Is Coaching Transformational?
I was asked last week whether my Coaching style was transactional or transformational. I was challenged by the question, because I am naturally averse to the style of marketing that promises the earth and seems too good to be true. Those ads stuck to lampposts that promise ‘£30,000 in one month’ if you sign up various nebulous schemes are not dissimilar to some of the claims made for Coaching on social media platforms. Instinctively it feels wrong to promise my clients ‘transformation’. But is my reluctance correct?
What are Transactional and Transformational coaching?
Transactional coaching is an organisation-led short term, surface level performance-based process. It explores compliance, remuneration and working with leadership. It deals with immediate issues but has little emphasis on emotion or long-term development.
Transformational coaching also deals with specific goals and issues but is longer term, personal, and requires commitment. By emphasising individual values and motivations it unlocks growth and development and improves self-esteem. In contrast to transactional coaching, transformational coaching may require significant work to understand how their emotions affect personal growth and performance.
The success of transformational coaching is measured in simple quantifiable outcomes (number of patients seen, length of queue, number of units sold etc) whilst the outcomes of transformational coaching, which impacts attitudes and values, are less predictable. Success is demonstrated by changes in perspective and approach over a much longer period of time and by sustainable personal and organisational growth.
One summary that resonated with me was:
Luisazhou.com
It is important for my coaching clients, especially those in leadership positions, to discover what they really want. They will be motivated by personal growth and able to share a vision and purpose. They will empower through mentorship, and communicate well with a clear plan for the future. The focus is on growth and change. This is not a short term development exercise.
I now realise that I was wrong to think of ‘Transformational Coaches’ as snake-oil salespeople. My Coaching approach is, by these definitions, transformational. Many clients who are experiencing or coming close to burnout do not benefit from short term solutions; like going on holiday, everything is still there when you get back. Perhaps I had a problem with what the word ‘Transformational’ seemed to promise, but I was maybe also understating the power of coaching to bring about long-term change.
I want to promise what I can deliver.
With my Coaching clients we will work to identify motivation and goals, look at issues preventing progress and seek solutions to implement change. In some cases the solution involves staying exactly where you are, but with a greater vision and motivation. In others it will be truly transformational change with a completely different career direction and purpose.
Only the client can really judge if coaching has been transformational.
Being happy in your current job, having a clear view of the future, and improved development and growth is a positive change which many would rightly find transformational. As a coach who is convinced of the power of coaching to bring about long-term change, and to enable you to take long-term control of your life, maybe I shouldn’t be so reticent about the description.
If you would like to explore coaching with someone who is definitely not a snake-oil salesman, please consider a free no obligation 30 minute conversation with me which you can book here. If I am not the right Coach for you, I will recommend somebody else who might be.
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