ABSTRACT
In coaching the mindset one has makes all the difference. Mindset is even more important than skillset. Of course, anybody offering coaching will have to know how to formulate questions, elicit ideas, structure sessions and so on. But these things will do no good whatsoever unless they are underpinned by the right philosophy. This philosophy consists of certain fundamental beliefs about the coach, the coachee and the process of coaching. This chapter briefly outlines seven essential beliefs that every coach should hold. The coach needs to believe that the coachee has the potential to make progress, the coachee has more at her disposal than she currently realises, the solutions tend to lie with the coachee not the coach, coaching is about building on success, the coachee is responsible for her own performance, coaching is a process, not a quick fix, and one of the main aims of coaching is to help the coachee become her own coach.
