self-actualized human beings. That knowledge now lends itself to this new field of life coaching, without the stigma and labeling that comes with psychological counseling or therapy. Being able to receive coaching and have a personal coach, whether privately hired or provided by your company or community agency, is a service we hope becomes ubiquitous and transformational to individuals and our culture as a whole.

Another important factor in any new profession to be accepted widely is publicity and public awareness. The media over the last several years have overwhelmingly said positive things about coaching. There have been many articles about coaching, its impact and value to clients, and the level of professionalism in the field. In fact, after Pat was interviewed for a magazine article on two different occasions, the reporters asked to set up coaching appointments for themselves. Even though anybody can call him- or herself a coach, the quality of people with this title is very high. Many have come from other professions such as law, ministry, or psychology; others are corporate refugees, human resource professionals, or experienced consultants.

Although there are many coach-training programs and certification is available through the ICF and other programs, certification is not necessary. However, professional training and strong ethics are important. After all, consultants have never been certified nor licensed; they only get continued work through their reputations and previous work histories.

We can assume that, as the profession grows, coaching will attract its share of charlatans or unscrupulous business people. But these coaches without ethics and experience will not last long and will fade away quickly. The marketplace for coaches is expanding to the point where anyone who is currently a consultant, trainer, minister, manager, or helping professional is either now learning specific coaching skills or expanding the scope of what they offer to include coaching. Coaching has become an umbrella under which many forms of personal services fit.

Emerging Trends in Coaching

Looking into our crystal ball, we do see some emerging trends that may be on the cutting edge of coaching or may become innovative ways for the public to access the benefits of coaching.

1. Coach on call. Sometimes called “spot coaching,” or “just-in-time coaching,” this is brief coaching available to the client at the moment they need it. A client might have a coach or coaching service on retainer by paying a monthly fee but can call whenever they need support, direction, or motivation. Pat is part of a group of coaches called The Coaching Collective, which provides people with brief conversations by appointment or during set office hours from any one of 12 coaches; clients pay a flat fee of $95 per month to belong to the group. Clients may also participate in classes, book discussions, or a group coaching experience called Collective Wisdom where four or five coaches, led by a conductor, offer coaching to one client at a time for 10-15 minutes. As reported by the clients, these experiences, often lead to breakthroughs. This process is innovative, powerful, and fun.

2. Videoconference coaching. Some coaches now coach via e-mail, but usually as an added service, not as the primary vehicle for coaching. With the increasing availability of video communication by personal computer, however, this will increase as a way to connect with clients. There is even technology available that provides virtual classrooms and chat rooms, allowing the instructor or coach the ability to separate participants with different assignments or conversations. Though this technology is still expensive, it will become more mainstream in the years to come. The ease of real-time visual communication with technologies on the horizon are going to make global coaching an increasingly available opportunity.

3. Agency coaches. We both really see the strong probability of agencies, churches, schools, probation departments, etc., adding staff positions for coaches. What happens in business usually is mirrored in nonprofit agencies and public service agencies.

What the Future Holds

We are on the verge of a fundamental shift in how and why people seek helpers. People today need connection with a mentor, coach, or guide more than ever before, due to the rapid pace of change, the difficulty of sustainable relationships, or the desire to fulfill one’s life purpose.

We believe that the profession of coaching will be bigger than psychotherapy soon. The general public will know the distinction between therapy and coaching and will be clear on when to seek a therapist and when to seek a coach. Coaching will permeate society and be available to everyone … not just executives or high-powered professionals. We expect to see a variety of specialized coaches like relationship coaches, parenting and family coaches, wellness and health coaches, spiritual development coaches, and others.

The entire profession, as we see it, will foster the idea of life coaching as the umbrella under which all coaching rests. Whether a client seeks specific coaching for business or job challenges, coaching for a life transition (such as a career change, relationship loss, or health), or for pure life-design coaching, it is all life coaching. A coach may also serve as a referral source for specialty coaching as needed or requested by their client.

Coaching is a profession that is experiencing dynamic growth and change. It will no doubt continue to interact developmentally with social, economic, and political processes; draw on the knowledge base of diverse disciplines; enhance its intellectual and professional maturity; and proceed to establish itself internationally and in mainstream America. If these actions represent the future of coaching, then the profession will change in ways that support viability and growth. Life coaching exists because it is helpful, and it will prosper because it can be transformational.

From Therapist as Life Coach: An Introduction for Counselors and Other Helping Professionals, by Patrick Williams. Find Patrick Williams on the web at the Institute for Life Coach Training.

Thoughts?  Comment below.