That coaching is a professional service provided by professional coaches, is commonly accepted. There is no doubt that companies are now increasingly starting to make use of coaching forms beyond the one-to-one coaching paradigm as well (such as team coaching) and also ingrain the coaching principles at the workplace to achieve high performance coaching cultures.
Depending on each coaching approach and form, different coaching skills may be required. However, skills around listening, questioning and giving and receiving feedback are seen as basic and essential in all types of coaching.
There is plenty of debate on what are most appropriate quality requirements in coaching and how to assess these. Also, accreditation in coaching and the main source of coaching proficiency (talent/natural ability, learning/training, experience or a combination of these) are topics for controversy.
In one-on-one coaching in particular, there is the key issue around whether (and to what extent) the coach needs expertise in the field he or she is coaching in--and what role this management or sector knowledge of the coach may play in the coaching process.
Some argue that coaching is fully content-free and non-directive and therefore such expertise rather impedes the coaching process. Others contend that the coach must be an expert or that it is essential to have at least some expertise and understanding of the coachee's background to be accepted by the coachee. A middle view maintains that specific expertise is not required, but can be integrated in a non-directive way where it exists.
Coaching extends across various cultures at the global, regional, national, organizational and individual level and is a worldwide phenomenon today.
Source: Frank Bresser: The global business guide for the successful use of coaching in organizations