Key Messages
Learn About Co-Active Coaching: The Benefits Of Finding Things Out Together
The Co-Active Coaching Model is an effective tool for improving the results you get from professional coaching.
It’s different than traditional problem-solving approaches, as it focuses on discovery and development to help clients uncover new perspectives.
At the core of this model are essential skills like listening, curiosity, trust, and asking questions – even those that might seem “dumb” at first glance.
These skills work together to create a powerful conversational dynamic between coach and client in which both parties can learn and grow together.
By learning about the co-active coaching model, coaches will be able to maximize their impact and create more meaningful connections with clients.
In addition to answering difficult challenges, these connections can also provide lasting personal growth for both the clients and the coaches themselves.
How To Build A Collaborative And Trusting Coaching Relationship
The basis for successful co-active coaching is an open, collaborative conversation.
This type of communication does not focus solely on problem-solving, but rather centers around awareness, discovery and choice.
The authors term it as “co-active” since coach and client work together to achieve the desired results.
In order to practice this kind of conversation, the first step is trusting your client’s innate capabilities – that they are creative and resourceful enough to find their own answers, make decisions and learn from their mistakes.
You must furthermore see the entirety of the problem at hand by focusing on different issues like relationships, emotions or career goals.
Lastly, attention needs to be paid to small details like body language or even semantic emphasis in order to make a comfortable space where trust can blossom.
In this way clients get encouraged towards a more general transformation rather than addressing single issues in isolation.
Thus we can say that the essential foundation of co-active coaching is dialogue that accumulates insight from both parties and encourages growth over time.
Setting Up A Productive Coaching Environment By Building Confidence, Trust, And Space
In order to make sure that the coaching process is successful and productive, you must first design an effective environment for your client.
In co-active coaching, this includes fostering qualities such as confidentiality, trust, honesty and spaciousness.
You have to make sure that your client feels safe enough to take risks, because risks are only taken if the person feels secure.
It’s also essential to define the terms of the working relationship from the very beginning.
The best way to do this is by having a discovery session with your client before you start the actual coaching process where you talk openly about your expectations and ground rules.
Ask simple but powerful questions to get them thinking about their current situation and strengths/weaknesses.
Additionally, it’s important to bring up administrative matters such as scheduling and cancellation during this initial conversation so you can avoid any potential problems down the line.
How To Become An Effective Listener As A Coach: The Three Levels Of Listening
If you’re a coach, it’s your responsibility to listen to your client on a deep and meaningful level.
Co-Active Coaching reveals that the best way to do this is by understanding the three levels of listening.
At Level I, you’re focusing on yourself: a sure way to not get very far in coaching.
You still pay attention to what your client says, but only in terms of how it affects you personally.
For example, if your client has trouble juggling their professional and personal life, you might use experiences from your own life as advice.
At Level II and III, however, the focus should be on the client entirely.
These are about empathy and collaboration; getting into their shoes and trying to understand their internal dynamics – emotions, energy, motivations and values – behind it all.
As a coach at these two levels of listening, you should guide your client into articulating these experiences themselves.
By learning to listen deeply at Level II and III when coaching clients, you’ll gain insight into where they stand with their goals and values so that together you can work towards solutions more effectively.
Using Intuition In Coaching: Dive In Headfirst And Don’T Worry About Feeling Clumsy
When you’re coaching someone, it is important to trust your intuition and be willing to speak your mind.
Intuition can provide valuable insight that might otherwise be missed.
Pay attention to your hunches and draw attention to them – don’t let them fly under the radar!
Interpretation of your intuition will help you express what you are sensing accurately during the conversation with your client.
Ask clarifying questions if needed; even if the interpretation is wrong, it provides a way to explore what could be happening beneath the surface.
You might also consider interrupting the conversation if an intuition strikes suddenly – this can often lead to surprise insights that would have been overlooked without speaking up.
Don’t get held back in sessions by worrying about whether or not those instinctive feelings are correct; act on them instead and jump headfirst into deeper conversations and understanding.
Showing a little awkwardness only has positives too; it adds a more human and authentic touch to the session!
Harnessing The Power Of Curiosity To Guide Your Coaching Sessions
The key to successful coaching is cultivating genuine curiosity and playfulness with your clients.
Instead of the conventional interview style, you should tap into your curiosity to come up with meaningful questions that spark conversation.
For instance, if your client is complaining about their situation, you could ask a powerful question like: “What are you getting out of this situation?” or “Is this the only way this can be?”.
These kinds of thought-provoking questions encourages your client to think beyond the obvious and help them gain new perspectives on their current problem.
Another way to make use of curiosity in coaching is by asking simple yet powerful questions.
Sometimes even a simple question like “What does the ideal resolution look like?” can result in uncovering insightful answers from your client and lead them to useful solutions that weren’t previously considered.
So remember, tapping into your curiosity will unearth powerful questions that can drive meaningful conversations with your clients – helping them make effective decisions for their future.
Helping Clients Discover Their Values Holds The Key To Fulfillment
As a coach, it is essential to help your client discover and articulate their values so they can pursue fulfillment.
Their values play an important role in living a life that is aligned with who they are and what matters to them, and you should use them as a litmus test when your client faces difficult decisions.
But how do you actually help the client uncover their values? The best way is to explore their own experiences to come up with an initial list of values.
It’s important not to rush or overwhelm your client by presenting them with too much information at once – create a natural discovery process instead.
Once your client has identified their values, have them rank them in order of importance.
This will enable your client to reflect on what matters most in their lives, and guide them towards choices that are rooted in these values.
Ultimately, this will lead to more fulfilling outcomes for the client!
Wrap Up
The take-aways from Co-Active Coaching are all about establishing a collaborative relationship with your clients and empowering them to find their own answers.
Your role as a coach is to encourage and support your clients so that they can become more in tune with their own personal values.
To help you do this, try going to a local coffee shop for half an hour and engaging in conversations with strangers.
Observe the people around you and then ask questions about their values, hobbies, obstacles, and dreams.
The experience will give you great insight into how your client might respond to your curious inquiries.
Finally, take some time to reflect on what these conversations have taught you after each observation period.
