- HISTORY OF COACHING
Coaching is a discipline that has evolved rapidly over the past few decades. However, its history has unique and fascinating roots worth exploring. The term “coaching” originates from the Hungarian word “Koch,” which means a cart used to transport goods on farms. This word was first used around the 15th century in a small town called Kocs, located in Hungary.
In this town, these carts were designed to provide a comfortable and efficient journey. Later, around the 1830s, the term “coaching” began to be used to describe the process of taking someone from one place to another, both physically and metaphorically.
Thomas J. Leonard, who lived from 1955 to 2003, is known as one of the prominent thinkers and analysts who developed coaching into a structured discipline. In 1994, Leonard founded the International Coaching Federation (ICF), which has since become a leading organization supporting professional coaches worldwide. The ICF plays a significant role in setting standards and codes of ethics for the coaching profession, establishing coaching as a respected career.
