Main Historical Currents of Coaching

Geographical and Methodological Diversification

As coaching evolved from its philosophical and psychological roots, different streams with particular approaches and methodologies, often associated with specific geographic regions, began to emerge.

These streams, while sharing the fundamental objective of facilitating growth and goal achievement, are nuanced in their theoretical and practical emphases.

Understanding these major historical strands helps to understand the richness and diversity of today's profession.

The three most influential streams are North American, European and South American.

The North American Stream: Structure and Professionalization

The North American coaching movement had a leading exponent who developed an in-depth methodology, structured around key areas and specific competencies.

This approach laid the foundations for the professionalization of coaching and was instrumental in the creation of one of the most important accreditation bodies in the world today.

This body sets ethical and competency standards, offering varying degrees of certification based on the coach's experience and hours of practice.

For those seeking to engage in professional coaching, especially in the corporate environment, accreditation by this body is often indispensable.

This stream is characterized by its emphasis on structure, measurable competencies and professional standardization.

The European Stream: From Sport to Business and the "Inner Game".

The European stream has its roots in the sports field, particularly influenced by the ideas of a tennis coach.

This pioneer observed that athletes, in addition to the external game (the visible physical action), play a crucial "inner game" related to self-confidence, concentration and emotional management in the face of challenges.

He identified three key components in this inner game: awareness (being present in the moment), confidence (believing in one's own ability) and decisiveness (choosing the right action). These ideas resonated deeply with the emerging principles of coaching.

Subsequently, another influential thinker adapted and brought these "inner game" concepts to the business world, becoming a key figure in professional and executive coaching in Europe.

This stream emphasizes the importance of overcoming internal obstacles to achieve peak performance.

The South American Current: Ontological Coaching and the Depth of Being

A current known as Ontological Coaching emerged in South America, often considered as a deeper approach, focused on "coaching the self".

Its main exponent developed a methodology that focuses on the transformation of the person through work with three fundamental domains: language (what we say, hear and our internal dialogue), emotions (what we feel and how we manage those feelings) and the body or behavior (our actions and postures).

This approach is closely aligned with the idea of coaching as a process of learning and personal transformation, considering the individual as part of a system and influenced by it.

Ontological coaching seeks to generate significant changes in the way the person perceives him/herself and the world, leading to transformative learning.

Summary

There are three main currents that influence coaching today: North American, European and South American. Understanding them helps to understand the richness and diversity of the modern profession.

The North American current emphasizes a deep, structured methodology and professionalization. It is fundamental in the creation of bodies that establish ethical standards and measurable competencies for certification.

The European current is based on the "inner game" (self-confidence, concentration, emotional management) of sport. The South American current developed Ontological Coaching, focused on the transformation of the self through language, emotion and body.