I’ve always enjoyed watching high performing athletes, because there’s the ability to observe in real time how they perform in their field of expertise.
We can vicariously experience how the athlete responds to the pressure of the moment. We can observe their engagement, or disengagement. We see their emotions, including their excitement, happiness, pure joy, frustration, anger, or disappointment. We observe their level of concentration, focus, and ability to ‘block out the noise’ and be their best in each moment.
What we don’t see by watching high performing athletes, is the hundreds or thousands of accumulated hours of behind-the-scenes reviewing ‘tape,’ preparation, practice and rehearsing.
High performing athletes often utilize a team of people to support them become and remain at their best. This includes people who work with their skills development, their physical well being, their mindset/approach and emotions management. The best athletes in the world practice, review, prepare and rehearse, all the time. That’s because they recognize that each team or athlete they face provides different opportunities and challenges.
As Professional Coaches, we can learn from athletes so we continue to be able to meet the challenges and opportunities each client may present.
Defining Practice, Review, Prepare, and Rehearse
A definition of Practice is, “the actual application or use of an idea, belief or method, as opposed to theories relating to it.”
A definition of Review is, “a formal assessment of something with the possibility or intention of instituting change if necessary.”
A definition of Prepare is, “to make ready beforehand for some purpose.”
A definition of Rehearse is, “practicing for later public performance.”
The coaching profession has embraced the idea of Practice, including practicing to improve at the application of coaching skills. Most coaches Practice until they feel confident they have learned and can apply their coaching skills training. Growth Mindset coaches continue on with Practice and continue to improve, including becoming a Credentialed Coach that recognizes different coaching skills levels.
Based on the definitions offered, the idea of “Reflective Practice” is a Review Process, a way to gain insight into one’s coaching approach and mindset.
Review
In order to know what to prepare and rehearse, we first need to review what happened with a client, and assess what went well, and what could be improved. Reflective Practice is one way. Another is working with a Qualified Mentor Coach to review our coaching, to understand what we did well (i.e. Strengths), and what could be improved (i.e. Development). I also like to reflect while walking, or when I’m alone driving to a known destination (safety first!).
An experienced and well trained Mentor Coach will also develop the capacity, confidence and capability of their Mentee Coach. When we have confidence in our Strengths, we can more easily focus on our Development.
When I review my coaching sessions, I pay attention to what I didn’t say to the client that I wish I would have. That’s a clue of a development opportunity. Maybe I didn’t know how to say something, or didn’t know how to do so in a natural way. That’s where preparation and rehearsing can be of benefit.
Prepare and Rehearse – and still be Spontaneous!
Prepare and Rehearse – and still be Spontaneous!The purpose of reviewing and rehearsal is to be more ready to say things that might not be natural to otherwise say.
This is not about applying standard or formulaic phrases to every client; it’s about having awareness of what the coach could say, and having a level of preparedness that gives more ability to be responsive in the moment.
Application of Practice, Review, Prepare and Rehearse
Two areas that often benefit from review, preparation and rehearsal are:
- Checking in and if necessary, further contracting with your coaching client
- Offering observations about themes or patterns for the client to respond to
Checking in and if necessary, further contracting with your coaching client
The assumption I’m making is the coach knows how to contract with their coaching client, to clarify and align on the parameters of each coaching engagement. The distinctions offered here are about what happens once you’re in a coaching engagement.
The first few coaching sessions are an opportunity for the coach to be curious, and observe how the client communicates; the types of words, concepts, images, emotions and experiences they share. Often clients have a lot to say in the first few sessions, as they may not have had a dedicated, non-judgmental listening space for a long time, if ever.
By the third coaching session, there’s likely enough observation of how the client is communicating, for the coach to do a check-in on how the coaching process is going for the client. This is an opportunity for the coach to also support the client in further understanding how to gain the most from their Professionally Trained Coach.
An example check-in might be, “Client, we’ve now had three coaching sessions, and I’d like to do a check-in with you on how the coaching process is going so far, so we can both hear what each other is experiencing, and make any adjustments, if necessary.”
This type of check-in would ideally be known to the client at the initial contracting stage. Coach would then ask the client what their experience is like so far being coached by the coach. Let’s say the client says they are gaining a lot out of the sessions, yet would like more ideas and input (i.e. advice) from the coach. Or the client feels uncomfortable having so much time to think without the coach saying something.
