Myth-busting
As a professional coach, you’ve no doubt heard someone from outside of our community repeat
one of the common myths or misconceptions around coaching. It can sometimes be difficult to
formulate the “right” response in the moment. That’s why we asked a group of coach-training
professionals to share what they say when they have to opportunity to speak out on behalf of
professional coaching. Their replies to six common coaching myths and misconceptions can be
found on the next two pages.
Francine Campone,
Ed.D., MCC, provides
Karen KimseyHouse, PCC, is CEO
Micki McMillan,
MCC, is the president of
Peter J. Reding, MBA,
MCC, is the co-founder
Marcia Reynolds,
Psy.D., MCC, is a
Executive and Personal
Coaching to midlife
professionals, drawing on
20 years of experience in
the field. She is active in
coaching research and is
director of the Evidence
Based Coaching Program
at Fielding Graduate
University. Francine is
president-elect of the
Graduate School
Alliance for Executive
Coaching (GSAEC).
and co-founder of the
Coaches Training Institute
(CTI). A pioneer in the
coaching and leadership
development field for more
than 20 years, Karen is
a sought-after speaker,
program designer and
facilitator, and co-author
of the best-selling book,
Co-Active Coaching:
Changing Business,
Transforming Lives
(3rd ed., Nicholas Brealey
America, 2011).
the Association of Coach
Training Organizations
(ACTO). She has been
teaching coaches since
1998 and developed the
curriculum for Blue Mesa
Group’s ICF-accredited
Transformational Coaching
Program. She is CEO
of Blue Mesa Group, a
coaching and consulting
firm serving clients in
North America, Europe,
Asia-Pacific and Latin
America.
of www.CoachForLife.com
and a co-founder of ACTO.
He is The World-changing
Visionary Coach™ who
coaches individuals who
are compelled to inform,
inspire or improve the
lives of millions with
their vision.
founding member and
past president of ICF
Global. She continues to
coach and teach leaders
worldwide and write
books while sitting on
airplanes when traveling.
“There’s no real difference
between coaching
and therapy.”
There is a growing body of
empirical research to document
the distinctions as well as the
considerations needed to discern the
appropriateness of coaching and/or
therapy. Coach and client traits and
coaching goals are key determinants
and the processes and relationship
dynamics differ significantly.
—Francine Campone, Ed.D., MCC
There are many differences between
coaching and therapy, a primary
one being that therapy generally
addresses emotional and behavioral
patterns which interfere with the
client’s ability to function effectively.
Coaching largely seeks to foster an
evolving expression of a client’s
potential by focusing on quality of
life choices and effective action.
—Karen Kimsey-House, PCC
“Information covered in
coaching sessions should
be common sense.”
“Common sense” implies that all
information is evident and easily
accessible to an individual. Coaching
recognizes that all of us have biases
and blind spots in our thinking
and perceptions. A coaching
conversation uncovers those
aspects of a situation that the client
has been unable to see or consider.
—Francine Campone, Ed.D., MCC
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Coaching World 17