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IT’S LIFE…COACH

Abstract

This research was designed to define and delineate the occupation of life coaching as compared to the

roles of therapists, consultants, mentors and other types of coaches (e.g. management coaches). The

utility and roles of life coaches is considered from historical, theoretical and professional perspectives.

Literature on the subject is currently limited but expanding at a moderate rate. The life coach

occupation, in large part, remains unregulated, and is subsequently loosely defined. This composition

includes a review of literature, notes from interviews and data collected from a survey, aimed at

arriving at sound distinctions pertaining to the profession of life coaching. The utility of the various

roles of coaches is evidenced in respect to a wide range of organizations, as well as with individuals,

both personally and professionally. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of these roles, it is assessed

that the greatest need for coaches specifically is within the interdisciplinary field of human services—

due to the potential impacts on quality of life improvements to service populations. The role of life

coach is specifically addressed because it brings ambiguity to an already ambiguous discipline. What

is concluded by this research is that the ambiguous nature of professional coaching does have an

effect on the viability of the profession but not to a degree that the profession is obsolete. There are

distinctions between the roles of coaches and the roles of therapists, consultants, and mentors however

the lines are in many instances, blurred. The exception is most identifiable in regulated fields within

the scope of health and human services. Professional coaches can choose a variety of disciplines,

styles and approaches, and in this manner, the only distinguishable features within the profession are

those solicited by the individual. The role of leadership is comparatively addressed and subsequently

found to be of significance as a competency relating to coaching. Furthermore, it is determined that

coaching leadership within organizations is a viable niche within the world of professional coaching.

Keywords: coaching, leadership, competency, influence

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It’s Life…Coach

The profession of Coaching is growing at an astounding rate and thus it is necessary to take a

scholastic view at the viability of the profession and its many splinters, niches and nuances. Life

coaches are the most ambiguously labeled coaching professionals of an already ambiguous profession.

This composition represents a human services approach to defining and delineating the role of a life

coach as compared to the roles of therapists, consultants, mentors and other types of coaches (e.g.

management coaches). The utility and roles of life coaches is considered from historical, theoretical

and professional perspectives. The current literature related to the profession of life coach in many

instances implicates the necessity and legitimacy of coaches, mentors and consultants alike.

However, due to the limits of relevant literature, these fields in large part remain unregulated, and are

subsequently loosely defined. In this study, a particular focus is placed on the review of literature

attending to leadership. This is due to leadership’s role as a core value synonymous with coaching,

mentoring and consulting. Additionally, leadership is arguably the lynchpin of professional and

organizational success and with such consideration the concept has been included. Furthermore, the

utility of the roles of coaches, mentors and consultants is evidenced in respect to a wide range of

organizations, as well as concerning individuals, both personally and professionally. Because of the

interdisciplinary nature of these roles, it is assessed that the greatest need for coaches specifically is

within the interdisciplinary field of human services—due to the potential impacts on quality of life

improvements to service populations. Nevertheless, considering the wide range of applicability of

these roles throughout a variety of disciplines, any standardization for such roles without

consideration of the broadest spectrum is moot, and any regulations that do consider such are generic

in nature and are, by most accounts, obsolete. In this light, it is incumbent of each discipline

respectively to consider the implications of such roles, and establish regulations concerning the

latitudes of their practices accordingly. This phenomenological study is purposed with defining the

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role of the life coach within the field of human services in the 21st century (past, present and future),

which may serve to bolster a demand for governance of such within the discipline.

General

The life coach, according to a June 5, 2014 interview with a Human Resources Director

(anonymous), is a relatively new profession which is loosely regulated and associated with relative

uncertainty. The purpose of this paper is to determine the viability of the profession of life coach

through definition and examination; both the review of literature and the accounts from several

interviews guide the course of this discovery.

Guiding Questions

The researcher set forth in these efforts to define the role of the life coach: To distinguish the

role of life coach in the context of the coaching profession at large, explore the uncertainty related to

the delineation of the role of professional coaches from those roles accounted for by therapists,

consultants and mentors, and explain the role of leadership as a core competency requisite of success

as a life coach.

Delimitations and Limitations

In this effort, the research is limited by the extent of literature reviewed and the confines of

the geographical area of which the interviews were conducted. In an effort to describe such

constraint, the geographical area will be described as, within the states of North and South Carolina,

U.S.A.—defined as such with consideration of the protection of the anonymity of select research

participants. Despite the inclusion of references to theories, this research (in particular) is

empirically-based and results in provisions for implications for future theory development. The

researcher is a graduate of the Bachelor of Arts in Sociology program at Winthrop University, Rock

Hill, South Carolina, and is currently a graduate student of the Master of Arts in Human Services

program at Amridge University, Montgomery, Alabama. At the time of this study, the researcher is in

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the last semester of the Human Services degree program, and has previously completed coursework

specifically designed to promote competence in the evaluation, synthesis, design, and development of

literature, statistics, and research. The researcher understands the implications of biases and

assumptions and the necessity of the efforts to counteract both. As a means of quelling bias, the

researcher was nondiscriminatory in the selection of literature concerning this study, though the

search for literature was limited to the resources obtainable through Amridge University. The

researcher understands that there is a personal interest in his finding validity in the profession of life

coach, thus remaining open to the criticisms presented in literature, asking specifically about pitfalls

(during the course of interviews) and furthermore addressing the disadvantages and drawbacks in this

composition are all countermeasures to thwart the effects of assumptions and biases.

The survey designed and distributed by the researcher was composed of only ten questions

and reached a limited audience. The survey was available through a website, and was only promoted

by the researcher through social media and email correspondence. The survey method was not as

useful as intended. The researcher desired approximately fifty participants and only received three.

The three participants of the survey were all individuals who additionally agreed to an interview.

With that, the interviews conducted by the researcher are limited by the subjects of those interviews

which were those in the profession and those knowledgeable of the profession. The researcher did not

interview any person who had solely experienced receiving the services of individuals of the

profession. The researcher acknowledges this overlooked population would provide critical

information which he suggests be included in future studies. Furthermore, the review of literature was

performed prior to the researcher conducting the interviews, which may have influenced the

orientation of the researcher’s questions.

