ABSTRACT
Coaching as a profession has a fairly history compared to other professions. A special issue of Consulting Psychology Journal devoted entirely to coaching also appeared in 1996. Coaching has a role to play in helping people to navigate the boundaries and make the right choices for them, their families, and their organizations, while in other domains coaching can play a role in helping individuals to take greater personal responsibility and become more ‘choiceful.’ Coaching conferences have been increasing in frequency, with increasing numbers of practitioners in attendance. In reality, coaching can be used in any situation where there are opportunities for learning and time pressures are not critical. The evidence is that coaching is a far more powerful style, than instruction. Executives increasingly view working with a coach as a status symbol. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
