I spent most of my career in technology, so I became accustomed to having the industry change very quickly. I appreciate that the professional coaching industry doesn’t move at quite that pace. Chasing waves of tech can get crazy.

When it comes to supporting my clients, I could argue that what we learn today is basically the same as it was three years ago. Or thirty. Or 300, for that matter. Because it’s about listening, helping them think through issues, and to chart a course forward.

I imagine that 300 years ago the role of a coach was performed by the wise elder or good friend. And the relationship was described as “wisdom” or “helping.”

We’ve come up with much better language these days, and formalized a range of concepts and great techniques. Our fundamental goal is the same: to help people work through whatever issues are holding them back.

When I ground myself in that realization, it becomes much easier for me to focus on the key question: What would be most useful for my client in this engagement? In this conversation right now?

Guess what? People are still people, sharing this common journey of being human. That’s always been true.

Right now, I’m going to help them with how they’re experiencing life. Sure, they’ll talk about their situation and everything which is driving them crazy. But the only thing they can truly affect is how they experience that reality, make decisions, and move forward toward their goal.

To be the best coach I can be, I’m going to use some of the tools and techniques I’ve learned over the course of my career. It might be from a class I took 20 years ago or a webinar I attended yesterday. It might stem from my experience as a manager, leader of volunteers, or being a teenager in the 1970s.

I’m thrilled that wonderful new coaching tools and approaches are being developed all the time. We are in a very vibrant and creative profession. During my lifetime this has deeply impacted the culture of the workplace, and society at large.

But I also recognize that our core purpose remains solid as a rock. To listen. To help the client reflect. To help them think and create a plan. And to move forward with clarity.

I might be working with an individual client, a team, or a larger organization. The context might be business, career, marriage, or life choices. We might be moving quickly toward a focused goal, or dealing with a wide range of issues over a decade. We might meet in person or through technology, or both.

This variety makes life exciting for me. I know that every client and situation will be different. This keeps me on my toes and exercises my creativity.

Yet we’re all just trying to live this journey of being human in what feels like a crazy and unpredictable world. Just as we always have.

This article was first published in and is copyrighted by Choice Magazine, vol. 22, no. 4