Coaching has become a mainstay in the world of professional personal development.
While 20 years ago it may have been considered something leaders were “involuntarily subjected” to if they had been perceived to fail, it has moved on to being an integral part of further development, for individuals in leadership positions and beyond. Having been involved in a customers network for continuous coaching as business coach for some years, while also providing topic-focussed coaching, this articule looks at the distinguishing factors between these two types of coaching.
Both types of coaching – continuous and topic-focussed – have different purposes and are applied most effectively when clients are clear on what they want to achieve.
So lets have a look at when these approaches have been shown to be most effective in scientific research, as well as in my practice as a business coach. Continuous coaching is all about investing in yourself and your people holistically in an ongoing developmental relationship. The relationship here is key, as it enable the business coach to help their client develop, even in difficult times.
Continuous coaching is all about sustained growth for people, and for the business.
Check out this article on the benefits of continuous coaching at one of my clients. Research on workplace continuous coaching emphasizes its cumulative effectiveness across organizational outcomes, including performance and engagement, particularly when applied consistently over time. [Cannon-Bowers et al., 2023; Wang, Lai, Xu & McDowall, 2022] In continuous coaching the relationship between the client and the business coach builds on trust, reciprocity and motivation to grow by the coachee.
Because of its ongoing nature, continuous coaching supports deeper behavioral change, improved self‑regulation, and long‑term well‑being.
Large scale meta-analyses have shown that psychologically informed coaching significantly contributes to goal achievement and self-efficacy. The factors that support this in continuous coaching are the repeated, habit-building self-reflection and iterative learning throughout the process. [Passmore & Lai, 2019] Having said all that, continuous coaching can present hurdles too. The typically larger intervals between coaching sessions, while conducive to long-term growth, can be challenging if rapid change and adjustment is required.
This is where topic-focused coaching, also referred to as situational coaching, comes into its own. It is best implemented when targeting a defined issue. Examples for defined issues are preparing for a presentation, addressing distinct communication challenges, or navigating burnout. Topics such as interpersonal conflict, preparing for a new role, strengthening self-management are specific and can be addressed by topic-focussed coaching with cognitive-behavioural methods and solution-focussed tools in a precise, tailored approach.
If you want a quick performance change, situational coaching is what you should discuss with your business coach.
Research shows that topic-specific interventions can be highly effective when tied to particular psychological needs, such as stress, decision‑making, or behavioral modification [Greif et al., 2022]. These focused sessions leverage targeted tools and models (e.g., cognitive behavioral strategies or motivational interviewing) to generate rapid, practical outcomes.
So what is better, you ask me? It depends on what you as a coachee or orgnisation need. What is your goal when approaching a business coach? Do you want to invest in long-term, sustained growth or is there a burning issue that needs resolving as quickly as possible?
Continuous coaching will reduce your fluctuation and increase your organisation’s health and performance. Topic-focussed coaching will resolve those issues that have been holding you back situationally.
Many studies suggest using an integrative approach by combining holistic, long-term developmental coaching with topic-focussed interventions is most effective.
This integration creates the most robust performance and well-being outcomes. [Wang, Lai, Xu & McDowall, 2022]
Understanding the differences at an organisational and HR-level will allow you as an organisation to apply coaching as effectively as possible. Being able to differentiate between continuous and situational coaching empowers clients and coaches alike to design coaching engagements that are both strategic and scientifically grounded.
If you have any questions about me as a business coach or business coaching with me, get in touch! Looking forward to hearing from you.
References
Wang QLai YXu XMcDowall A (2022), “The effectiveness of workplace coaching: a meta-analysis of contemporary psychologically informed coaching approaches”. Journal of Work-Applied Management, Vol. 14 No. 1 pp. 77–101, doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/JWAM-04-2021-0030
