Isn't a coach really just a trainer?

 

I was recently asked by someone I met, "Isn't a coach really just a trainer?"

My response was quick - "While a coach sometimes trains on new skills or knowledge, they also facilitate, mentor and challenge teams to improve the way they work."

Looking back, I would grade myself a "C-" on that answer. I WISH I had said...

"A great coach works with you to achieve your goals. They bring experiences, perspectives and tools to help you and your team accelerate performance. It's not always about faster... but it IS about better!

A great coach helps you and the team identify ways to improve and then challenges you address them WHILE working to achieve the teams goals. They know that there are many different ways to make improvements, and have a "toolbox" of processes, frameworks and techniques to help identify and make them. That said, they don't just want to teach you a skill (or framework, or process) - they want you to use your skills to be more effective, more efficient and more engaged!

A great coach knows that teaching a new skill is good, but applying that skill is better, and knowing when to use that skill to optimize performance is really what coaching is all about.

Coaches teach, facilitate, mentor, and challenge you with tough (but meaningful) questions you may not want to ask yourself. They help the team surface problems that may be hidden, and then ask "what's stopping you" from addressing them?"

So now I'm more prepared to answer that question the next time it's presented to me!

Do you and your team have room for improvement? Can they be better at achieving results? How are you growing you team's ability to continually get better at what they do?