There’s a paradox present for coaches; simultaneously to know and practice good coaching skills, and yet not knowing how those coaching skills will best serve our client, in this coaching session. I’m working from the premise that we believe that...
Category: #4 – Coaching Presence
Why am I still writing?
When I first began coaching 20 years ago, I was like every other new coach; trying to figure out how to use questions as a main way of drawing out knowledge from my client. This was so different than the...
Flossing the mind
For many coaches, recording coaching sessions to submit to the ICF can bring up anxiety and stress-filled thoughts, and scary feelings of inadequacy. This is ‘normal'; we are exposed to school exams in childhood, and we are either an A...
Coach the ‘little Who’ of your client
In my mentoring of coaches toward their MCC, PCC or ACC credential, I make the distinction about coaching the “Who” versus coaching the “What” of your client. In a recent group mentoring session, I was again making this distinction when...
Are you leading your coaching client?
One of the things that distinguishes coaching from other modalities such as teaching, training, and consulting, is the agenda is client-driven. The client chooses the focus of what to be coached on in every session. The coach seeks to understand that...
Strengthen your client self-belief and confidence
When I think of a coaching tool, I think of something I can pull out of my coaching ‘toolkit’ at any time. I know the tool is there. I know what the tool is designed to do, and I know...
What is the gap your coaching client wants to close?
Most often, our clients come to a coaching session with a topic they want to explore. Our initial focus as the coach is to understand exactly what it is about their topic they want more clarity around, in order to...
Unexpected Transformation
As coaches, we are in a privileged position of working with clients who confidentially share their hopes and dreams with us, as well as their fears and frustrations. We help our client to find their path from where they are...
Allow space for insights to fully emerge
Besides creating a listening space where your client can speak freely and be truly heard, coaching aims for the client to self-create insight around their presenting situation, and especially about themselves. I think of insight or new awareness as the...
Coaching Presence, Self-Care, and Serving Clients
It’s mid-Summer here in Southern California and I’m in my element! I’m a Summer gal who loves the ocean and being in hot weather. This year, my husband and I are not going on a big vacation overseas so I’ve...