What is Coaching? Coaching vs. Consulting, Mentoring, & Therapy
Dear Real Academics, Introduction Some of you may have heard of "academic coaches". If you search for this term online, you'll likely get websites with services to coach high school students or college students through their coursework or exams. To me, this is more like "tutoring". And...to muddle things more....coaching is not the same as "consulting" or "mentoring" or "therapy." So what is coaching and who uses this type of service and how does this look in higher education? First, what is coaching? Coaching is a relationship-based model in which the coach helps clients solve problems for themselves by using tools such as (1) transformative conversations, (2) goal setting, and (3) accountability. When appropriate, a coach may provide expert insights, advice, and resources. Ultimately, though, clients are the ones "driving the bus" (i.e., in charge of and responsible for their decisions). If you've ever been to a...