I love and aspire to live this description of coaching that David Rock offers in his most recent book, "Coaching with the Brain in Mind"…

Essentially, coaching is a series of conversations, a mutually respectful dialogue between a coach and a client for the purpose of producing identifiable results.  Coaches help clients solve their problems by asking a series of questions and supporting and encouraging clients to formulate answers. 

Coaches examine and challenge their clients’ basic assumptions (paradigms) with a view to what more is possible.  Clearly, coaches assume that what people think makes a difference.

Coaching is a form of learning, but a coach is not a teacher and does not need to know how to do things better than the client.  A coach observes patterns, sets the stage for new actions, and supports the client to put new, more successful actions into practice.  Through various coaching techniques, including listening, reflecting, asking questions, and providing information, coaches help clients to become self-generating (to come up with their own questions and answers) and self-correcting (to identify and change their own ineffective behaviors).

Clients seek coaching when their paradigms no longer produce the desired results.  Essentially, they seek a paradigm shift that will enable them to move more effectively toward their goals.  

Exactly.