Understanding the Difference between Coaching and Counseling
Often people mistake mentoring, counseling, and coaching for the same thing. The three words have been used interchangeably to refer to the same thing on many occasions, but they really mean different things. In reality, these abilities are used to obtain a variety of results (Boockmann & Brändle, 2015). This blog post discusses the parallels and disparities between coaching and therapy in the workplace.
The Role of Coaching
Coaching is a method in which bosses and administrators attempt to improve the skills of their staff or workforce (Boockmann & Brändle, 2015). Coaching entails providing orders, support, recommendations, and feedback with the goal of maximizing employee efficiency. The four main steps of coaching are preparation, discussion, active coaching, and follow-up. These steps are aimed at improving employees’ performance.
The Role of Counseling
On the other hand, counseling seeks to help workers deal with some specific problems by exploring the past and the current state of the problem. Counseling helps in exploring the causes of a problem and arriving at their solutions.
Similarities and Differences
The similarity between coaching and counseling is that both approaches set employees on track, thereby providing guidance and equipping them with relevant skills needed for the job or task. Since coaching enables workers to develop their skills and gain focus on interpersonal skills, it is considered an effective way of fine-tuning employees’ skills compared to counseling because it gives room for employees to provide their feedback about the whole process (Boockmann & Brändle, 2015). Furthermore, it helps clients to create networks useful for career and professional development.
Personal Experience with Coaching and Counseling
I have experienced coaching and counseling in my professional and career life. Through coaching, I have learned and developed various skills through coaching. My mentors and coaches have provided me with an avenue to develop and nurture my skills towards the area of financial analyst.
Reference
Boockmann, B., & Brändle, T. (2015). Coaching, Counseling, Case-Working: Do They Help the Older Unemployed Out of Benefit Receipt and Back into the Labor Market?.
