As Head of the Alumni Career Center, where we offered coaching and advising services to our Alumni members, a frequently asked question was: "Who can help me more, a coach or an advisor? how are they different?" If you find yourself in the position of having to choose one or the other, I hope this post helps you find the answer.
In reality, the title of "Coach" is being used by many professionals out there who are taking the role to support others in their development and learning, regardless of their methodology. Many coaches and advisors on the market oscillate between the two roles in the same session. So, Coaches are advising and Advisors are also coaching. Understanding the difference will support you in determining the type of conversation you want to have when receiving this support.
If I were to simplify: the main difference relies on Who comes up with the insights of what is going on in your life and Who designs the ideas for the action plan.
When you sit with an advisor or a consultant, as their mere title says it, they are someone you consult or ask advice from. You have a goal or feel stuck and are looking for answers, instructions, or directions to take the next step. As their client, you rely on their expertise and experience to help you with your goals or understand what you can do better. During the conversation, you ask and they do most of the talking, later providing feedback on the advice received and how it fits with your situation. Finally, you develop an action plan together and apply what you learned.
Coaching, however, is defined by the International Coach Federation (ICF) as:
Coaching is partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.
An important word here is "partnering," implying that the coach and client are working together so the client is inspired to find what is wanted. The coach is a thinking partner, asking powerful questions that help you see possibilities in your future, and become more aware of your needs, beliefs, fears, biases, and strengths so that you can then decide where and how to move forward. You come in with that same question or goal, but this time, the person on the other side does not tell you what to do, how to do it, or what his/her experience says. The coach asks open and powerful questions that will lead you to the answers you are looking for. And if the answer is not clear, how to find that answer in your own way and pace. In coaching we believe that each individual lives in their own world, meaning that whatever works for me, does not work for others. We each have our own beliefs, habits, and biases, and have to create an action plan that is SMARRT (specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, relevant, and timed) to the client's reality, not the coach's reality. An important requirement when you visit a coach is to trust your creativity, the same way the coach trusts your ability to be resourceful.
Let's look at a simple example. Your goal is to eat healthier. A nutritionist would be an advisor or an eating consultant. The nutritionist will ask you about your habits, and your goals and then explain what certain foods do to your body and provide you with a list of foods to eat and habits to change. A coach does not have any expertise in nutrition, but can ask you: "What is getting on your way to eating healthier? How does eating better impact your life? what becomes possible in your life as you eat better? If you were able to feel healthier and good about yourself, what possibilities open up for you? what are the first steps you could take to eat healthier? How will you make sure you commit to it?" These questions will lead to understanding what obstacles are on your way, how to deal with them, increase your motivation, and finally a list of actions to take to achieve eating healthier, actions designed by you with the knowledge you already possess.
So my answer to who can help you more is... both! it depends on the kind of conversation you want to have. Some people dislike being told what to do and some people like to ask for directions or read the manual. What I have realized is that coaching tends to be more transformational because it tackles inner obstacles, fears, and beliefs not addressed in an advising or counseling conversation. Also, the motivation for change is higher if you trace a plan on your own terms, and what remains true is that you must trust your intuition and your own ability to know what is best for you.
If you need more info about this topic, just shoot me an email!
And if you have any comments or like this article, you are welcome to share it or share your comments and ideas below.
Comments