Stuck on the career ladder? No success in your love life? Gained 10 kilos? Fortunately, today there is a coach for everything and everyone. It is estimated that around 10,000 business coaches and more than 40,000 life coaches offer their services in the German-speaking world. And the coaching market continues to grow.
How can you find the right coach and coaching program for you among such a large number? By looking at a few key factors, you can quickly tell whether a coach will truly help you move forward or simply generate costs.
Where Does Coaching Come From?
Let’s first look at how the term coaching originated. The word comes from the English “coach,” which originally referred to a coachman whose job was to bring a carriage safely to its destination. In the 1850s, the term was increasingly used colloquially for a private tutor of students and later, at the end of the 19th century, found its way into the world of sports. The coach was responsible for preparing an athlete or team specifically for competition. Through professional sports, the term coach became established in German and was commonly used in the sense of “trainer.”
In the 1970s, the word coaching emerged to describe the service provided by a coach. Essentially, it refers to training and consulting concepts aimed at developing personal and professional goals and acquiring the necessary skills. The term is still not legally protected, so anyone can call themselves a “coach.” That is why it is important to define criteria to ensure the quality of coaching.
Who Benefits from Coaching?
I am often asked what makes a good coach or good coaching in a professional context. Naturally, I wonder whether I can judge myself as a good coach—or whether that judgment belongs to my clients or to the people who observe changes in my clients.
My answer is clear: the people led by my clients are the ones who can best evaluate the quality of a coaching process. If they notice lasting positive changes in their boss or manager, then the coaching has worked. In my coaching practice, I involve the people in my client’s environment and ask them what has changed for them as a result of their leader’s coaching. From these survey results, I can determine whether my coaching was successful. Especially in a professional context, it is important to me that not only the coachee benefits but also their colleagues and, ultimately, the entire organization.
How Does Good Coaching Work?
For me, the key question is how—how does good coaching actually work? Most people assume that a good coach primarily asks good questions. These questions help the client reflect and ultimately find their own answers. A sports coach, on the other hand, gives instructions. The athlete implements them and reflects on the result with the coach. My own practice is a blend of both.
Questions, Questions, Questions
A good coach stands out through the quality of their questions. They ask open-ended questions—those that cannot be answered with a simple yes or no—using a deliberate sequence of useful prompts. For example, I often start a session by asking: “What is currently on your mind the most?” and then follow up with “And what else?” After that, I might ask, “What is this really about?” or “What is your real challenge here?” From the answers, a clearer picture of the client’s situation emerges, allowing me to fully understand their concerns.
At some point, solutions to the problem start forming in my mind. An inner voice wants to say: “I have a solution for your problem,” “I even have several solutions,” “I faced the same problem myself and solved it,” or “I’ve heard this problem from other clients and want to share my solution with you.”
Coaching or Consulting?
These days I can resist the urge to immediately present my solutions and instead ask: “What would you like?” and “How can I help you?” Usually, I then present possible options. Strictly speaking, this means I leave the pure coaching approach—where the client develops the solutions independently—and move into consulting. Afterwards, I reflect on whether it was the right decision to step away from pure questioning.
Honestly, I’m still a bit undecided on this point. After more than 20 years in management consulting, I am conditioned to provide clients with concrete, proven, and actionable solutions—after all, that is what they pay me for. Over the years, I have built a methodological toolkit of great breadth and depth, and my solutions are highly creative. When I myself am coached, I personally expect not only smart questions but also intelligent solution proposals. On the other hand, experience shows me that solutions I develop myself are often more successful in practice, because they fit me better and are easier to internalize.
My Development as a Coach
What does this mean for my own future as a coach? I, too, want to improve continuously. That is why I strive even more to resist the urge to provide ready-made solutions. Instead, I aim to guide my clients with powerful questions so that they find the best solutions themselves, while I act as a facilitator.
What do you expect from a good coach—someone who focuses solely on asking strong questions, or someone who also offers concrete solutions? I’d love to hear your opinion and discuss your idea of effective coaching with you.