At the start of Module 1 of our Catalyst Coaching Course, we introduced ourselves to our fellow cohort mates and the trainers.
Coach Mel then talked about the essence of Coaching by using a series of images; a man and a woman dancing, two people standing very close on the edge of a cliff, a winding road through a deep forest. mirrored reflections in water, a butterfly emerging from its cocoon state, a picture of the cosmos and the silhouette of a man against a sky filled with fireworks.
(Image: 2 people on the edge of a cliff)
Fundamentally, in a Coaching relationship, the Coachee takes the lead in a partnership where trust is required and is built up over time. The road to self discovery for the Coachee will not be linear but allows him to wind through different pathways. Just as the Coachee reflects upon his own thoughts and ideas, the mirror is also held to to the Coach as he too reflects upon his own perspectives. This coaching process will lead to change, shifts which will take place sometimes imperceptibly like a butterfly taking its time to emerge and yet encompassing continuing growth in an ever-expanding cosmos. At every stage of discovery and change, the Coachee is to be celebrated. Trust is a key word that recurs and for a start, one must trust the process.
I would like to share my two key takeaways from Module 1.
First, Transformation can only be achieved by a RESET. A butterfly cannot stay a hungry caterpillar nor a chrysalis encased in its cocoon if it desires to achieve its full potential as a beautiful winged creature which helps nature flourish through pollination.
Here's what RESET means to me:
R - I would need to REVIEW my past ideas about coaching and REDUCE my dependence on my past experiences.
E - I should EXPLORE new concepts and build awareness of how these can ENHANCE my skills.
S - I would SET OUT in writing any new principles and practices based on new perspectives.
E - I EXAMINE and EVALUATE continually as I practice. Learning never stops.
T - I must be willing to TAKE ACTION to TRANSFORM myself before I expect someone else to do.
RESET is not simply a change of mind but an intentional decision with practical steps to become and be.
Although the butterfly had to grow through a natural process ie caterpillar-chrysalis-butterfly, its emergence is a new beginning and its future looks nothing like its past. Similarly, if we are to accomplish our goal of becoming better coaches, we must be prepared to surrender some of our beliefs and be open to what others can teach us. I must admit that being of a certain vintage, our comfort zones are built on habits of thinking and this would be a good challenge for me.
My second takeaway is the reminder that the person in front of us is Creative, Resourceful and Whole. They are Whole, not broken and so do not need to be fixed. They have access to resources that we would be unaware of. As an illustration, if they were dependent upon us to provide fish, we limit them to only what we have. If we were to teach them HOW to look for fish, they will go the extra mile such as buy better fishing equipment, get knowledge as to where others are finding an abundance of fish, actually fishing for themselves and feeling the tug of the line and the moment to pull and most of all, they can be encouraged at each step they have taken and have cause for celebration.
Most importantly, never underestimate the power of Imagination, the creativity within all of us.
"If you can dream it, you can do it" is an inspirational saying attributed to Walt Disney but in fact, came from Tom Fitzgerald, an Imagineer for the Horizons attraction at Epcot. What does the Coachee envision of himself, what he can be and can do? As coaches, we are there to support THEIR vision by helping them to nurture the resources of will and mind and help them to see whatever resources are theirs. Even if the vision may sound impossible or beyond Imagination for us, our Coachee needs his own Big Fat Hairy Idea to drive him to succeed. Don't believe me? - Just ask Henry Ford and Wright Brothers (and maybe Elon Musk, though space travel was dreamed off a long time ago).
For now, I'm Coach Maire signing off. Thank you for reading!
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