Definitions of Terms

Several terms are used within this composition which require being defined by the as to

eliminate ambiguity or inappropriate interpretation:

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 Life Coach: an advisor who helps people make decisions, set and reach goals, or deal

with problems (Merriam-Webster’s 2014)

 Coachee: noun used to describe an individual receiving the services of a coach

 Certified Coach: an individual meeting competence-based certification requirements

of and acknowledged by a professional organization (e.g. International Coach

Federation [ICF], The International Association of Coaches [IAC] or the Center for

Credentialing and Education [CCE]) as being credentialed to perform coaching

services

 Professional Coach: an individual receiving compensation for providing coaching

services regardless of any emphasis or niche

Significance

Despite a growing popularity in the profession of Life Coaching in recent years, the term life

coach is recognized as having been first used in 1986 (Merriam-Webster’s 2014). Nearly 10 years

later, the International Coach Federation (ICF) was established (in 1995, in Kentucky, U.S.A.). At the

time of this study, the ICF is considered a global organization reporting that it has credentialed over

12,000 coaches and furthermore that there are over 20,000 members (ICF, 2014). The interests and

growth in this profession alone are enough to solicit the attention of researchers, scholars and

academicians alike. Due to the astounding rate the profession is growing, this attention should be

focused on defining the profession, establishing accreditation and credentialing standards, and liability

concerns. The 2014 ICF Global Consumer Awareness Study found that “ninety-three percent of

clients who partnered with an ICF Credential-holder reported being ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ satisfied

with the coaching experience” (ICFHeadquarters, 2014). Unwitting to the reliability or validity of

this claim by the ICF, the statement itself begs attention and creates the questions, “what are coaches,

and what are they doing?”

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Methodology

This research includes the synthesis of peer-reviewed literature, notes and accounts from

personal interviews and qualitative data from a questionnaire. Notes taken from “basic” internet

searches are included (in a limited fashion) for reference, as such is deemed appropriate due to the

nature of the information transference through this medium.

Literature

Through the review of literature, the role of the professional Life Coach is delineated from the

roles of other professions such as therapists, consultants and mentors. Furthermore, the literature

reveals both similarities and differences between the various types of professional coaches (i.e.

management coaches, relationship coaches, etc.). Another significant area examined through

literature was the role of leadership, which is concluded by this research to be the core competency

associated with Coaching.

Interviews

Four interviews were conducted to support the present research. The first interview that was

conducted was done so anonymously. The interview participant was a Human Resources

Professional, who was interviewed due to an assumed experience with the hiring and employment

processes. At the time of the interview this individual expressed having had over sixteen years of

experience in Human Resources. This interview was conducted face-to-face in the individual’s own

office setting. The second interviewee was Mike Duralia, a Certified Life Coach who was contacted

through email. The interview was conducted face-to-face at a mutually agreeable public location.

Mike has been in the coaching profession for approximately one year and does so from his own

incorporated business. The third interview was facilitated through the recommendation of Mike. The

third interview was with Jennifer Gage, a Certified Master Coach who was interviewed over the

phone. Jennifer has been coaching for thirteen years, and has been in the business of training coaches

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for almost six. Among other endeavors, Jennifer owns and operates a coaching certification program,

the Coaching Excellence Institute. The fourth interviewee was Troy Spry, another Certified Life

Coach who has been coaching for about two years. Troy’s coaching experiences have mostly

involved relationship coaching. Troy was contacted through email and conducted the interview with

him over the phone. An informed consent form (see Appendix A) was utilized with each of the

interviews except the first. It was determined that the informed consent form made communications

more clear as the objective of the interview was clearly established in writing. It was through this

form that permissions were gained to utilize the information that was obtained from the interview in

the present research. The interviews with the coaches all began with similar objectives and, to a

degree, followed an outline centered on specific questions (see Appendix B).

Survey

The survey was intended to reach an audience of around fifty participants, but in all actuality

was only participated in by Mike, Jennifer and Troy. In this light, the results are included in a limited

fashion. The survey was distributed through technological means, and was viewed seventy-two times.

It is assumed that, to a large degree, the survey did not reach certified coaches. Additionally, the fact

that the survey required answers to most of the questions, to include first and last name as well as

email address, may have been a point of disinterest. The survey took on average 2 minutes to

complete, and consisted of ten questions (see Appendix C). Due to the limited participation in the

survey, no results are considered by the as significant for this research from a quantitative perspective,

as was intended.

Findings

The Profession

The research set out to define the profession of life coach, the conclusion of which follows via

a process of differentiation, delineation and evaluation.

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Distinguishing the profession. The ambiguity surrounding the profession of coaching has

spurred debate over its likeness to other helping professions. This research was able to reveal some

observable similarities and conclusive differences between coaching and disciplines such as

therapy/counseling, consulting and mentoring. For Troy, successful coaching includes building a

network of trusted professionals that can be utilized for the purpose of making referrals, these

resources should include individuals who have skills such as counseling, mentoring and consulting,

respectively. The roles of these professionals is distinguishable by the services they provide and their

unique approaches to providing services (Troy Spry, personal communication, June 22, 2014).

Therapists. According to Gabel (2013), in psychotherapy the therapeutic relationship is as

critical to client’s improvement as the method of treatment. In this light, coaching is very similar to

therapy in that the relationship between the client and the professional is the means to an end. The

overlap in coaching and therapy/counseling extends to areas such as career development, work-life

balance and job performance (Miller, 2011). Later in this research we will discuss the role of

leadership in coaching; however, it is key to point out here that Gabel (2013) also acknowledges that

the characteristics of leadership crosses boundaries with several forms of therapy as well.

The therapeutic relationship can be understood through the broader context of the study of

leadership and specifically the raising acknowledgement of the importance of the relationship between

a leader and his subordinates (Gabel, 2013). So, while therapy and coaching share similarities in the

formation and maintenance of relationships, and certain acknowledgements surrounding leadership,

coaches themselves are assertive in distinguishing a coach from a therapist. At first glance one may

surmise that this distinction is made relative to a caution regarding ethics and/or legal ramifications.

Personifying one’s self as capable of providing the same services as a licensed professional seems to

be an obvious blunder, but perhaps it’s only obvious to certified coaching professionals and

individuals seeking knowledge in a scholastic setting. At any course, it is surprising that the matter of

ethics nor legality were brought up by interviewees. The educational background of the interviewer

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in Marriage and Family Therapy was known to the interviewees prior to each interview respectively.

This may have in itself may have influenced the interviewees to not digress on a topic that they may

have viewed as common knowledge by parties present.

Unanimously referred to by the coaches interviewed as a distinguishing factor between

coaches and therapists, is the relation of the presenting problem with time. All the coaches explained

that they felt therapy/counseling deals with problems of the past, while coaching, on the other hand, is

only concerned with the present and the future (Mike Duralia, personal communication, June 8, 2014;

Jennifer Gage, personal communication, June 11, 2014; Troy Spry, personal communication, June 22,

2014). Troy believes that the general perception concerning therapy/counseling is that it involves a

time consuming process of looking into each client’s past and dealing with such items as trauma. He

explains how his coaching strategy considers the client’s present situation while focusing on the

future, and he assumes that his clients are mentally and emotionally healthy. In instances where Troy

identifies that a therapist or other medical provider could be of assistance to one of his clients, he

offers them referrals for more specified and/or clinical intervention (personal communication, June

22, 2014).

