In addition to coaching, counseling and consulting exist as other forms of assistance in working with people.
Coaching is heavily influenced by counseling, a psychotherapy that has been systematized with Freud’s “psychoanalysis” as its source in 1900. However, while counseling is a therapeutic act that aims to return a person in a state of illness to a normal state of mind, i.e., a vector from negative to zero, coaching aims to extend the vector in a more positive direction for a healthy person who expects to improve his/her performance in a specific field. This is where the difference can be found.
We have created a table that clearly organizes the differences between coaching, counseling, and consulting. This is an important perspective, so we would like you to grasp the overall view first.
| Coaching | Counseling | Consulting | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Those who are trying to achieve the goals and objectives they have set for themselves. | Those who are suffering from mental and psychological problems. | People who want to solve problems and issues |
| Objective | Achieve self-actualization. Live a life that is uniquely yours. | To return the patient from a state of mental illness to a level of mental and physical health. | Problem Solving/Issue Resolution |
| Means | Elicit. Recognizing, discovering, and acting on the current situation. | Explore. Consultation assistance, investigation of causes, and treatment. | Giving. Analysis, suggestions, and guidance. |
| Method | Using skills such as approval, listening, questioning, and feedback to draw out each person’s inner potential, abilities, motivation, initiative, sense of responsibility, and ideas. | These include client-centered therapy, logic therapy, Gestalt therapy, behavior therapy, interaction analysis, and family therapy. | Current situation analysis, improvement proposals, and strategy planning. |
| Basic stance | A person has unlimited potential. The answer lies within the person. Become a partner in bringing out the answers. | Self-unity. A state of unity of mind in which actions and speech are consistent and there is no contradiction or confusion in thinking. Unconditional positive regard. Regardless of the nature of the consultation, the client is treated with a receptive and tolerant attitude and warm concern. Empathetic understanding. Understanding the client’s words from the perspective of the client’s heart. | The consultant’s focus is on providing clients with the knowledge, information, and know-how that he or she possesses. |
Source：CBL Coaching School “Executive Coach Training Course Textbook”
コーチング情報局を運営する株式会社コーチビジネス研究所では、企業を対象としたコーチング研修、ビジネスパーソンを対象としたビジネスコーチング、個人の方を対象としたライフコーチングを提供しております。その他、コーチングを学びたい方のためのコーチングスクールの運営、経営者やビジネスリーダー向けにセミナーを開催しています。興味や関心がございましたら、お気軽にご相談・お問い合わせください。
This article was written in Japanese and converted into English using a translation tool. We hope you will forgive us for any inadequacies.
Coach Business Laboratory, Inc., which operates the Coaching Information Bureau, provides coaching training for companies, business coaching for business people, and life coaching for individuals. In addition, we operate a coaching school for those who want to learn coaching and hold seminars for executives and business leaders. If you are interested or have any questions, please feel free to contact us for further information and consultation.
