DON’T SOLVE CLIENT’S PROBLEMS

Why do clients call you up and contract with you for coaching? Obviously, they have some problem or difficulty that they want to address and solve. And even when you ask your client, “What do you want that will make a transformative difference in your life?” Many clients will start the next sentence with, “Well, my problem is...” Or, “The problem I want to solve is...” Or worse yet, “The problem I want you to solve is...”

What’s so wrong with any of this? One key thing, namely: Coaching is not about solving problems. Surprising? Well, it really is not. Therapy is about solving problems, therapeutic problems. Consulting is about solving problems—the problems that call for some expert knowledge or advice (financial, medical, business, etc.). Training is often about solving problems and the skills that are required to solve a particular problem—how to manage time, how to delegate, how to resolve conflicts, how to create a high-functioning team, etc. But coaching is not about solving problems.