Types of Coaching by Control (Directed vs. Undirected)

Classification by Level of Direction

In addition to classifying coaching by its content area or underlying philosophical/psychological approach, another useful distinction is based on the level of control or direction the coach exercises during the process.

This classification focuses on the degree to which the coach intervenes by providing direct suggestions, advice or guidance versus the degree to which he or she encourages completely autonomous exploration and discovery on the part of the coachee.

Understanding this distinction helps to nuance the role of the coach and to tailor the style of intervention to the particular needs of the client and the stage of the process they are in.

Basically, we can differentiate between more directive and less directive coaching.

Directed Coaching: Providing Guidance

Directed coaching is characterized by the coach taking a more active role in providing guidance.

In this approach, the coach is not strictly limited to asking questions and facilitating reflection, but may also provide advice, suggestions and even some more explicit guidance as to the path he or she believes is best for the coachee to follow.

This style can be useful in situations where the client starts from a very low level of self-knowledge or skills in the area to be worked on, or when a clearer structure is needed to start the process.

However, too much direction can limit the development of the client's autonomy and create a dependency on the coach, which contravenes one of the fundamental principles of coaching.

Non-Directed Coaching: Fostering Autonomy

In contrast, non-directed coaching aligns more closely with the core philosophy of coaching, which seeks to foster maximum autonomy for individuals.

In this approach, the coach deliberately refrains from giving direct advice, solutions or guidance.

His or her role is focused exclusively on facilitating the coachee's process of self-exploration and self-discovery through powerful questions, active listening and reflective feedback.

Full trust is placed in the client's ability to find his or her own answers and design his or her own strategies.

The type of coaching considered the purest and, in the long run, most beneficial for client empowerment is non-directed, as it promotes the coachee's responsibility, creativity and self-efficacy.

Contextualizing the Choice of Approach

While non-directive coaching is often the ideal, the choice between a more or less directive approach is not always dichotomous and may depend on the context.

It is true that there are times when an initial phase of more directed coaching may be necessary.

This is especially relevant when the coachee starts from a behavior far removed from personal autonomy or lacks the basic tools to structure his or her thinking or action. In these cases, initial guidance can serve as temporary scaffolding.

However, the ultimate goal should always be to transition to a non-directed approach as soon as possible.

This allows the coachee to truly take ownership of their process and develop the ability to navigate their challenges independently.

The coach's skill lies in knowing when and how to adjust the level of direction to best serve the client's development.

Summary

The control rating is based on the level of direction or guidance the coach exercises during the process. This helps to tailor the style of intervention to the client's needs.

Directed coaching is characterized by a more active role of the coach, who can provide explicit advice and suggestions. It can be useful with clients with low self-awareness, although it carries a risk of dependency.

Non-directed coaching aligns with the core philosophy, refraining from giving direct solutions. It focuses on facilitating self-discovery and encouraging maximum client autonomy, and is the purest and most beneficial approach.