All three coaches also acknowledged the stigmas associated with therapy and have found that

clients concerned with such stigmas may prefer coaching over therapy as a means of avoiding general

perceptions. Jennifer in particular admitted that there are stigmas concerning both coaching and

therapy. Individuals may hazard to seek therapy/counseling due to the fear of stigmatizations

concerning inadequacy, fault or mental illness. Coaching on the other hand, as a profession, is in

many instances considered airy-fairy (personal communication, June 11, 2014). Despite the

challenges of defeating stigmas, the coaches all seemed to acknowledge a necessity and relevance

concerning both therapy and coaching.

This acknowledgement includes an understanding of some of the similarities and differences

in coaching and therapy. One of the most interesting points concerning this comparison was a few

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observables that were presented outside of a direct discussion of the topic. These observable came in

the form of axioms that were referenced by several interviewees. Mike referenced “helping people

get unstuck” (personal communication, June 8, 2014) and Troy talked about “helping people get out

of their own way” (personal communication, June 22, 2014). Are these references to Psychodynamic

Therapy (countertransference) and Reality Therapy (Control Theory) respectively? Vice the titles and

certifications, the distinction between a coach and a therapist is relative and in many instances may

boil down to the expectations of clients.

Consultants. Charged with the reduction of uncertainty, consultants are often responsible for

creating it; this fluctuation of uncertainty is nearly requisite of the process of organizing

(Czarniawska, 2013). Frequently, uncertainties can arise from the ambiguity of contrasting

interpretations and the inability to estimate consequence (Czarniawska, 2013). Consultants use

conversation to discover thinking, which perpetuates the reduction of uncertainty through the process

of sense-making and the creation of reason (Czarniawska, 2013). Despite these outcomes, the process

of consulting can be one of tension and deconstruction. Often consultants disrupt organizational

routines in search for instability and discontent (Clegg, Kornberger, & Rhodes, 2004). Consultants

typically begin their work by gathering information from individuals within the organization. They

pay particular attention to the experiences of the individuals within the organization, as in most

instances therein lies a wealth of information gathered through experimentation and learning. In this

sense, a consultant is an observer of observers (Czarniawska, 2013). When the information has been

gathered, the consultant introduces “templates” for consideration by the client. These templates are

purposed with assisting the organization process and may by nature themselves create uncertainty.

Consultants are irritants which can provoke thought simply by discussing issues with clients in a

“foreign” language. The act of provoking thought is synonymous with the intent in a coaching

relationship. The reality is that, “consultants often effectively act as coaches to leaders…” (Miller,

2011). The consulting process is not entirely different from coaching; however, there is one key

distinction noted by Troy. Troy explained the distinction between consulting and coaching as relating

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to the fact that consultants provide answers while coaches help individuals discover their own

answers. The fact that the coachee is responsible for their own answers, Troy feels, helps clients

believe in what they are doing. The discrepancy here is not merely a misunderstanding of the roles of

consultants and coaches, it is the fact that these roles are not necessarily definitively distinguishable

because of the sundry manners of practice by individuals assuming these roles. The discussion of the

differences between coaching and consulting, alternatively provides a segue to a discussion of the

similarities between consultants and therapists.

Miller (2011) expresses certainty in the skills of therapists (as well as social workers,

psychologists and counselors) regarding the latitude to adopt the practice of consultation. Miller

(2011) explains that individuals in a helping profession often have skills in designing and

implementing treatment plans, observation of self and others, as well as providing resources, training

and management. When contrasting the role of a consultant with that of a manager, consider the

difference in authority. A manager possesses a certain authority within the context of her work

environment while on the other hand, a consultant may provide advice, influence and even solutions,

yet they are seldom given direct authority (Miller, 2011).

Management consulting. Consulting has deeper roots than coaching, as the 1960’s are

marked as the timeframe for the maturity of the profession of management consulting (Mosley, 1970).

In the 1970’s, management consulting firms were increasingly integral to businesses as technological

and organizational problems blossomed out of control (Mosley, 1970). Management consultants

specifically assist businesses with the decision-making process (Mosley, 1970). Even in the 1970’s

the field of consultation was not without criticism, as positive action was called upon to quell the

presence of unethical and incompetent practitioners (Mosley, 1970). In 1970, Mosley considered the

need for a “clearing house for considering charges of unethical and incompetent consulting practices.”

Mosley (1970) further predicted that the future of organizational management would include an

increasing need for consultants for both organizational and personnel problems. Furthermore, he

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warned organizations to screen consultants for competence and ethical adherence (Mosley, 1970).

Management consulting provides historical context to coaching in the organizational setting, which is

explored in more detail later in this composition.

Mentors. Troy discerns the differences between coaches and mentors by identifying that

mentors often offer guidance, discuss feelings and are a sounding board for those they mentor. Troy

submits that the coaching relationship is more formal in nature, and that coaches are more concerned

with results (personal communication, June 22, 2014). Research on the topic concurs that mentoring

is similar to coaching in that positive results are desired. Concerning mentorship, evidence of the

positive outcomes associated with mentoring was discovered by Hoch and Kozlowski (2014), who

identified a positive relationship between supervisory career mentoring and subjective as well as

objective performance. Furthermore, that research also concluded that supervisory career mentoring

was related to career outcomes such as salary level, promotion rate, and job satisfaction (Hoch &

Kozlowski, 2014, p. 392).

Jennifer also distinguishes between coaches and mentors, in that mentors have like

experiences with those being mentored. This is to say that coaches do not necessarily have to have

experienced a coachee’s unique situation to help them prepare for or move through it. Mentors are

able to walk individuals through a situation based on familiarity derived from their own experiences

with a similar situation. On the other hand, coaches don’t necessarily need to be subject-experts, but

rather need to be able to guide, inspire, encourage and ask great questions. In addition to coaching

being different from mentorship, she says that coaches are also different than friends. The biggest

difference being that coaches do not offer or encourage excuses, but rather hold individuals

accountable. She believes that the victim role can be detrimental to progress (personal

communication, June 11, 2014).

Delineating the profession. The ambiguity of professional coaching is likely due to the

variety of interests from within the profession. This is to say that the role of a coach is applicable, or

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can be made relevant, in any occupational setting. In order to be successful, the coach must possess,

and be proficient with, several tools which can be used to assist clients with obtaining their goals. For

example, Jennifer provides coaching through helping the coachee with strategy, obstacle

identification, eliminating excuses, upgrading their skills and mastering their psychology. In her

experience, coaching can be as wide or as narrow as the client desires (personal communication, June

11, 2014). Here we take a look at several particularly popular settings in which coaches have proven

relevant and garnered notable success. Consider the following quote from Miller (2011), “The trick is

to know your own area of expertise and to capitalize on that advantage.”

