Cathy Liska When you consider the research on the ROI for coaching, the average return on investment is 600-700% – see http://mowbraybydesign.com/coaching-roi/for more information.
What is the reason coaching is so powerful? The answer is simpler than you think: the coach puts the client in charge of being their own best expert. In turn, the client owns the options, choices, strategies, actions, and accountability. 
Think about these examples:
- Imagine you are out with a friend for dinner. They share a challenge they are facing, and you want to help them. Typically, this help comes in the form of offering suggestions. How likely is that friend to follow-through? While a few will, most don’t.
- Imagine a doctor telling a patient to quit smoking and/or lose weight. How likely is the patient to make it happen? In most cases, unlikely.
- Imagine a manager telling an employee to change the way they do things. How long is the change likely to last? Usually just a short time.
What is the difference? In the above examples, the answer or direction came from outside. In coaching, the answer and direction come from within.
A trained coach has the expertise of knowing what to ask and when to empower the individual. A coach supports a positive, proactive focus. A coach asks questions that explore opportunities, challenges, possibilities, and strategies. A coach is the partner that focuses on the greatness of the individual they serve. A coach’s interest rests in their client.
Ironically, it is easier to tell people the what and how to achieve success than it is to coach them to discover their own answers. Coaching is a process that requires the competencies developed through coaching certification. True success comes from within the individual.
