ACAP COUN2281 Reflective Essay: Coaching Theories and Application

This essay provides a reflective overview of coaching theories and practice, distinguishing between coaching, counseling, and consulting. It critically reviews behavior change models like goal theory, positive psychology, adult learning, and theories of change, reflecting on personal changes, such as improving confidence. The essay evaluates coaching techniques, particularly solution-focused theory, and outlines a coaching plan for achieving desired changes. It emphasizes the importance of goal determination, skill evaluation, and time management in successful coaching, concluding with a summary of the key concepts discussed and highlighting the potential for personal growth through coaching.

Reflective essay

TABLE OF CONTENT
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
distinctions between coaching, counselling and consulting........................................................3
Critical review on theories and models of behaviour change regarding coaching:.....................4
Reflection on change that I would like to make:.........................................................................5
Critical evaluation of theories and techniques of coaching:........................................................5
Coaching plan to change they like to achieve:.............................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
Coaching plan is a strategy in which the trainer train, motivate, and enhance the ability of the
trainee. For better development plan of the coaching organization can also collaborate and
strength the goal of the person and their objective. The essay includes the information about the
development of the coaching plan by applying theories and techniques by which individual can
achieve this. In this report we will discuss difference between coaching, counselling and
consulting. Late we will discuss major theories and model of behaviour regarding goal theory,
positive psychological, adult learning and theories of change. At last, we will discuss coaching
plan.
MAIN BODY
distinctions between coaching, counselling and consulting
Coaching: this determines the awareness and responsibility for achieving the maximum profit
and performance by the coaching. Mainly awareness through coaching created by the
enhancement and improvement the personal ability of a person. Responsibility is created by the
accountability and motivation, confidence, etc. learning and is the important part of the life by
which the person can enhance their learning and development skills (Killion, Bryan, and
Clifton, 2020). Coaching is basically the unlocking learning towards their performance and life
in which they want to achieve their objective and goals. Coaching identify in the person life how
should they have to do this and by what skills should they have to applied for the better
improvement.
Counselling: counselling describe as a talking therapist for the people who are in difficulty to
solve the issue that they are facing (Cowie, and Sharp, 2017). Counselling can be differed from
person to person, but mainly this will be defined that this is a process by which people reach to
the counselling for the changes that they want to make in their lives to grab the better
opportunity and enhancement in their lives. Counsellor is the person who encourage you towards
the change and in coaching they teach you how will you change yourself.
Consulting: consulting describe the advice which is given by an expert to the individual.
Consulting mainly help the person to be more effective and efficient in terms to achieve the
success. Mainly the students who want to take advice for their career are seek towards the
consulting. Consultant is a person who is an expert in terms of giving the person access towards

their expertise. Consulting help the person in order to change the perception of their by current
self to the desired self (Gunter, and Mills, 2017). Consulting is also helped the people in order
to solve their issue and problems and move towards the desired state that will be more valuable
for a person. Mostly people hire the consultant because they are unable to find the desire state of
their own that's why they hire the consultant to help them in the identification and that's hwo they
also save their time and value of efficiency by enhancing the perfect term towards the career and
objective that they make.
Critical review on theories and models of behaviour change regarding coaching:
Goal theory: goal is one of the most important thing in coaching, setting up goals is the key
foundation of making a coaching successful. Goal theory of coaching means the person need to
set goals which are attainable and achievable, staying committed to goal is another important
thing in goal theory (Killion, Bryan and Clifton, 2020). When there are feedbacks regarding the
progress of the goal, it becomes very easy to set planning in next step. Without the planning
goals are useless, planning make the goal higher quality and easy to achieve. To understand the
behavioural change in coaching, a person need to understand underlying principles of change.
Coaches who teach their student about several topics explore wide range of belief, value and
change behaviour of student. Goal theory will be very beneficial for me to bring personal
change, I would like to be more confident in my life in which I need to follow goal theory which
allow me to set goals to improve my confidence.
Positive psychology: positive theory of behaviour change in coaching means a person is trying to
develop a positive mindset and mentality to trigger the mental illness like depression. Many
people suffer from procrastination, psychological coaching help a person to bring behavioural
changes. I believe coaching help a person to create a positive psychology to deal effectively with
procrastination. Positive psychology theory of behavioural change in coaching have GROW
framework which allow person address the psychological belief and issue. GROW standard for
Goal, Reality, Option and Will. I would like to achieve self-confidence in life and working to
bring personal change. I have decided to create a positive psychology which help me to be
positive in tough situations. As goal is to achieve confidence in life, reality is I can achieve it,
options are available to bring the change and I have will to bring change and boost confidence.
Adult learning: adult learning simply means adults are getting education, but this is done in high
education in a formal way. There are certain theories of adult learning coaching such as

