Client-centred coaching
When training clients in improving how they communicate, act and think, it is important that helpers allow them to retain ownership of their problems and problem situations. Furthermore, helpers should strive to maintain good collaborative working relationships. The urge to teach and instruct can override respect for clients' potentials to lead their own lives and make the decisions that work best for them.
A useful distinction is that between helper-centred coaching and client-centred coaching. Helper-centred coaching essentially takes the jug and mug approach: helpers are the jugs pouring knowledge and skills into clients' mugs. Helpers are in control and their comments take the form: 'First you do this, then you do that, then you do that... and so on. Clients are passive receptacles who are allowed to assume little responsibility for the pace and direction of their learning. In real
ity, very few helpers would work as crudely as I have depicted. Client-centred coaching respects clients as autonomous human beings. Helpers as client-centred coaches develop plans to attain goals in conjunction with clients and draw out and build upon clients'
0 Comments