Assignment: Coaching and Consulting Comparison

Assignment: Coaching and Consulting Comparison

Assignment: Coaching and Consulting Comparison

Consultation is an indirect intervention for a client or group. The consultant is considered an expert, the consultee is capable, and the consultant and consultee must be matched and compatible. The consultant is more of an advisor or enhancer, and there is no therapeutic relationship needed between client and counselor during consultation. There are seven models of consultation: triadic, technical, collaborative, facilitative, mental health, behavioral, and process. Coaching combines career counseling, organizational counseling, and employee development, and it is less-defined than consultation.

Some other possible names for coaches are mentor, management consultant, or human resource specialist. Coaching addresses career planning, accomplishment of career alternatives, and personal/vocational problems. There are three approaches to coaching: leadership- leadership support, development/success- current or future opportunities, and performance- enhancement for possible challenges.

There are two models of coaching: coactive coaching and Hershenson’s model of work adjustment. The client should choose a coach that matches with their objective, knowledge, and expertise in order to achieve their goals. Like consultants, career coaches do not need to gain and maintain a therapeutic relationship with their clients but rather a strong and successful working relationship (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2012).

Key Insights Gained 

The Triadic Model of consultation is made up of four consultation modes: provision- “used when the client finds him/herself confronted with a problem and without the resources of time, interest, or competence,” prescriptive- “used when the client is looking for a specific solution or prescription for a specific problem,” collaboration- used when the “consultant functions more as a facilitator than as a technical expert,” and mediation- used when the client “initiates contact and requests help for solving a problem” (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2012, p 283-284).

Coactive coaching is similar to that of person-centered counseling. “This approach endorses that all people are naturally creative, resourceful, whole, and completely capable of finding their own answers to whatever challenges they face” (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2012, p 291). Hershenson’s model of work adjustment focuses “on personality, work competencies, work habits, and work goals while considering the work setting” (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2012, p 292).

Three intrapersonal subsystems are developed by three environments: family- work personality (individual’s self-concept, work motivation, and needs/values), school experience- work competencies (work habits, interpersonal skills, and physical/mental skills), and peer/reference group- work goals (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2012).