Andragogy adult learning theory: this is one of the most popular adult learning theory, this help
student to actively learn with art and science (Shoukry and Cox, 2018). The Andragogy argue
that adult need to be coach according to their age, they need high education than children. This
theory of adult learning help student to understand the importance of learning something and this
also help them to build internal motivation. This theory of adult learning mainly focus student's
understanding in learning something, their activeness and their level of interest in a particular
topic, Andragogy suggest that coaching should leave student by their own and provide them less
intrsuction in what they have to do, hence this will make them more self-aware and build an
ability to tackle the things by their own.
Theory of change: bringing change is hard, a person should be prepared to bring change.
Bringing change can be very challenging that means a student who wish to change really need to
mark those areas of where change is required. Some changes are very necessary, for example
bringing change in bad habit (Drake, 2020). Theory of change in coaching suggest that change is
a lens which allow student to see the world with a different view. Coaching is a systematic way
to bring change in a life and behaviour, most of the purpose of coaching is to lead change. In this
a student want to develop effective way learn new skills, these changes are intentional which
help student to be a better and effective in life.
Reflection on change that I would like to make:
Personal change I would like to make is lack of confidence, I believe change are very necessary
at some stages of life, without the change a person can not be successful. I believe change is hard
process, a person should be prepared both mentally physically to bring change in their life and
standard of living. If we talk about the change which in like to make then I would be change in
my behaviour. Some area of behaviour need to be changed and some area need to be improved. I
have weak area which need to be changed such as weak public speaking and communication, I
have good communication skills but some part need to be change, mainly the nervousness. I
become nervous while in front of the crowd which make me dis comfortable while addressing
my words. The most important change will be confident which need to be developed to become
effective.
Critical evaluation of theories and techniques of coaching:
Coaching theories help a person to develop a proper way of living life, coaching is very
important which allow a person to learn academic and organizational ethics and standard of

living. The coaching theory help a person to bring change, there are some theories of coaching
such as:
Solution focused theory: solution focused theory of coaching is one of the most valuable theory
which help in finding the solution. These theories mainly focus on solution, in this short terms
plans and goals are been created to achieve them on time. Solution focused answer various
important question such as how better a life would be if the problem and issue is been solved. As
discussed above, every coaching is goal oriented but every goal is solution oriented. Goals are
been set to solve the problem faced by the person. These goals target those weak are and provide
solution for the same. When a person decide to bring changes, then they try to identify problem
faced by them and later find the solution. Solution focused theory is best to achieve change in the
life. Solution focused theory is not only limited to the setting of goals but this has roots to the
organizational changes as well, every organization plan change and this change start from change
in the behaviour of the people. Solution theory is somehow related to psychological theory
because:
Psychological theory help a person to identify problem and issues and solution theory solve those
problems and issue, in this coach skills are very important, they need to understand the changing
behaviour of their client and find the solution accordingly. Solution focused theory do not argue
that there is no existence problem faced by the clients rather this help in developing clarity and
insight among the clients. The skills of coach will be pushed to the limit as they try to create a
story from the emotion of client and find the solution accordingly.
Coaching plan to change they like to achieve:
Planing coaching is one of the most important part in achieving the change, coaching is very
essential to learn new things. There are certain steps in coaching plan such as:
Goal determination: identifying the goal is the first and the most important step in the coaching
plan, without the goal a person can not achieve the desired change. When client decide to bring
changes in their behaviour to achieve something, they first need to set gaols which are attainable
and achievable (Cushion and Partington, 2016). If the client plan to achieve some major change
in their habits then they have to set coaching plan which include goal determination.
Evaluation of set of skills: skills plays an vital role in a person life, without skills a person can
not be successful in life. Some skills are rare which not every one can have such as leadership
skills. The evaluation of set of skills is second stage of coaching plan, this highlight how a

evaluation of skills are very important, this coaching plan have helped me to identify personal
skills which allow bringing changes.
Time bounding: every plan is time bounded which need to be completed within a time frame,
time is very important in the process. Setting time means marking the area of time frame to
successfully achieve the change. To achieve every goal, time plays an vital role, coaching plan
include various goal which need to be completed in time.
CONCLUSION
In this report we have discussed coaching, this report show the different between coaching,
counselling and consulting. Later we have discussed the major theories and models of behaviour
change regarding coaching which include goal theory, positive psychological, adult learning and
theories of change. Later we have discussed the key techniques and process of coaching which
include solution focused coaching. Later we have provided reflection on personal change which I
like to achieve. At last, we have discussed coaching plan which provide guide to make personal
changes with the coaching plan. Summarize report conclude the information that an individual
can bring a coaching development plan for the betterment and learning advancement. Coaching
helps the individual in their problems and issue that they are facing by which they will easily
determine the effectiveness in them. Coaching establishes a change and make the person more
perfect in their field.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Killion, J., Bryan, C. and Clifton, H., 2020. Coaching matters. Learning Forward.
Cowie, H. and Sharp, S. eds., 2017. Peer counselling in schools: A time to listen. Routledge.
Gunter, H.M. and Mills, C., 2017. Consultants and consultancy: The case of education.
Switzerland: Springer International Publishing.
Killion, J., Bryan, C. and Clifton, H., 2020. Coaching matters. Learning Forward.
Shoukry, H. and Cox, E., 2018. Coaching as a social process. Management Learning, 49(4),
pp.413-428.
Drake, D., 2020. Narrative coaching. In The Coaches’ Handbook (pp. 257-266). Routledge.
Cushion, C. and Partington, M., 2016. A critical analysis of the conceptualisation of ‘coaching
philosophy’. Sport, education and society, 21(6), pp.851-867.
Fillery‐Travis, A. and Lane, D.A., 2020. Does coaching work or are we asking the wrong
question?. Coaching Researched: A Coaching Psychology Reader, pp.47-63.
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