A good coach DOESN'T act as:
a therapist - doesn't diagnose and treat dysfunctional personalities;
a consultant - doesn't deliver a prefab solution to organizational problems;
a trainer - not tasked to transfer a prescribed skill set programmatically from a textbook format.
Rather, a good coach is an advocate in the court of life/business, the objective voice of reason defending your best self and highest good. Coaching is the fine art and technology of elevated inquiry and facilitative listening. It is focused on WHO the client actually is and how that is authenticated in his/her daily life. It is characterized as a process of discovery, actualized through goal setting and strategic action steps and realized in extraordinary results. The value of this personalized, process approach for today's work-force applicants and issues is highly quantifiable.
A good coach will only agree to work with clients who can afford the price and who are willing and able to take the actions agreed at each session. Coaching is meant to enhance your lifestyle, not cramp it. A good coach knows that coaching isn't for everyone and reserves practice hours for people who are ready to optimize on the coaching experience.
(Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle) - August 10, 2001 by Cathi Turner )