Executive coach. The expectations of executives in today’s society has created a great deal

of pressure for these professionals. The progression of the global economy, technology and ever-

diversifying markets are among many disruptive elements which affect the role of executives in a

manner that, in many instances, creates a great deal of stress (Kets De Vries, 2014). Executive

coaches are challenged with understanding how executives think and experience emotions. There are

certain skills required to detect and evaluate the psychological strengths and challenges that can effect

executive’s development (Kets De Vries, 2014). Kets De Vries (2014) says that executive coaches

“act as impartial sounding boards free of the politics that are all too prevalent in organizations” (p. 2).

Executive coaches provide must needed feedback to executives, which often has been progressively

diminished throughout the occupational climb. This loss of constructive criticism can prove

detrimental to an executive’s ability to lead. Executive coaches can provide critical insights which

serve to eliminate gaps between a coach’s self-perception and others’ perceptions of them (Kets De

Vries, 2014). Kets De Vries (2014) compares executives to swans, stating that, “Metaphorically

speaking, many leaders are like swans, floating stately and serene on the water but paddling like crazy

under the surface” (p. 2). In this light, it is believed that the role of the executive coach is to help the

executive acknowledge their situation, which is to see what is happening on top and below the water’s

surface, ultimately assisting the executive with paddling most efficiently.

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Management coach. Managers in many instances are process-focused. These processes are

more often stable in nature (Rupprecht, Waldrop, & Grawitch, 2013). A management coach could

offer elements of innovation and attempt to promote dynamic process development. Companies like

Grand Plan Management Innovations, Inc. claim to assist business leaders by improving employee

engagement and productivity by growing and developing managers into high-performance leaders.

So, they assist leaders and develop managers into leaders. Hold that thought. The company’s target

market for management consulting appears to be managers, but they also offer professional coaching,

which appears to target executives and human resources professionals (Engel, 2013). Interestingly

enough, evidence suggests that “leadership involves change, inspiration, vision development, and

overcoming major obstacles, whereas management involves implementation, maintenance, and

administration” (Rupprecht et al., 2013, p. 129). However, when you begin to attempt to initiate

structure and consider behaviors (transactional, transformational and organizational), it becomes

increasingly difficult to differentiate between managerial behaviors and leader behaviors (Rupprecht

et al., 2013). Keep holding. Later the similarities in the processes related to leadership and coaching,

are explored respectively. For now, it is noted that it is in the creation of a single distinguishable

process, manifested from these two distinct processes, where the essence of effective management

coaching rests.

Relationship coach. “Relationships are key to success no matter your role in life. In

leadership roles, relationships are the theme” (Teaff, 2006, p. 25). Notwithstanding these words of

wisdom from Grant Teaff (2006), former head football coach at Baylor University for 21 years, the

central tendency for the relationship coach is to practice within dating, courtship or marital

relationships. An example comes from Troy, who is a Certified Life Coach who practices and

advertises relationship coaching. My interview of Troy revealed that he and Teaff (2006) agree on

certain aspects of relationships, such as the necessity of trust, care and respect. Troy’s mission

suggests that he believes relationships are the gateway for community enrichment. His mission is “to

first inspire people to become better people so that they can become better mates, which will foster an

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environment for better relationships and ultimately help build better communities.” It would be remiss

not to note similarity of this mission to the likes of Systems Theory and the socio-ecological model.

At any course, the majority of Troy’s clients receive relationship coaching. Troy works with

individuals and couples on issues concerning the establishment and maintenance of healthy

relationships. In this effort, Troy has provided assistance to clients with dating, pre-marital and

marital concerns. Because of the demand he has discovered in the area of relationships, Troy

currently advertises relationship coaching services. In spite of his success with relationship coaching,

Troy does maintain his title as a Life Coach and continues to help individuals discover clarity within

their careers and other areas of life as well. Based on Troy’s experience and success, it appears that

relationship coaching is a relevant niche—even if performed under the guise of Life Coach.

Leadership coach. Leadership coaches are needed in instances where leaders’ roles present

significant challenges. Leadership coaches accompany their clients through self-learning, helping

them to attain goals and objectives and facilitating their self-awareness (Kets De Vries, 2014).

Leadership coaches assist leaders with self-leadership or the capacity to be in control of their own

behaviors. Self-leadership involves individuals influencing and leading themselves in an effort to

improve effectiveness (Grant, Green, & Rynsaardt, 2010). A part of this self-development process is

being able to recognize and understand existing leadership behaviors. Leadership coaches can help

leaders become aware of existing behaviors and areas which may benefit from development. The

leadership coach often uses feedback to bolster a leader’s self-efficacy, build resilience and assist with

leadership skill development (Grant et al., 2010). Leaders face a multitude of challenges, many of

which are contingent on the role or setting of which the leader is positioned. For example, high

school teachers are rendered by many as leaders. Teachers may face stress, resource short-comings

and bureaucracies but are expected to reflect positive leadership under such pressures (Grant et al.,

2010). Grant et al. (2010) found that a coaching program designed to assist teacher’s effectively

reduced self-reported passive/defensive and aggressive/defensive leadership styles, and significantly

improved self-reported constructive leadership styles. This research implicates the utility of

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leadership coaching in the scholastic setting which could likely be extended to any organizational

setting. Leadership coaches can influence a client’s tendency to express negative affect through a

process involving an understanding of optimism and enthusiasm (Elberly, Johnson, Hernandez, &

Avolio, 2013). The leadership behavior paradigm posits that, the effectiveness of a leader hinges on

their ability to exemplify effective leadership through their behaviors (Rupprecht et al., 2013). The

General Inventory for Lasting Leadership (GILL), Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ),

Authentic Leadership Inventory (ALI) and the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI®) are all tools

that leadership coaches can use determine leadership types, styles and potential (Rupprecht et al.,

2013). Rupprecht et al. (2013) found support for the internal validity, construct validity, and criterion

validity for the new GILL measure (p. 141).

Though the research suggests that leadership coaching is a viable niche within professional

coaching, the interviews which were conducted created conflict with such thought. Mike explained

that there may be some components of leadership synonymous with coaching; he feels that a leader

and a coach are fundamentally different. He explained that “the team captain is a leader, coaches are

not necessarily leaders.” He feels that leaders are typically focused on improving the “bottom-line”,

such as organizational leaders. He discussed how the military trains leaders to lead groups to

accomplish tasks. His distinction is that he questions how concerned leaders are with individuals

versus the group. His belief is that leaders are more task and organizationally focused than coaches.

