(First published May 2013. Significantly updated September 2025)
As a long time Mentor Coach and ICF Assessor, coaches often ask me how to distinguish between coaching at the three credential levels. Here is one fundamental distinction, and it revolves around coaching the “What” versus coaching the “Who.”
Coaching the “What” of the Client
Coaching the “What” means focusing predominantly on the client presenting problem, issue or challenge the client brings, and coach thinking their role is to problem-solve the situation for the client.
The what-focused coach thinks ‘the answer’ and their own value as a coach lies in sharing their knowledge and information. The coach asks problem-solving questions, which may include information that leads the client to the coach’s thoughts. The coach believes they know what is ‘wrong’ and also ‘think’ they know how the client can ‘fix’ the issue. The coach prioritizes their own experiences and thinking about how they would resolve the situation, and deliberately or inadvertently discounts self-knowledge the client may have, yet may not yet consciously know they have.
The coach approaches the client issue in a more linear way, as if the whole of the answer lies outside of the client. This may include the coach asking the client what someone else would do in their situation. Or who the client could ask about how they’d approach the situation. While valuable questions, the coach often asks these long before the client has explored what the underlying cause might be, so they have more clarity about the full scope of what they are facing, which might be external ‘barriers’ (organizational beliefs, timing requirements) and internal ‘barriers’ (philosophical, cultural or personal belief differences).
The coach may think mostly in terms of ‘next steps’ and lead the client to think from a linear, problem-solving approach. A what-focused coach thinks about how the client can gain immediate, short-term relief. While valid, the same or similar issue may emerge again and again for the client, because simultaneously the coach is not supporting the client to understand what underlying causes may be, or other ‘personal’ factors contributing to the challenge the client is facing.
You may have noticed how many times I’ve written ‘think’ in this part of the article; because the coach ‘thinks’ the answer to success lies in thinking, knowledge, and information sharing.
Having written all of the above, there is a place in every coaching session, at every skill level, for what-focused coaching. It’s a matter of when and how much of that occurs, and is often related to output of the coaching, meaning clarity about what to do next.
The amount of “What” focus in a coaching session usually indicates coaching being at ACC level, because the the self-discovery part of the coaching process is minimal.Â
Coaching the “Who” of the Client
Coaching the “Who” means using a mindset of curiosity focused on understanding this unique client, from broader and deeper perspectives.
The client still brings a problem, issue or challenge, perhaps even an expansive or future opportunity they want to explore. The coach focuses their (curious) questions, observations, reflections and comments on drawing forth wisdom the client already has about themselves and their circumstances, including knowledge and self-knowledge they may not realize they have until the coach asks questions (and allows space for the client to reflect and consider).
The who-focused coach understands the client challenge could also be about the client internal experience of the situation, which includes the reason why they are experiencing the challenge. For example, having a challenging relationship with a colleague at work, could be based in a difference in values, in cultural beliefs, in how to be ‘friendly’ with each other at work, or what it means to trust someone else to do their job as well as they think they can do, themselves.
The coach inherently trusts their coaching skills, their coaching presence, the coaching process and the client self-discovery process. The coach also trusts their ability to be curious and ‘not know’ the right or best way a client may approach their situation. The coach is humble and knows that no matter if the coach thinks they have been in a similar situation, or coached ‘many’ clients on the ‘same’ situation, the coach recognizes that each client is a unique person who has a unique history and unique experiences; and by the client exploring and discovering for themselves, the client can take ownership for their ways of solving, and approaching, their own challenges or opportunities.
The who-focused coach approaches the client holistically, realizing there is complexity in every human being. For example, client wisdom about themselves (Who) may cross between life ‘domains.’ A client experiencing challenges with a work relationship, may have insight from relationships in another domain of their life. Yet until the coach ‘curiously’ asks questions about their relationship experiences, the client may not realize they already have self-knowledge and experiences, that may apply to their current challenge.
The who-focused coach listens for and evokes from the client their self-knowledge, experiences, as well as the emotional aspect that is likely to be present. The coach honors how much the client wants to share about themselves, yet is courageous to ask questions or offer observations that may not otherwise be considered by the client about themselves. The coach will ask questions about client beliefs, strengths, values, needs, wants, fears, dreams, experiences and/or passions.
