The coaching industry has grown tremendously over the past decades.
Between 2019 to 2023 (essentially the Covid period), the number of coaches have increased by 54% based on a study conducted by International Coaching Federation (ICF), a leading accreditation organisation for coaching practice.
“The ICF’s 2023 study estimates that the industry boasts 109,200 coaches, marking a 54% increase from its 2019 estimate of 71,000 coaches.” Source: CoachRanks
Despite the growth, many people are still confused as to what coaching is about and what it offers. This is not anyone’s fault since coaching is a unique methodology and process. Without context in the form of a purpose and outcome, “coaching” is akin to “teaching”, it conveys an incomplete picture and leaves the audience ‘dangling’ with the question of “Coach what??”.
How is “Coaching” Defined Today
In my opinion, what we coaches need to do, is to better express what are the benefits and outcomes our clients can expect when they come to us for coaching.
ICF defines coaching as “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. The process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity and leadership.”
BetterUp, an online platform for coaching (you can think of it as an Uber for coaches), explains “Coaching is when an individual works with a trained…
