As you read the word 'coach' what springs to mind? An athlete or footballer? A film about a 1950s high school?? Perhaps all of the above, but if I were to talk about someone getting a life or career coach, in my experience you probably think about a Chief Executive or a Board Member.

One of the questions that comes up a lot for new coaches (and I expect to a degree, potential clients who wonder what coaching is like) is around whether coaching is about challenging or cheerleading. A good coach will do both, but the real skill is in knowing how much of each is required, for who and when.