Another “Who” aspect is when the coach offers observations – without attachment or directing the client – about how they observe the client is expressing themselves. Every moment in a coaching session is a potential learning opportunity. This may include client repetitive use of a word, use of visual concepts, or metaphors. Or the way the client uses their face or body motions to express themselves. Or could be shifts felt or observed during the coaching session in client energy, emotions, tone or pace of speaking. All of this is ‘who information’ the client may not otherwise have insights about, and may more deeply inform how they move forward.
A who-focused coach truly operates from the belief that their client is resourceful. The coach supports the client to understand themselves better, so they can understand the full scope of what they are dealing with. Yet the coach still has attention on the outcome (What) the client wants, yet focuses more on the “Who” aspects of the client, so the client insights become their solutions that are congruent and aligned with what feels right for them. Â
By focusing on the “Who” aspects of the client more than the “What,” the client can connect to insights that strengthen, and transform, how they might think and feel about themselves, and how they might approach their issue. The client may be able to approach their ‘problem’ from a whole different perspective.
More fully attending to the Who content of your client is what distinguishes MCC skill level coaching.
“What” plus “Who coaching focus
At PCC skill level, there is a blend of the What and the Who. The coach may still focus on being a problem-solver, yet is also has some focus on understanding the Who of the client. There is partial trust in the client and their ability to solve their own problem. The coach is beginning to trust the coaching process and their coaching skills more than their ‘expert mindset.’ The coach is more curious about how the client approaches their situation, and supports the client to expand their perspectives.
The ICF PCC Markers are a combination of What and Who behaviors. Consider more deeply studying the ICF Core Competencies and the PCC Markers, and practice integrating more of these behaviors into your coaching style. The PCC Markers are also foundational for MCC skill level.Â
MCC Skill Level Distinction
Coaching the Who of your client, doesn’t mean forgetting about the What. Both are usually addressed in each coaching session.
If the client wants to have a better working relationship with a colleague, the outcome of the coaching may be specific strategies and tactics that have emerged for the client during the session. Yet the client has insight that there are likely aspects of the client that do not easily relate to their colleague, or trust them, for any number of reasons.
Coaching the Who facilitates the client to understand themselves better, so they can consider what may be required of them to move forward. For example, this may include accepting their colleague may require a different approach to building a trusting relationship than they prefer. The client can consider where they want to experiment and ‘stretch and flex’ themselves to a different style. Or if not, then have full clarity about the decisions they are making.
Questions beginning with “What” aren’t necessarily “What-focused” Questions!
Okay, that’s some coaching jargon for you 🙂 In fact, this whole article is coach jargon, the Who versus the What.
Offering some examples, notice the direction of these two questions, both beginning with What:
- What do you think the next step is with this person?
- What do you know now about yourself that informs how you want to approach this person?
The first question is linear (What). The second question creates an ‘inward’ direction where the client has to consider their self-knowledge. (Who) Therefore, it’s what comes after What, that determines the type of question being asked.
Here’s another pair of questions, again beginning with What. Yet notice where the attention is drawn by the way the question is structured:
- What would need to happen for you to trust this person?
- What would need to shift in you to trust this person?
The first question is likely to have the client answer about something ‘outward’ or to do with the other person. The second question takes the client ‘inward’ to consider the aspects about themselves.
How to remember the differences between ACC, PCC and MCC level coaching
ACC skill level is when the mindset of the coach is more of a problem-solver, with minimal discovery questions. Coach trust in the client to resolve their challenges for themselves, is minimal.
PCC skill level is when the mindset of the coach has expanded beyond identifying with their value being a problem-solver. The coach still seeks to understand what the client wants to solve or resolve, yet also recognizes the client has “Who” information in the form of unique self-knowledge or experiences they may not be aware of, that could be influencing or impacting what they want to accomplish. The coach is more trusting of the client to resolve their challenges through the coaching process.
MCC skill level is when the mindset of the coach is no longer identified with being a problem-solver. The coach still recognizes the client has something they want to solve or resolve, yet inherently trusts the coaching process, and the coach’s ability to ask questions and offer observations. The coach humbly recognizes they do not know the ‘right way or answer’ for this client. The coach focuses more on connecting the client to their unique self-knowledge and experiences. The coach is fully trusting that the client will find their way forward with their issue or challenge as a result of the coaching session, including having tangible next steps as needed by the client.
Written by Carly Anderson, MCC
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