Where leaders get stuck…
Sometimes the challenge is organizational.
Sometimes it’s personal.
Knowing the difference matters.
Coaching and consulting can both create meaningful change, but they solve different kinds of problems.
Consulting asks:
What is happening within the organization, why is it happening, and what needs to change?
A consultant brings expertise, evaluates the situation, identifies problems and risks, and may recommend specific solutions or actions.
Coaching asks:
What do you want to change, what may be getting in the way, and what do you want to do next?
A coach creates space for reflection, asks questions, challenges assumptions, and helps you uncover your own answers rather than prescribing them.
There are times when an organization needs an expert recommendation.
There are times when a leader needs the space to think.
And occasionally, leaders discover that what initially appeared to be an organizational problem is also asking something of them as a leader.
My experience in both environments helps me recognize the distinction.
FAQs
What is the difference between Coaching, Mentorship, and Consulting?
Coaching: Coaching is client lead, grounded in the belief the client is capable and resourceful. This is future-focused. As a coach, I am a partner in exploring transformation; what the client desires to change, and where they want to go. Coaching gives the client space to explore. I act as a guide on the journey toward desired outcomes.
What Coaching isn’t: Coaching isn’t therapy; it does not diagnose any medical conditions. A coach does not give advice, or tell you what to do.
Mentorship: A mentor acts as an advisor, reflecting on past experiences and shares their knowledge, in partnership with a client. Guidance rooted in experience. Mentors are great for mid-level professionals desiring skills development for that next step. The client often knows exactly what it is they want to achieve and already identified areas they need help with.
Consulting: Consulting is a problem solving engagement with defined outcomes. A consultant is the expert, provides a diagnosis of issues, solutions, and changes to be implemented.
What is my coaching style?
I coach from a place of warmth, curiosity, and intuition. I mix exploration with structured reflection. I find the path of exploration, and challenging the “normal way of thinking” to the “aha!” moments to be the most exciting.
What is my coaching niche?
I work with capable, high-performing professionals — often in leadership roles — who look successful on paper but feel stuck, exhausted, or uncertain about what’s next. They’re ready for meaningful change, not quick fixes.
What type of coaching clients do I work with?
I work with mid-career to senior-level professionals or executives. Those who typically carry significant responsibilities, and are experiencing stagnation or burnout. I work with clients who want to think deeply and intentionally, who want to try something new, not be told what to do. In my experience clients who aren’t willing to think deeply and only want a script to follow are not the best fit with my coaching style.