Question from a coach – Why can’t I give advice?

Question –  Why can't I give advice during my coaching sessions?

Jennifer – Because you're not a consultant. In fact, you're not a consultant, you're not a mentor, you're not a teacher, you're not a trainer. You're a coach. And coaches know and truly believe that the best advice comes from the client themselves. Right?

That’s why all we have to do is practice active listening and ask the right questions to extract the client’s own wisdom, ideas, resources and brilliance. They have the answers. The coach doesn’t.

I like to look at it this way: if I give my client advice, the underlying message is I think you are so pathetic that you can't find your own answers, and so you really need me to provide your answers for you.

That's definitely not the empowering message or presence we want to have with our clients. 

Instead, take an assumptive role and trust they are whole and resourceful and that they can easily find their own answers. You, the coach, simply need to facilitate that.

You don't give advice because it's not your job. You’re a coach.