Coaching is a conversation. Its aim is to help the person who is being coached to change their behaviour in a way that supports their own goals. Used in higher education, a coaching conversation is a supportive and developmental process to help the student reach his or her full potential. At its heart is a mutually agreed and equal relationship that fosters the autonomy, rather than the dependency, of the student. As such it is non-directive: solutions come from the student rather than being provided by the coach. This is a key difference between coaching and more traditional tutoring. The coach does not offer advice or make suggestions, but instead helps the student to explore the issue and the possible options available. Coaching conversations are inherently personalised, as they are driven by the needs of the student, and draw on their individual resources, encouraging them to become reflective learners and to take responsibility for their own learning.

In this video Margaret interviews Tam about the principles behind coaching.