The coach would have done a Self-Review before the check-in. This is where Rehearsing comes in, so the coach has options of ways to respond to the client in the moment. After coaching enough clients and reviewing for common themes that emerge, the coach gets to know what they may need to rehearse. This is so the coach has more ability to sound natural and non-judgmental during a check-in.
Rehearsing means writing out and speaking out loud, what you might say to a client. This can be done alone, or with your Coach.
One example response to the client saying they want advice might be, “I understand you’d like to hear my advice. We spoke about this in our intake session that it’s a common request. My approach is to first ask questions to find out what you already know or are thinking about. Because given some space to think and reflect, you likely have a lot more self-knowledge than you thought you did. Then, if there’s still something I feel I can add that would be of value, I will. How is that process for you?”
One example response to the client feels uncomfortable having so much time to think might be, “I understand it may feel uncomfortable to have a dedicated listening space for you to be asked questions and given the opportunity to reflect, think and consider. Most people are busy preparing to speak and will interrupt rather than listen and let the person think. That’s why I allow silence and space for you to use because you likely have lot of self-knowledge than you think you do. How is that for you?”
Offering observations about themes or patterns for the client to respond to
Offering observations about themes or patterns for the client to respond toObservations are a very powerful coaching tool, especially when applied skillfully by the coach to give the client an opportunity to consider the way they are communicating in the moment.
Offering such observations often benefits from rehearsing, so the coach can sound natural and non-judgmental in the moment. The actual conversation may be a little different, yet with rehearsal you are more likely to feel confident to adapt in the moment.
Let’s say as the coach, you’ve noticed the client often speaks fast, and goes deep into a story, then forgets what the point of their story was. You’ve noticed this each coaching session, and have been rehearsing for the right moment to offer to the client.
One example response might be, “I have an observation, and want to get your input. Is that okay? [Let client respond]. Assuming client says, Yes, then coach might continue on. For example, “A theme I’ve noticed in our coaching sessions so far is you often begin to answer a question I asked you. Then you get into a story that ends with you saying you don’t know what the point of your story was. My observation is you often speak faster and faster as you go. What is your response to what I’ve shared?”
A follow up inquiry might be, “Wondering if you notice this type of speaking pattern occurring in other places in your life?”
This type of observation can support a client to gain awareness about themselves they might not otherwise have. And which might be showing up in other work/life situations and they now have an opportunity to consider in a different way.
In Closing….
To review, practice, prepare and rehearse is a process that can support coaches at any skill level to improve to their next level of coaching effectiveness.
Again, this isn’t about becoming formulaic, and instead to build capability in the coach to more naturally and spontaneously say things to a client that the coach might otherwise not know how to say.
Here are some questions for you to consider!
How much attention do you give to:
- Practicing your next level of coaching skills?
- Reviewing after coaching sessions – what went well, and what to improve?
- Preparing before coaching sessions?
- Rehearsing what might otherwise be challenging to say to a client?
Written by Carly Anderson, MCC
Are you ready to upgrade your coaching skills, prepare for your next ICF credential, or renew your credential?
The Mentor Coaching Group Program is an ICF approved individual / group mentor coaching program. Approved for 30 of ICF Core Competency CCEs, including 10 hours of mentor coaching. For comparison between my MCC program, and Level 3, go to Q6 on FAQs page
Mentor Coaching Programs Now Open!
Group #79 MCC Mentor Coaching Program
commences February 11, 2025
visit this page for more information
I offer a rich, experiential mentor coaching group and individual program that has many exclusive offerings for participants. You can read some testimonials from real people,FAQs, or find out more about The Mentor Coaching Program here
I offer other products including The Upgraded Target Approach: Clarifying the ICF Core Competency Model, as well as Ten Characteristics of MCC Skill Level. And a very unique opportunity to hear 15 consecutive coaching sessions with one of my clients in the Butterfly on the Wall Coaching Series.
A long term experienced and continuously active MCC Assessor since 2005, assessing and mentoring for all 3 credential levels. Including being trained to assess using ICF ACC Behaviors, PCC Markers, and MCC Behaviors. As at August 9, 2024, 205 of the coaches I’ve mentored for their MCC preparation have passed ICF MCC exam process, as well as hundreds of coaches passed their ACC and PCC exam process. I do my best to communicate ICF publicly available credential information in a simple manner. Mentoring Supervision clients have access to an incredible and exclusive member-only library that includes 40+ coaching recordings that have actually passed ICF MCC, PCC and ACC credential process.
I’m passionate about supporting the professionalism of coaching, which includes often engaging in ICF projects as a volunteer to continue to develop and evolve our profession.