Coaches fall somewhere between consultants and therapists, a kind of best friend for rent who promises unbiased advice and listens to your issues, without chiming in about how her boss did the same thing to her.  New Millenium Gurus, Arizona Republic, October 5, 2000

Coaching management is a hot trend at a growing number of FORTUNE 500 companies, from IBM and Dow Chemical to Marriott International and Glaxo Wellcome. ... The main reason behind the trend is the booming economy, which makes good staff hard to get and harder to keep. ... many of those who go through the programs persuasively describe positive results: practical solutions to problems, increased job satisfaction, even advancement. Moreover, although there are no direct data, says Harvard's [David A.] Thomas, [Fitzhugh professor of business administration], corporations believe that coaching helps keep employees and that the dollar investment in it is far less than the cost of replacing an employee.  Play of the Day, Time Magazine, September 25, 2000

Workplace coaches are no longer just being used for the higher-ups. ... In the past decade, workplace coaching has gained increasing popularity. So much so that experts predict some form soon will be used in every corporate office and in most small businesses across the country.  Putting Your Career in the Right Track, Spokane.net, September 24, 2000

Skeptics wonder what a life coach can do for a client that a candid friend or insightful confidant could not do just as well. Others wonder why clients do not hire a licensed therapist who is sensitive to career issues. But [Bob] Pranga said he sought out a coach rather than a therapist because he wanted something more "proactive" than traditional therapy. He was less concerned with analyzing what was blocking his happiness than in changing his life. "We don't go into the "Why?" place much," [Pranga's coach, Rick] Tamlyn said. "We go into 'What do you want and how do you get there?'"  Someone to Help Resolve All Your 'Issues', LA Times, August 8, 2000

"As a coach, my role is to help my clients grow as people by using their own skills and talents. Coaches don't tell clients what to do,'' says [Personal Coach Sue] Palmer. "It is important to help people find their own answers through a process of self examination and exploration. To succeed through a coaching relationship, clients have to want to bring about change in their life.''  How to Get What You Want From Life! Yahoo Biz, September 1, 2000

When [Michael] Greenidge [an information technology professional] hired coach Lisa J. Huff of Mendham [NJ] last spring, he didn't know whether he wanted to stay in the information technology field, whether he wanted to commit to his girlfriend, whether his attitudes about money were holding him back in life. ... "When I started this coaching process, it helped me to see things. Your vision becomes a lot clearer," says Greenidge, who is now engaged to be married and who is thinking like an entrepreneur.  Personal Coaches Aren't Just for Bigwigs any More, Bergen Record, August 20, 2000