Key differences of coaching and therapy

SHARED FROM

Coaching versus therapy in business management

Review articles

DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING IN ORGANIZATIONS

VOL. 20 NO. 1 2006, pp. 23-25

Coaching and therapy therefore clearly share some similarities, but differ fundamentally in their ultimate goals for the client, their training requirements, and their typical practicing environments.

 

Key differences

Coaching	Therapy
focuses more on people management, strategic planning, organizational change, business performance and personal development	focus deeply personal issues within an individual
exists for highly functional and successful individuals	exists exclusively for people with pathology or troubled pasts
improving the individual’s effectiveness and productivity in the workplace	improving the individual’s effectiveness and productivity in the workplace
involves feedback from managers, peers and subordinates	involve in-depth exploration of their personal history and relationships
sessions last longer and to be spaced at longer intervals	sessions can be undertaken regularly within the hour or 50-minute frame
sessions take place in a typical business environment	sessions take place away from the business arena in the therapist’s consulting rooms
dress similarly to their clients and wear suits	dress more for their own, and their client’s, comfort
training vary from between a few days to a full year	require extensive training
exists with a three-way contract involving the manager (the person being coached), the organization and the coach	more veiled behind a two-way confidentiality agreement
more results and action-oriented	self-exploration, better self-management or professional development
often required to interact, to some extent, in the business culture of their clients, and partake in the complexities of organizational life	addressing non-work aspects of a client’s life
seeks to channel their energy to create a more action-focused result in the client	approach to his trade is more composed, thoughtful and enigmatic
seeks to energize and encourage the client towards a higher level of achievement in their professional field	requires room for reflection and self-interrogation on a personal level