Coaching Presence and Evoking Awareness
A few years ago I was told that becoming an MCC coach was less about what the coach did, but who the coach was. I saw this play out in my own journey to earn the Master Certified Coach credential from the ICF. I knew what I needed to do in my coaching sessions, but it took a lot of work on who I was in my sessions to earn the MCC.
This focus on who the coach is heavily related to Coaching Presence and Creating Awareness.
As we step into session 5, take time to mentally relax before the training session considering what you have accomplished so far in the training. Know that you will make mistakes, but you are on the right track as you continue to practice. As you get to this week’s breakout session, take time to consider your presence and your focus.
Who am I for my client right now?
ICF Code of Ethics
This week’s content features the ICF’s Code of Ethics Standards 17-24.
Also, review the written form of standards 17-24 here.
This week you will begin reviewing a series of recorded coaching sessions between Bryan and Amal. These recordings are shared with permission. We will break these into 2 parts. Please be ready to take notes as you watch these sessions so that you can gain the most insight out of the demonstrations. Focus less on the content of the coaching on the side of the client, and more on the “Coach Inputs” from Bryan throughout the session. Be ready to share what you noticed as you reviewed the recording below:
Upgrading Past-Oriented Questions
Past-oriented questions can sometimes lead to story-telling, which can take up a considerable amount of time in a coaching session. Instead of asking a past-oriented question such as “What worked in the past?” consider asking a past-to-present or past-to-future question:
Past-to-Present Questions:
- What have you learned from similar experiences that you would like to apply to this one?
- What has the past taught you about what would work today?
- Considering what worked in the past, what might work with this situation?
Past-to-Future Questions:
- Based on your experience last year, what are your hopes this year?
- How has your previous experience prepare you for what will happen next month?
- What do you want to bring from your previous experience into this upcoming phase of life?