The Expert vs The Coach

We all want to be well. We yearn to be in control of our health, to feel better, and to have more energy. 

But there’s an enormous gap between wanting to be well and the everyday reality of living with physical and mental health consequences of overeating, under-exercising, and having too little downtime to recharge your batteries. 

The health industry has been working hard to help. Never before have there been more experts, assessments, resources, guidelines, technology, books and beautiful high-tech facilities.

But it’s not enough...

The ‘expert approach’ of telling you what to do isn’t ideal when you have low confidence, obstacles to overcome and are ambivalent about change. Experts are trained to deliver prescriptions and advice, and they often work harder than their clients in trying to help them. But this can let clients off the hook...

Underneath the expert approach is the subtle message: you are not in charge.

As a personal trainer I’m considered an expert, prescribing exercise programs and dispensing nutrition advice. It was a few years ago when I realised the limitations of this.

The expert approach is only vital when there is an immediate health crisis. It doesn’t work so well when you want to lose weight, reduce stress, or develop a more confident and sustainable mindset. 

Delegating to experts comes with a price - loss of control and self-efficacy (confidence in your own abilities). And without those two, it’s almost impossible to change things for good.

Enter the ‘coach approach’

Coaches show up as a collaborative partner to the relationship, rather than an expert who primarily analyses problems, prescribes solutions, recommends goals and teaches skills.

In the coaching approach, the client is called to become the decision-maker and to grow into the expert on the path forward, evaluating their own success. Coaching encourages personal responsibility, reflective thinking, self-discovery and self-efficacy. The coach wants you to determine your own goals, come up with your own solutions and create your own possibilities, rather than being given directions or answers.

It’s about your visions, plans and behaviours, originating from you.

This is what sticks.

Here’s an example of what each approach looks like in action:

Mary is 42-years-old and has been referred by her Doctor to lose 20kgs and reduce her cholesterol. 

The expert: “Your diet history reveals your portions are too large, you drink too much alcohol and do not exercise enough. 

I want you to follow this diet plan, stop drinking alcohol, stop all of your favourite foods and start walking 30mins daily. 

I’ll see you two more times only over the next three months.”

The coach: “Mary, you identified that your weight reduction is really important to you so you can be more active with your grandkids.

“From all the things you could have chosen from, you have chosen to start walking for 30mins a day and have no seconds helpings with dinners. You also said if it’s raining you’ll use your exercise bike instead of going walking.

You don’t feel ready to work on reducing your alcohol but would like to discuss it next session.

Let’s meet again in two weeks to discuss your progress and see if you’re ready to work on additional changes. How do you feel about this?”

You can see how the expert is problem-driven, with no regard to whether Mary can follow the advice or not. The coach puts Mary in the driver’s seat, with similar outcomes but provides the feeling of control and confidence. It seems like the coach listens more and cares more, which will ultimately help Mary change.

Blending the Expert and the Coach

There will always be a place for both. It can be argued that one needs to become an expert before they can become a coach, as ultimately they need to guide the process (while letting the client stay in charge) and be able to provide advice and solutions in the right way at the right time. Once this is established, coaching is the way to engage people.

The typical client who comes to me can be apprehensive. I’m sure the first thing that goes through their brain is,

“What’s this young guy going to tell me about managing my life?”

It’s a tough crowd. 

But with the coaching approach, by the end of it they’re leaning forward, pen in hand, writing their own goals, because it gives them choice and lets them drive the session to where they want to go in implementing the behaviour change.

You know:

• What to do less of 
• What to do more of

You don’t need

• Another diet
• More resources
• To be told what to do

You need:

• Motivation
• Commitment
• Confidence
• Help to address barriers
• Empathy, connectedness and understanding

How engaged you feel with the process is the number one indicator as to whether anything will change or not.

Interested in finding out more? DM me, I'd be happy to chat.