Coaching: Support or Rescue?

One of my trainee coaches asked me this question:

"What I don’t get is, how can you rescue someone in a coaching situation? Because you can’t actually do stuff for someone - why it would even be an issue?"

And it’s precisely what you have described – If a coach was coaching properly, it wouldn’t be an issue at all.

From my point of view, “Pure” coaching is

helping people find their own

strength and solutions.

When you start rescuing someone, you are generally

saying that they need your help in the form of

your opinion, your knowledge or your time.

Now, rescuing people usually is the easy way out.

It takes time, energy and a huge faith

in the person you are coaching

to help them find their own strength and solutions.

Rescuing someone is also really glamorous -

You can hand someone a silver bullet

and they instantly sing your praises with great gratitude!

When you coach someone properly it’s different.

If you coach the same person to find their own strength and solutions, they feel great about themselves

because they found it all out for themselves…

...and generally,

.....they forget the hard work of the coach

to get them to find their own insights.

If you rescue someone, you are

handing them a fish.

If you coach someone, you are

teaching them how to fish.

If you rescue someone, you are very visible,

being carried around on a cheering crowd’s shoulders.

If you coach someone properly,

you are generally invisible to your client.

What I’m saying is that rescuing people is a huge temptation for a coach.

…..that’s why a coach has to take responsibility

for maintaining the distinction

between Rescue and Support.

If you are rescuing, you are not coaching.

If you are coaching, you are not rescuing.