There are multiple types of coaching opportunities that are relevant for today’s scenarios. Knowing about some of them and the differences helps!

Be it a leadership coach, or career coach or a life coach, it is hard to draw the line and maintain the difference based on whom we are interacting with. Sharing some broad strokes.

Leadership coach:

Audience mostly know what they want. They need someone to bounce their ideas and see if there are any potential risks should they walk down the road. What-if scenarios get discussed on a variety of topics. Being open, listening and asking thought-provoking questions that makes them think works! Having a scheduled time on a bi-weekly or monthly basis to touch base helps! It goes an extra mile when they have your mobile number to call “when they need”. You might get a call once in a few years, but it would be a very critical and sensitive topic!

Consulting:

Audience mostly have a problem statement and want expert advice on how to go about it. Those who have been-there and done-that know the pitfalls of the professions if one goes down a specific path, and are able to pre-empt it, strategize and plan for it. Subject matter expertise in the specific domain is critical to consult and provide solutions.

Career Coach:

Audience mostly are at crossroads of their career, either with multiple options or no options. What should they study, can they work with what skills they have, or do they need to upskill or reskill to have opportunities open up? Helping them identify their core skills and strengths and aligning with potential career opportunities would be a good option! Sometimes, this may take multiple sessions over weeks, sometimes just one call works perfectly to connect the dots!

Life Coach:

Audience mostly have challenges in balancing priorities in life across work/personal/family etc. and look for someone to help them put some structure into their thought process and priorities. When to seek help, whom to seek help from, how to deal with situations as one works forward are areas to focus on. Conversations need tend to be around how to see their future selves and improve their current situations (talking only about the past or dealing with the past means – they need a therapist, not a life coach).

Hope to start my own coaching consultancy shortly!

Please wish me good luck!