What is Coaching? - ICF Sacramento Charter Chapter

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What is Coaching?

The International Coaching Federation (ICF) defines coaching as a transformative journey where you discover your true potential, both personally and professionally.

A professional coach starts with a simple belief: you are already creative, resourceful, and whole. A coach’s job isn't to “fix” you — it's to help you unlock the clarity, imagination, and potential you already have within you.

Professional coaching is one of the most powerful investments you can make in yourself.

Who Hires a Coach?

The short answer is, anyone ready to invest in themselves and show up more fully in their relationships, work, and life.

Coaching supports:

Those who feel stuck and are ready to break through the patterns holding them back
Anyone working through burnout or overwhelm, or seeking to discover (or rediscover) a sense of purpose
Those looking to expand self-awareness, emotional well-being, and personal growthIndividuals going through a significant life change, such as a new job, a relationship shift, a loss, or an empty nest
Professionals looking to advance their career, step into leadership, or navigate a career transition
Executives and managers desiring to lead with greater confidence, clarity, and impact
Team members and emerging leaders looking to develop new skills, build confidence, or grow into their next level of responsibility
Anyone navigating personal or professional challenges such as difficult dynamics, imposter syndrome, or decision-making

What Happens When You Hire a Coach?

When you begin working with a professional coach, things will start to shift. You’ll begin to show up differently in your relationships, your work, and the way you see yourself.

According to the 2022 ICF Global Consumer Awareness Study commissioned by ICF and undertaken by PricewaterhouseCooper’s International Survey Unit, people who worked with a professional coach experienced:

Improved communications skills
Increased self-esteem/self-confidence
Improved work/life balance
Increased productivity
Increased well-being
Optimized individual/team work performance
Expanded professional career opportunities
Improved business management strategies
Accelerated onboarding into a new professional role

The Coaching Process

Coaching typically takes place through regularly-scheduled sessions, whether in person, virtually, or by phone. Every session is a dedicated space for collaboration and focus, whether you’re participating in individual coaching or group/team coaching.

At the beginning of a session, you’ll define what you’d like to accomplish during your time together and collaboratively create a foundation for the rest of the session. Your coach will listen actively as you work together, asking relevant and powerful questions as the session progresses to help you uncover your own answers.

Everything shared in a coaching session stays confidential, with rare exceptions required by law.

It’s a deeply personalized process with practical, tangible results.

Benefits of Coaching

Coaching has the power to create changes like these:

For Individuals

Identify patterns and habits that have been holding you back
Discover and lean into your unique strengths and natural abilities
Gain clarity about your goals and what truly matters to you
Move through life transitions with greater confidence and resilience
Build stronger relationships through better communication
Create a more intentional and fulfilling work/life balance
Work through self-doubt and step more fully into your potential
Take meaningful, focused action toward the life you truly want

For Organizations, Executives, and Teams

Drive measurable ROI through improved performance and productivity
Support leadership development at every level
Build healthier, more collaborative work environments
Improve team morale, communication, and work/life balance
Prevent burnout and support employee wellbeing
Retain talent by investing in their professional and personal growth
Explore imposter syndrome and build on strengths
Foster systemic, sustainable organizational change

The Importance of ICF Training

The International Coaching Federation is the leading global organization dedicated to advancing the coaching profession. Coaches who have trained through ICF-accredited programs have developed a meaningful foundation in the skills that make coaching truly effective — things like active listening, powerful questioning, building trust, and supporting real, lasting change.

They’ve also committed to upholding a professional code of ethics, so you can feel confident that your coaching relationship is grounded in integrity and confidentiality.

You can read more about the importance of choosing a coach with ICF training by visiting “Why Hire an ICF-Trained Coach?”

How Is Coaching Different from Other Types of Support?

Coaching is a unique type of support, and it’s good to understand how it differs from other kinds of relationships.

Coaching vs. Therapy or Counseling — While therapy and counseling do important work exploring deeper underlying issues and past experiences, coaching is forward-focused — a collaborative, action-oriented process designed to help you clarify what you want, focus on what’s holding you back, and move toward your goals.

Coaching vs. Consulting — Consultants bring specific expertise and solve problems for you. A coach supports you in defining and maintaining areas of focus, creating self-accountability, discovering your own solutions, and working towards achieving your goals.

Coaching vs. a Best Friend — Your best friend is irreplaceable, but they have an emotional stake in your choices. A coach offers something different: a completely objective, professional relationship focused solely on your growth, goals, and success.

Browsing our coach directory is a great place to start. You can explore coaches by name, keyword, a focus on personal or business coaching, specialty area, or language. When you find someone who resonates, reach out to them.

Every coach listed in our directory is an ICF member, has completed coach-specific training, and has agreed to abide by the ICF Code of Ethics.

Your coach is out there. ICF Sacramento can help you make the connection.

Search the ICF Sacramento Directory