Is Coaching Always the Answer?

At The Educational Coach, we are often asked to clarify the differences between coaching, mentoring, and consultancy in a professional context. These conversations arise particularly when schools seek the best ways to support their teachers, staff, and leadership teams. While coaching is an invaluable tool for growth and development, it’s important to recognise that it’s not always the solution. So, how do you know when coaching is the right approach, and when other methods might serve better?

We follow Whitmore’s (2024) definition of coaching, we aim to “unlock people’s potential to maximise their own performance” (p. 26). Coaching focuses on personal and professional growth through self-awareness, reflection, and ownership of outcomes. In education, coaching is more specific: it’s a one-to-one conversation aimed at increasing a teacher’s capacity to learn and develop. As van Nieuwerburgh (2012) notes, coaching in schools enhances self-awareness and responsibility through supportive yet challenging interactions.

Coaching can be transformative when done well, but as powerful as it is, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. Schools are complex environments with a variety of needs, which is why understanding the different approaches, such as mentoring, consultancy, and coaching, is crucial to choosing the right path at the right time.

What Coaching Is (and Isn’t)

Recent literature from Baldelli (2024) prompts reflection on the true essence of coaching. In summary coaching is not about fixing someone, unlike therapy, which is designed to help individuals overcome emotional or mental health challenges. Coaching instead focuses on facilitating a person’s ability to become more effective by asking thought-provoking questions and encouraging self-reflection. It’s not about giving advice or taking control, which is more aligned with consultancy. A consultant analyses a situation, identifies problems, and offers solutions. A coach helps the individual come to their own conclusions and make their own decisions.

Coaching is also distinct from mentoring, where an experienced individual offers guidance based on their own expertise. Mentoring has its place, especially when teachers are early in their careers or navigating new challenges. However, coaching is not about sharing expertise—it’s about unlocking the individual’s own potential. Finally, coaching isn’t a quick fix or training session; it’s an ongoing process, often requiring time and consistent reflection to yield results.

When Coaching Might Not Be the Answer

It’s important to recognise that while coaching can foster growth, it’s not always the best fit depending on your goals and the situation at hand. For instance, mentorship may be more appropriate if you have staff members who need direct guidance and support, especially early in their careers. Mentorship can provide the expertise and advice that a coach might intentionally avoid offering, making it a better match when specific, experience-based knowledge is required.

In other situations, consultancy might offer a more appropriate solution. Schools often benefit from external expertise to analyse complex problems and recommend evidence-based strategies. Using research, meta-studies, and data from external sources, such as The Chartered College of Teaching, schools can make informed decisions that may fall outside the scope of coaching. These outside agencies can help address immediate issues, while coaching can still be used to support long-term professional development.

Different Forms of Coaching

At The Educational Coach, we embrace a strengths-based, holistic, and facilitative model of coaching, rather than an instructional or performance-based one. Our approach centres on helping educators build self-awareness and identify their strengths to enhance teaching and learning. However, coaching can take various forms, each suited to different needs and goals in schools. Here's a quick breakdown:

Skills Coaching

This short-term, focused coaching aims to develop specific competencies, such as classroom management or tech integration. It’s directive and useful for addressing immediate needs.

Performance Coaching

A broader, longer-term approach focused on enhancing overall effectiveness. The coachee sets goals, overcomes obstacles, and monitors progress with guidance from the coach, promoting deeper reflection and growth.

Developmental Coaching

This holistic model supports personal and professional growth by fostering deep introspection, often addressing broader life goals and values. It's ideal for leadership development and long-term impact.

Instructional Coaching

Focused on improving teaching practices, instructional coaching provides direct feedback and guidance. Coaches offer expertise and strategies to enhance specific classroom outcomes.

Leadership Coaching

Designed for school leaders, this coaching type develops skills such as decision-making, conflict resolution, and strategic planning, helping leaders manage teams and foster a positive school culture.

Group or Team Coaching

This model works with teams to enhance collaboration and alignment toward common goals. It’s particularly useful for improving group dynamics or implementing shared strategies. 

(Knight, 2008; Grant, 2017; Whitmore & Gaskell, 2024)

The Educational Coach’s Holistic, Strengths-Based Approach

At The Educational Coach, our focus is on strengths-based, holistic, and facilitative coaching. This means that our approach is more reflective and empowering than directive. Rather than simply telling educators how to improve, we help them tap into their existing strengths and uncover their solutions. By creating a space where individuals can reflect on their practice and gain greater self-awareness, we encourage long-term, sustainable growth.

Our coaching is facilitative, meaning the coachee controls the process. They set the agenda, explore their challenges, and determine the best way forward. This creates a deep sense of ownership and responsibility, fostering a commitment to continuous improvement. We also take a holistic approach, considering not just the individual’s professional performance but also their personal development, well-being, and sense of purpose. This is particularly important in education, where the emotional and psychological demands of teaching can be high, and where personal fulfillment is closely linked to professional success.