As opposed to coaches, leaders work from within the group. He explained that as a coach he guides

versus leads, “he’s not joining the journey”. Mike also distinguished between leaders and managers

by offering that, “leaders can leave the room and know that things are still being taken care of inside

of the room. When managers leave, the situation in the room changes” (Mike Duralia, personal

communication, June 8, 2014). Jennifer touched on leadership as well, only to mention that

leadership in coaching is mostly applicable to organizational settings. However, Jennifer feels that

leaders can benefit from learning and adopting coaching skills (personal communication, June 11,

2014). Lastly, though there was no discussion of leadership with Troy, he did mention leadership in

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his articulation of why he feels that throughout his life he had always “unofficially” been a coach.

Troy described this role as including being a leader, mentor and sounding board for friends, family

and acquaintances. He explained how this role pervaded his life in athletics, academics and social

settings, and was generally purposed with “helping people get the most out of themselves.” Though

during the course of the interviews there was seemingly no direct conversation that expressly justified

leadership coaching, the discussion of leadership did occur and implications that were made further

substantiate the information found through the review of literature on the subject.

Competency. To Jennifer there are several competencies which are vital to effective

coaching: professionalism, integrity, ethics, communication (communicating with power), effective

listening (active listening) and the ability to guide with compassion, empathy and care. Jennifer feels

that a coach must possess and use their own unique insight and brilliance in the coaching relationship.

In order to be successful, the coach must possess and be proficient with several tools which can be

used to assist clients with obtaining their goals. Jennifer provides coaching through helping the

coachee with strategy, obstacle identification, eliminating excuses, upgrading their skills and

mastering their psychology (Jennifer Gage, personal communication, June 11, 2014).

Mike believes that “everybody needs a coach.” Mike explains the role of a coach as an

individual who brings forth what is already inside of a client of which they are not presently aware.

He explains that sometimes this process includes pointing out things to customers which they do not

want to hear, or that may cause them anxiety or distress (Mike Duralia, personal communication, June

8, 2014).

Troy’s unique approach to coaching includes him being a resource and a motivator, and his

efforts to motivate individuals is focused on the point of self-discovery. Again, since Troy doesn’t

give clients answers, he uses trust, questions, unique challenges and effective communication to assist

them through this process of self-discovery. Troy believes that trust is often difficult to achieve in a

short amount of time, so there is a certain pressure on coaches to be able to provide results as a means

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of bolstering the trust-building process. In addition to results, clients respond to a coach’s genuine

interests. Troy has been able to present his philosophy in a genuine manner of which his personal and

professional lives are testaments (Troy Spry, personal communication, June 22, 2014).

All three coaches that were interviewed had unique approaches to their craft; however, the

underlying competencies were generally congruent. Trust, communication and ethical/professional

standards were central competencies described by the three certified coaches. Factors such as

credentials and education are negligible; however, the base-line education level of those interviewed

was a minimum of a completed four-year Bachelor’s degree.

Leadership

In a YouTube video posted on May 22, 2014 by ICFHeadquaters, Janez Hudovernik refers to

coaching as “…the leadership style of the future.” Janez is an ICF Associate Certified Coach from

Slovenia who, during the advertisement video, relays his appreciation for the benefits of the

credentialing process offered through the ICF (ICFHeadquarters, 2014). Earlier we discussed how

even school teachers may benefit from developmental coaching that draws on theories of leadership

(Grant et al., 2010). According to Elberly et al. (2013), leadership “pervades all aspects of one’s life

in- and outside of organizations” (p. 427). Despite the pervasiveness of its social influence, there is

still a lack of consensus regarding the evolving concepts of leadership (Elberly et al., 2013). One key

to understanding the dynamics of leadership is understanding the concept’s source of origination.

Leadership can be perceived from the leader, the follower, or by the collective and/or the context

(Elberly et al., 2013). Leadership is often visible through behaviors, affect and cognitions which

represent the values or traits displayed by a leader (Elberly et al., 2013). Elberly et al. (2013) views

leadership in terms of an influence process within social systems which exist independent of structure

that can be enacted through any interaction (Elberly et al., 2013).

Authenticity. Authentic leadership involves self-awareness and consistency. An authentic

leader is one whose values and actions are congruent. In instances where leaders are demonstrating

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behaviors which are aligned with their cognition, there is generally a benefit to both the leader and

follower. Research suggests that individuals have the ability to detect authenticity and emotional

sincerity in others (Elberly et al., 2013). Gabel (2013) states that certain leaders use empathy and

respect to display their commitment to subordinates. Through these authentic actions, the

subordinates needs and potential for development can be explored by both the leader and the lead.

Miller (2011) noted authenticity first in a list of six abilities/skills necessary for success as a

consultant. Long-term success is often dependent on items such as character, trustworthiness and

integrity—terms often considered synonymous to authenticity (Miller, 2011).

Transformation. Authentic leadership has similarities with transformational leadership

theory, in that they both discuss the importance of the leader-follower dyad in regards to building an

authentic relationship (Elberly et al., 2013). Through this authenticity, the leader can influence

followers, enhance performance in a wide range of organizational settings and transform collectives

such as groups and organizations (Elberly et al., 2013; Hoch & Kozlowski, 2014). Multiple authors

concur that transformational leadership pertains specifically to a process involving idealized

influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration (Gabel,

2013, p. 347; Grant et al., 2010, p. 153; Kastenmüller, Greitemeyer, Zehl, Tattersall, George, Frey, &

Fischer 2014, p. 2). Kastenmüller et al. (2014) argues that transformational leadership is responsible

for creating positive emotions that counteract selective information processing which results in

inspiration. The resulting (inspired) individuals are able to perform better than they would normally

expect. Transformational leaders are charismatic and intellectually stimulating. They pay particular

attention to individuals and recognize strengths and weaknesses. Kastenmüller et al. (2014) describes

transformational supervisors as leaders who empower others and increase job satisfaction as well as

increase affective well-being and autonomy. A study by Kastenmüller et al. (2014) resulted in the

discovery of links between positive emotions and transformational leadership (r = .43, p < .01) as well

as positive emotions and contingent reward (r = .38, p < .01; p. 9). Gabel (2013) contends that

leadership should be transformative and create meaning (Gabel, 2013). The transformational leader is

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a role model responsible for establishing and maintaining a vision, displaying focus and dedication

and inspiring individuals to believe in transformation (Gabel, 2013).

