The field of professional coaching has matured during the past decade. Now seems to be an appropriate time to offer a status report concerning the past, present and future of this emerging human service endeavor.

The premodern leader builds her credibility in part on the foundation of courage—and typically looks to an external enemy as the focus for engaging this courage (and more generally as a generator of energy and motivation among those she is leading). The modern leader builds her credibility in part on the foundation of empowerment—and typically looks to her own team …