A Partnership Between the Client and the Coach
The International Coaching Federation (ICF) acknowledges coaching as a partnership between the client and the coach. Such an integral component that enables the co-creation of the relationship. Motivational Interviewing (MI) also recognizes the importance of establishing safety and trust in this sacred professional relationship in the first of the four tasks which is engagement. This requires the coach to carefully listen to what is being spoken and that which is not spoken and is implied. This understanding allows the coach to accurately understand and reflect the client’s perspective and scope of focused change.
This cultivates trust and safety and momentum for consideration and conversation around change. When clients are provided such a safe space to explore desired change it will likely build their motivation and commitment to their focus of change. The power of effective coaching.
MI’s first two of four tasks are engagement and focus. Sit with this for a bit. As the coach allows the client to settle into the coaching relationship, as trust is co-created with the coach, the client’s emergence of focus will begin to be called forth. Focus will emerge with powerful reflections by the coach along with some powerful client centered open questions. This calls forth, from the client, their insight, their goals, their recognition of potential change they may be considering.
ICF acknowledges in their Core Competencies the expertise of the coach to listen well so they are able to understand the client, the client’s context and identity. In addition, this demonstrates respect on behalf of the coach towards the client. This requires the coach to turn down the volume in their brain and to instead listen intently to the client. No agenda. No fix. No opinion. Holding space and being with the client and leaving the doing out of the equation.
Life Coaching Institute of America (LCIA) provides coaching education in the same manner. It is phenomenal what astute listening provides for students. Listening for desire, ability, reasons and need for personal and professional growth of each student. Affirming strengths, supporting identified areas of development and supporting goals. If you are seeking such coaching education with small class size to provide individualized attention, give us a call. It is more than what to do, it is about how to be.
Partnership and listening well supports engagement, focus and the co-creation of a dynamic relationship.
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