Vision. An individual’s ability to influence, inspire and lead are contingent on a clear and

agreeable vision. A leader’s effectiveness is contingent on their ability to inspire others to identify

with, and share, new compelling visions (Wang, Waldman, & Zhang, 2013). From the leader’s

perspective, this process should involve the fundamental understanding that humans will more readily

favor information that is supportive rather than conflicting (Kastenmüller et al., 2014). Thus the

ability to influence individuals’ ideals and/or values proves beneficial to the process of providing a

compelling vision. Rupprecht et al. (2013) contends that “…leadership involves change, inspiration,

vision development, and overcoming major obstacles…” (p. 129). It is essential that these

involvements consider the unique needs of those being lead, as autonomy is a vital precursor to

motivation, influence and inspiration (Rupprecht et al., 2013). The essence of a vision is that it be

cognitively and emotionally shared and result in positive effects on functioning (Wang et al., 2013).

Communicating a meaningful vision assists the processes of establishing goals and creating strategies

(Rupprecht et al., 2013). Wang et al. (2013) suggests that the process of formulating a vision should

include multiple individuals. This point is agreeable and furthermore through involving individuals in

the goal and strategy development, they are better postured to be both empowered and inspired. Once

postured to be inspired, individuals will respond to leaders who express emotions such as optimism

and enthusiasm (Elberly et al., 2013). This enthusiasm and energy is visible to subordinates and in

itself provides inspiration (Gabel, 2013). It is through this process of inspiration that leaders provide

motivation to individuals, which expands their capabilities and increases their performance (Hoch &

Kozlowski, 2014).

Process. Gabel’s (2013) description of the process of leadership highlights several key

factors (e.g. authority, courage, motivation, ability) which influence principles-driven results.

According to Gabel (2013):

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…leadership may be defined as a process in which one individual who usually is in a position

of authority works in ways that are socially appropriate to influence others who are in

subordinate or follower positions to achieve principles-driven objectives that these latter

individuals may not have thought of reaching on their own; may not have been able to reach

by themselves; or perhaps did not have the courage, motivation, or ability to achieve through

their own efforts (p. 346).

While results may provide some validation to the effectiveness of one’s process, it is the analysis of

the process itself which yields the most telling results. The process of leadership can be generalized

as done by Gabel (2013) and the more interesting aspects result from defining what the process is

rather than what the process does. In fact, Kastenmüller et al. (2014) suggest that the process of

leadership has the ability to influence non-related processes of those being lead. The application of

leadership can affect confirmation bias, selective information processing, cognitive dissonance and

promote critical thinking--all processes independent of the process of leadership. In this light, more

research is needed in the area of defining these correlations of what are possibly interdependent

processes. For example, through the process of balancing information processing, an individual’s

mood can become more positive. Positive emotion also reduces cognitive dissonance (Kastenmüller

et al., 2014). The point being that the leadership process arguably consist of a multitude of micro-

processes. For instance, in organizations, when considering the processes associated with, and

influenced by, leadership, it is often helpful to consider a variety of leaders within the organization

(Wang et al., 2113). In organizations, leaders are often given responsibilities of which they often

distribute to subordinates (Teaff, 2006). There is a distinct difference in assigning tasks and sharing

responsibility; the latter is part of a process which improves relationships and fosters leadership.

Through examining the various levels of leadership, the significance of the dyadic relationships

becomes apparent, as leadership that is vested in positive relationships elevates to the collective

(Elberly et al., 2013). Again, positivity. This pervasive process of leadership is built upon

encouragement. Through encouragement, leaders promote the process of leadership itself. This is

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done by encouraging others to discover, become problem solvers, formulate ideas, consider

alternatives and, in general, develop their own processes. The process of leadership includes the

leader being accepted by those who are led (Wang et al., 2013). Providing encouragement is a means

of gaining the necessary acceptance to lead. In instances where individuals are placed in leadership

roles or positions this process of acceptance still occurs; however, there are aspects of power and

authority which effect this “post-appointment” acceptance. For instance, in transactional leadership a

supervisor uses both reward and coercive power to acquire (oftentimes acquiesced) outcomes

(Kastenmüller et al., 2014). While using such powers may be effective measures for gaining a result,

the process is not necessarily experienced by the leader without the threat of cognitive dissonance.

The even more difficult aspect of cognitive dissonance to tackle is the fact that it effects both the

leader and the lead, whereas to avoid such, decisions made by leaders have to be supported by the

lead not merely followed, in order to avoid negative emotions. Thus the exertion of power may gain

results but not necessarily be the mark of an effective leadership process. The various sources of

power as described by Gabel (2013) and Lewicki (2011) are positional power, expert power,

informational power, reward power, coercive power and referent power—of which informational

power is the most appropriate source of power for leaders. Informational power is derived from

expertise, data, facts and/or figures, in essence proof. Not inherited or acclaimed, less likely to be

disputed and more easily proven. Gabel (2013) references power as a mechanism by which

individuals influence others’ attitudes, beliefs and behaviors. Again, there is value in results and

power produces results. On the other hand, history has also proven power to be a producer of disdain,

revolution and retaliation. To avoid such negative creations, and truly harness the concept of power,

leaders should strive to understand the aspects beyond the possession of power such as the ability to

empower. Leaders who possess the ability to empower are effectively able to create sources of power

in addition to resources, knowledge and potential (Rupprecht et al., 2013). The focus of one’s

leadership should be on the process versus the result. Likewise as a coach, the skills of leadership and

an understanding of a process of becoming a leader are invaluable. Coaching individuals to lead

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enables them to influence their surroundings which will be strengthened and in turn strengthen those

who lead. The leadership process involves thinking strategically. Effective processes and strategy

enable leaders to transform visions into reality (Rupprecht et al., 2013).

