The Hungarian Cart Maker and the Coach
by Dr. Keith E. Webb
February 4, 2008
In the Little Hungarian Plains of northwest Hungary lies the village of Kocs. The name means ram or sheep, but the village is famous for the invention of the modern carriage or coach.
The Kocs village flag, complete with a ram and coach.
In the 15th century, the village of Kocs made its living from building carts and transporting goods between Vienna and Budapest. Around this time, "an unknown carriage maker in Kocs devised a larger, more comfortable carriage than any known at the time. It was called a Koczi szeter, a 'wagon of Kocs,' which was shortened to kocsi," writes Robert Hendrickson.
Over the next century the kocsi was copied throughout Europe and the name became kutsche in German, coche in French, and coach in English.
A French coche
"From the name of the English horse-drawn coach came all stagecoaches, motor coaches, and finally air coaches," according to Hendrickson.
Coach as a Metaphor
Our modern use of the word coach is actually a metaphor and was applied first to instructors, not athletics.
In 18th century England, students used tutors to prepare for exams. The slang reference for tutors became coach because they quickly and comfortably carried students to their goal of passing exams.
Athletic coaches were known as coachers until the late 1880s, when the name transformed to coaches.
A coach in our sense of the word is a person who empowers a client to achieve their goals and fully live out their calling. Through ongoing conversations, coaches facilitate personal growth and goal attainment quicker, easier, and more comfortable than going it alone.
Share your thoughts on coach as a metaphor at our blog.
Reference: Hendrickson, Robert. (2000). The facts on file encyclopedia of word and phrase origins (Rev. ed). New York: Checkmark Books. p.155.
Coaching Questions
 Self-evaluation: Rather than give feedback, ask your client to self-evaluate.
- What did you do well?
- What, if anything, would you like to improve?
- How would you do that differently next time?
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Copyright © 2008 Keith E. Webb & CRM
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 Dr. Keith E. Webb is a trainer and experienced cross-cultural leadership coach helping organizations, teams, and individuals multiply their cross-cultural impact. Find free articles at http://www.CreativeResultsManagement.com.
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