By understanding the different forms of coaching and the unique needs of your school or team, you can make an informed decision about which type of coaching, or a blend of coaching approaches, is right for you. Whether your focus is on immediate performance improvement or long-term personal development, there is a coaching model that can help you achieve your goals.

How to Know When Coaching is the Answer

The key to knowing whether coaching is the right solution lies in understanding where your school is in its journey and what impact you hope to achieve. If your goal is to promote personal responsibility, encourage reflection, and empower staff to discover their potential, then coaching is likely the answer. However, if you’re looking to implement immediate changes, need specific technical expertise, or require direct advice, other approaches like consultancy or mentorship may be more suitable.

In many cases, a blend of methods is most effective. Schools might bring in external consultants for a short-term project, while simultaneously embedding a coaching culture to support long-term professional growth. Similarly, mentorship programs can run alongside coaching initiatives, offering staff the chance to gain both direct guidance and the space to reflect and grow independently.

When introducing coaching into a school, the literature proposes several factors. Drawing on our own experience, along with insights from Munro (2017), here are some questions and principles to guide the coaching introduction process in your school:

Consider the context

The sustainable establishment of coaching is highly context-dependent. Before launching, think about the conditions in your school that will support or challenge the introduction of coaching. What past initiatives have been successful, and why? What structures, resources, or experiences are already in place that could help with coaching?

Experience is key

We learn about coaching by experiencing it. In the early stages, focus on creating opportunities for staff to experience high-quality coaching. This hands-on exposure will allow them to “get it” and understand its value firsthand.

Clarity and authenticity

If coaching is to gain traction, clarity of intent and authenticity are essential. Staff need to trust the process and feel confident that coaching is being introduced with genuine intent to support professional growth. What models or principles guide your discussions on teaching and learning? 

Coaching evolves

The implementation of coaching doesn't happen overnight. As staff begin to see the benefits of coaching, new opportunities or "portals" for applying it will open. This evolving process requires flexibility. How will coaching fit current learning approaches, such as Professional Learning Communities or peer observations? What practices could be adjusted or stopped to make room for coaching?

Training is essential

Building a strong internal coaching resource requires ongoing training. Specific skills and attitudes are needed to coach effectively. Who will be involved, and what training will they need? By developing a well-trained group of coaches, you lay the foundation for a sustainable coaching culture.

When thinking about ‘who to start with’, Van Nieuwerbrugh’s (2016) principle of democratic voluntary involvement may probe some thinking. These three parts include:

• Democratic: Allow everyone to participate.

• Voluntary: Let individuals choose to engage in coaching.

• Involvement: Include staff in shaping how coaching will work in their school.

By starting with a motivated group of champions, early adopters, and even some sceptics, you create momentum. Over time, as staff experience the benefits of coaching, the opportunities for coaching will expand, creating a shared language and understanding that embeds coaching deeply within the school culture.

Coaching as a Way of Being

Ultimately, coaching is not just a method; it’s a way of being. It’s an energy that fosters connection, growth, and purpose. It’s about creating a space where individuals are encouraged to reflect, challenge themselves, and discover their potential. While there are many paths to growth and development in schools, sustainable change begins with the mindset and principles that coaching cultivates.

In short, coaching is not always the answer, but it’s often a key part of the solution. Knowing when to use it, and when to incorporate other methods, is essential for creating an environment where staff can thrive, students succeed, and schools grow. At The Educational Coach, we believe that lasting change happens when coaching is combined with the right tools, research, and external support, ensuring a tailored approach that meets the unique needs of every school.

References: 

Baldelli, L. (2024, August 15). What coaching is and what it isn’t. Coaching Outside the Box. https://www.coachingoutsidethebox.net/what-coaching-is-and-isnt/

Knight, J. (2008). Coaching: Approaches and perspectives. Corwin Press.

Grant, A. (2017). Coaching as evidence-based practice: the view through a multiple-perspective model of coaching research. The SAGE handbook of coaching, 62-84.

Whitmore, J., & Gaskell, T. (2024). Coaching for Performance: The Principles and Practice of Coaching and Leadership: Fully Revised Edition for 2024. John Murray Business.

Munro, C. (2017). Context, context, context: implementing coaching in schools. Education Today, 17(4), 38-40.

Passmore, J., Rawle-Cope, M., Gibbes, C., & Holloway, M. (2006). MBTI types and executive coaching. The Coaching Psychologist, 2(3), 6-16.

van Nieuwerburgh, C. (2012). Coaching in education: an overview. In C. van Nieuwerburgh (Ed.) Coaching in Education: Getting Better Results for Students, Educators, and Parents. (pp. 3-23). London: Karnac.

van Nieuwerburgh, C. (2016). Towards a coaching culture. In C. van Nieuwerburgh (Ed.) Coaching in Professional Contexts. (pp.227-234). London: Sage.