Virtual. Environments which occur “online” or via the internet have many of the

characteristics of their counterparts in the “real” world. In the context of this research, this is to say

that leadership exists virtually as well. In fact, the internet has opened the door for a multitude of

leaders giving them a platform to share themselves and amass followers. An example of this comes

from the experiences of Troy Spry. Troy’s ambition to coach was propelled by responses from a blog

he created following his mother’s death. Troy’s story was shared via the internet using social media

mediums. As the story grew in popularity, so did the inquiries Troy received concerning advice for

life’s hardships (personal communication, June 22, 2014). For Troy, the internet served as a catalyst

for his career as a life coach. The reality is that virtual teams exists all over the world, connecting

with each other via electronic media in an effort to achieve common goals (Hoch & Kozlowski,

2014). The benefits of conducting business virtually has increased companies’ ability to staff, remain

flexible, reduce travel and meet the demands of an ever-changing market (Hock, 2014). With this

increase in the use of the internet to conduct business, there is an increase in a need to manage and

lead teams and individuals in this capacity as well. The disadvantages of virtual settings is that there

are lower levels of team cohesion, trust, cooperative behavior, social control and commitment. These

factors collectively and respectively have a negative impact on team performance and productivity

(Hoch & Kozlowski, 2014). Hoch and Kozlowski (2014) claim that though disadvantaged due to a

lack of face-to-face interaction, leadership is the key to minimizing such losses and maintaining

effectiveness when conducting such virtual affairs. During the course of several interviews, effective

communication was regarded as a highly desired and necessary component to coaching (Mike

Duralia, personal communication, June 8, 2014; Jennifer Gage, personal communication, June 11,

2014; Troy Spry, personal communication, June 22, 2014). The consensus among scholars is that

leading virtual teams can be challenging due to what is often asynchronous communication. It is

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likely that a leader’s ability to motivate and manage is hindered by the geographical dispersion (Hoch

& Kozlowski, 2014). Hoch and Kozlowski (2014) suggest structuring rewards as a method for

providing incentives for performance in situations where leaders are charged with leading individuals

to produce a result. The virtual atmosphere may be a holding ground for providing some distinctions

between the roles of leadership in coaching. The fact that coaches serve as guides, who provide

motivation to individuals to accomplish goals that they set for themselves, coaches may be in a better

position to conduct business online or telephonically, than managers or leaders in business. In another

light, coaches can attempt to understand and master the process of leading virtually and coach those in

leadership, supervisory and management positions on relevant tactics and approaches. One such

method for harnessing a geographically dispersed team is to distribute leadership to the members of

the team (Hoch & Kozlowski, 2014). Hoch and Kozlowski’s (2014) study found that shared

leadership contributed to team performance despite the utilization of virtual communications.

Furthermore, Hoch and Kozlowski (2014) recommend that “…leadership should not be the sole

responsibility of a hierarchical leader, but should be collectively exercised by empowering and

developing individual team members” (p. 391). Such a statement is directly in keeping with what has

been described to as relevant to the process of coaching. Concerning coaching, the suggestion is that

individuals be motivated to “get out of their own way,” thus coaches do not take responsibility for the

coachee, but empower the coachee to take responsibility for their selves (Troy Spry, personal

communication, June 22, 2014). A similarity in coaches and leaders is that the relationships they

build are circular in nature concerning both motivation and morality Gabel, 2013). A critical

component to achieving an effective relationship is active listening and powerful communication.

Concerning coaching, the difference in asynchronous and synchronous communications may be

minimal as compared to roles more supervisory in nature. Despite the noted setbacks of

communicating via the internet, it is possible to coach and lead effectively through virtual means if

the communication which does exist is meaningful. One method of establishing a meaningful

relationship is explained in the leader-member exchange (LMX) theory. Hoch and Kozlowski (2014)

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discuss LMX in part, to explain the emphasis on the two-way dyadic relationship between leaders and

members (the lead). The quality of such relationships is described as being correlated with levels of

subordinate responsibly, influence and performance. Though traditionally considered to be developed

through face-to-face interactions, Hoch and Kozlowski (2014) suggest that these dyadic relationships

can be maintained virtually as well. Elberly et al. (2013) suggests that geographically dispersed work

environments can be expected to increase in number and the means by which these teams

communicate will continue to develop as well. Leaders’ abilities and capabilities concerning the

virtual environment will play a role in their credibility, legitimacy and efficiency as technology

progresses. “The broader societal context continuously dictates what effective leadership entails and

who can emerge as a leader” (Elberly et al., 2013, p. 435).

Implications

Through this analysis it is determined that professional coaching can be considered a viable

occupation. The instances where professional coaches are not successful are likely due to business

oriented issues such as marketing, geographic location or quality of services offered. It was

determined that professional coaches may attend to specific focal areas such as management coaching,

executive coaching, relationship coaching, etc. There are, however, several factors which were

highlighted as essential (and arguably) critical to coaching in general. It is these common threads that

define the occupation of life coach. Such a commonality is coaches’ popular orientation towards

development and change as well as an aversion of the status quo (Wang et al., 2013). The life coach

is the essence of coaching and the title affords the latitude for those within the profession to determine

their niche or specialty, if they so desire. There are implications for the necessity of increasing

regulation, accreditation, credentialing and standards within the profession, though there is skepticism

on the feasibility of such efforts (Jennifer Gage, personal communication, June 11, 2014). And on the

other hand, there is a distinct desire by some for the profession to remain fluid (Mike Duralia,

personal communication, June 8, 2014). The field of professional coaching is growing, and currently

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the legitimacy of profession hangs in the balance of those within the profession. In the end, a coach’s

performance is measured by the coachee’s achieved result. The fact that coaches (by nature) focus on

increasing a client’s self-awareness, the coach is only tasked with assisting the process and does not

necessarily take on any responsibility (Mike Duralia, personal communication, June 8, 2014).

Individuals

Coaching involves a process by which those being coached take the risks and assume

responsibility for their own actions. The guidance provided by coaches is intended to garner a sense

of personal responsibility in the coachee, which can result in positive outcomes, but also has the

potential for negative consequence. Through the formation of a collaborative alliance, the coach and

coachee define goals and plans oriented toward those goals. The coach assists the client through

providing focus and motivation in addition to evaluating progress (Grant et al., 2010). Though it is

possible to coach a group such as with athletics, professional coaching in this context in arguably best

suited for individuals. Small groups such as couples or families may be coached effectively as well;

however, the larger the group becomes (in most cases) the more diffused the problems, dilemmas and

limitations become. Coaching in this capacity becomes more associated with motivational speaking

and self-help forums.

For the purposes of this research, one focus of the implications concerns the one-on-one

setting relevant to professional coaching. The rationale behind this focus derived from the survey

conducted for this research which found that the majority of professional coaching is conducted in the

one-on-one setting or in very small groups. As well, through the review of literature it became

evident that effective leadership involves identifying the individual growth and developmental needs

of those being lead (Gabel, 2013). For instance transformational leaders strive to have a genuine

interest in those they lead. These leaders utilize sincere respect as a means of maximizing the

potential for growth and development of those being led (Gabel, 2013). These individualized

considerations may result in efforts, by the leader, to mentor, provide feedback and coach

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(Kastenmüller et al., 2014). Through the present study, it is concluded that essentially, leading is

homogeneous with coaching in that the facilitation of goal attainment is responsible for enhancements

in one’s ability to lead and communicate. Grant et al. (2010) found that the facilitation of goal

attainment is associated with stress reduction, increases in resilience and improvements in workplace

well-being. Implicating that the utilization of coaching as a development intervention is relevant to

collective environments such as organizations (Grant et al., 2010).

