Coaching clients often bring something to coaching they want to solve or resolve. Sometimes the client has opportunities they want to speak aloud and explore, to dream about and plan for in their future.
A Professional Coach can support their client to understand where they are now (current), also where they want to be (future), and whatâs in the gap between current and future to explore.
Through the coach crafting customized and responsive discovery-oriented questions, and offering of observations, their client often has awareness begin to emerge. This is key benefit of coaching; for the client to have awareness and learning emerge, so they can in turn be clear on how they want to approach their presenting situation in congruent ways or new ways. The client has more confidence knowing how they want to approach their situation, and can consider how to move forward.
ICF Core Competency #8. Facilitates Client Growth, is defined in part as, âPartners with the client to transform learning and insight into action.â
Sub-point 8.1, âWorks with the client to integrate new awareness, insight or learning into their worldview and behaviors.â
New awareness, insights or learning translate to clarity and ability to act more confidently. Thereâs often an energy or emotional shift, as the client experiences good feelings of satisfaction from a release of dopamine.
What is a âworldview?â
One definition of worldview is; âa comprehensive conception or apprehension of the world especially from a specific standpoint.â We can use this idea as a coach to support the client expand their ability to apply what theyâve learned into different parts of their âworld.â
I refer to this as the âability to expand learningâ and is one of the Ten Characteristics of MCC Skill Level Coaching. Which means the ability to consider learning gained by exploring a particular topic in the coaching session, and consider where else in their âworldâ they might also apply that learning. Their âworldâ could be other aspects of the professional or personal situations.
While this may be a more advanced coaching skill, a coach of any skill level can use this coaching skill, especially if now you have awareness that this is an option to ask. đ
Example
Letâs say your coaching client wants to prepare for an upcoming interview for a higher level role within their current company, and have concerns they will be overlooked for an outside candidate. They want to clarify through coaching, what they bring to the new role (strengths), as well as work through fears and concerns they have. They want to consider possible questions they might be asked, and have a confident reply. As well as a reason why they believe they are a great candidate for the role.
Through the coaching, the client has new awareness, including embracing their fears and concerns. Theyâve been able to work through possible scenarios of how they might answer questions about their lack of skills and experience for some aspects of the role and feel confident about how to approach the interview.
To expand client learning beyond the current situation, coach might ask a further question such as;
âWith this new learning about how to approach your fears and concerns, where else in your work or life do you feel you might be able to apply that learning?â
The client is silent for a while, and the coach remains silent for the client to consider. Then the client says something that surprises themselves. They love to build sandcastles and do so in competitions with other people on the weekend. They realize how they can use what they learned from the coaching, to be more confident, and work with their fears and concerns of working on an intricate project that is also a beautiful piece of art.
The coach acknowledges their client for their ability to use their learning in another situation. Then asks further;
âChecking, where else might you be able to apply this learning?â
The client reflects further and realizes thereâs a family situation they can also apply their learning from. What a bonus! The client has gained even more awareness than they imagined they would, and from coaching around their upcoming job interview!
Time to âFacilitate Client Growthâ
The core competency of Facilitates Client Growth, is often given little time by coaches, because the coach becomes so engaged (and enamored) with the discovery part of the coaching process, they miss allowing time for the client to explore their session progress, crystalize their emerging awareness, articulate their learning, and consider whatâs next (action).
Most people are busy, and go on to the next thing after a coaching session. If thereâs been little or no time given to facilitate client growth, the client might not have enough traction to follow through on what they discovered in the coaching session.
Which also means the opportunity to consider expanded learning opportunities is lost.
We are a âwhole personâ with a âwhole lifeâ and we sometimes forget to use learning from one aspect of our life to support another.
For example, the reverse might be true; if the coach asked;
âWhat do you know about yourself as a competition sandcastle builder that might support you with your upcoming job interview?â
The client might also have awareness emerge that wouldnât have occurred without the series of questions that led to this point.
In ClosingâŠ
What you are learning from reading this article? Where in your life could you apply what you have learned?
Written by Carly Anderson, MCCÂ
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