An effective coach goes in the direction the client chooses. The client sets the agenda. If your client is a person of faith and wants to bring their spiritual development into the conversation, it is wise for the coach to follow their lead. As a person of faith, spiritual reflection may be the way that the client processes life experiences. We have identified the focal area of coaching as “the client’s whole life.” Does this not include their spiritual life? A recent conversation with a pastor who is a coaching client dealt with personal clarity about goals for her ministry. She identified part of this as a spiritual challenge. She was already aware of some spiritual disciplines and suggested that one of these might give her additional insight. One of my favorite International Coaching Federation core competencies is titled “Evoking Awareness.” In this core competency, the coach is encouraged to help the client “facilitate insight and learning.” Applying insights from spir
In our Introduction to Coaching Class, a question that is often asked is, “What’s the difference between coaching and spiritual direction?” We usually respond by referring participants to a chart developed by Mark Tidsworth that is included in our book Disciple Development Coaching (see excerpts below). We also point out that each process has become a well-developed discipline with clear standards for training and credentialing (for spiritual direction, see Spiritual Directors International or Spiritual Directions.com ; for coaching, see International Coaching Federation ). Here are some ways we might differentiate coaching from spiritual direction. Focus Coaching: Developing people through learning by doing, partnering between self-discovery and sustainable action Spiritual Direction: Listening for God’s direction, gaining insights into one’s spiritual journey. Expertise Coaching: Expertise within client Spiritual Direction: Client’s spiritual journey, with