Organizations

Although leaders can lead themselves, leaders generally need followers (or at a minimum a

single individual to lead) in order to be relevant in a professional sense (Mike Duralia, personal

communication, June 8, 2014). It is very common to associate the leader-follower dynamic with

organizational settings. Relationships within organizations are key to the success of the organization

and the relationships involving the leaders within the organization are even more vital in contrast

(Teaff, 2006). For this reason, this research includes the implications for coaching in the

organizational setting. What you will not find is any instruction on how to coach entire organizations,

but rather the research reveals the potential impacts of coaching key personnel within organizations.

It is through the lens of the organizational setting where the tenants of leadership tie most deeply to

this research of life coaching. Coaching provides guidance, and many coaches like Troy Spry

consider themselves a resource, guide and/or motivator, but not necessarily a leader. This research

submits that both guidance and motivation when provided by a coach are in themselves resources. By

virtue of being a guide or a motivator coaches are a resource to individuals. Furthermore, it is the

nature of the provision of motivation and/or guidance that is inherently fastened to the process of

leadership. Though professional coaches may not consider themselves leaders, if they are effective,

they are indeed the former. Considering these assumptions, the research aims to conduct further

studies in the future that will provide clarity concerning the role of purpose as relates to motivation

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and the processes of providing motivation and guidance. In addition to existing as resources,

organizational leaders benefit from possessing influence.

Social psychology provides a useful paradigm related to social influence, which can provide

insight to the impact of such as relates to organizational settings (Gabel, 2013). Within organizations,

the influence of individuals (often leaders) can establish the conditions for the collective. It is also not

uncommon for organizations themselves (as a collective) to generate leadership through providing

inspiration for individuals to desire leadership positions (Elberly et al., 2013). Influence is

perpetuated by leaders through the process of inclusiveness. Teaff (2006) explains inclusiveness as

showing and telling individuals that they are important. Inclusiveness being most effectively spanned

by the provision of itself through actions and not simply through words. The process of inclusiveness

does not necessarily assume that subordinates desire to be included, which can complicate the

undertaking. At best, a leader can use honesty, rationale, openness and effective communication to

create such inspiration (Teaff, 2006).

As discussed earlier, a leader’s tendency to share responsibility is prevalent in the

organizational setting. Concerning organizational leadership, this inclusion is one of the most critical

aspects of leadership. Leaders’ intentions concerning tasking subordinates may be an effort to mask

personal limitations vice intended to include and inspire others through the sharing of responsibility.

One way to distinguish the intent behind such situations is the presence of a shared knowledge. This

implies that the leader shares both knowledge and any lack of knowledge with his colleagues (Wang

et al., 2013).

Leaders in organizations are often considered such because of their position, or are often put

into a position within the organization because of a recognized ability to lead. Leaders, however, can

exist outside of leadership positions with or without the recognition of other leaders but through the

recognition of others, such as a type of “shadow” leadership. This type of leader historically is

responsible for revolutions, social movements, strikes and situations of the like. The inclusion of

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leaders in the organization who include others in the efforts of the organization, is a practice that may

prevent such shadow figures and misfortunes such as rebellion (Teaff, 2006). In fact these forms of

informal leadership can provide permanence to collective cohesiveness and effectiveness (Wang et al.,

2013).

Coaches become increasingly important to organizations where there is a threat created by

disorganized or ineffective leadership. In organizations where there is a strong presence of group

membership, leaders must be of the group to be most effective (Wang et al., 2013). Coaching can

help bridge this gap by helping leaders identify the gaps between themselves and subordinates,

organizing a plan to connect with the group and implement a strategy and goals associated with the

process. If coaches are able to remain minimally biased, they can help leaders understand that the

process of leadership is follower-centric and thus actually emerges from the lower levels of the

organization (Wang et al., 2013). Simply “being in touch” with the members of an organization can

be an effective leadership tactic, but there is a level of earnestness that is required to truly draw upon

the hearts of men. One may say that an individual simply cannot fit (in) where they don’t (fit in).

Research shows that the phenomenon of similarity-attraction applies to the leader-follower

relationship. Commonality, as a stimuli, positively influences the development of high-quality

relationships among dyads and groups which include both coordination and communication. This is

caused by a shared understanding and mutual respect (Elberly et al., 2013). Such commonality is

influential to the coaching relationship and process of coaching in itself. This understanding is of

particular value concerning the coach’s ability to assist leaders within organizations. A coach’s role

in organizational leadership involves helping leaders create a specific atmosphere throughout the

organization. The leader must ultimately be able to transmit their message to the individuals within

the organization and often it is this process that is either ignored by, or unfamiliar to, individuals in

leadership positions. Coaches are able to help leaders lead leaders towards effective leadership. The

process of leading leaders is often more complicated than leading subordinates or followers. It is in

this unique seam that leaders can increase their effectiveness and unified endorsement throughout the

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organization (Elberly et al., 2013). The elimination of mixed messages from lower level leadership

increases the commitment and connectedness of those being lead, which eventually permeates to the

various levels within the organization. This creation and reinforcement of shared values throughout

the organization proves essential to maintaining cohesion (Rupprecht et al., 2013). Wang et al. (2013)

states that “…the leader’s role is to capture the foresight that often exists throughout an organization”

(p. 181). Coaches help leaders capture their own foresight enabling them to see the organization more

clearly.

Cessation

Though the term life coach is relatively new, coaching relationships have existed throughout

history with examples cited related to Aristotle, Machiavelli and the like (Miller, 2011). The

similarities and differences between coaching and a variety of helping professions and business

professions is evidenced by this research. The role of a life coach is for all intents and purposes

relative to the coach’s skill and the needs of the coachee. Professional coaches must possess certain

skills and produce quantifiable and qualifiable results for clients in order to provide evidence of

validity and reliability. Life coaches can practice in as broad or as narrow of a scope as they desire,

because the title is not limiting, due to the subjectivity of life.

In the end, coaches benefit from possessing leadership skills. Also, leaders can (and most

likely would) benefit from possessing coaching skills. The many skills requisite of leadership are in

many instances synonymous with coaching. Additionally, a leader can effectively lead by simply

providing an effective coach as a resource for those he leads. In the instance where a leader desires to

lead more effectively, through the enhancement of his leadership ability, the services of a coach could

prove beneficial. Furthermore, professional coaching is a viable occupation and coaching leadership

skills is a niche with grandiose potential of which can feasibly be brokered by a certified life coach.

In closing, consider this thought from Mike who explains that, “life coaching encompasses all of the

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aspects of coaching which helps an individual move along their own unique journey” (personal

communication, June 8, 2014).

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