You’re not here because you’re looking for a coach.
That’s a symptom.
We’re not about symptoms here. We’re about working on causes.
You’ve got a cause! I want to help.
Causes come in two distinct sizes, and both are on the table.
Size #1: Something needs to change in your life. You might know what, but chances are, it’s just-out-of-sight. Maybe that’s why you’re here. We can work on that.
Size #2: You see something in the world that you want to address. This significant challenge inspires you. You see a capital C Cause, and you know that you’re the one to take it on! We can work on that, too!
Whichever cause you’ve got in your life, a coach can help. THAT’S why you’re here.
How about a closer look?
How do people make the cause they’re dreaming about into a reality? Real change starts with two things: a relationship and a framework.
The Relationship
James Comer invested his life’s work in changing the lives of students in low-income areas. He discovered that the students that excelled all had a cheerleader who would offer encouragement when things went well. That same person provided correction and accountability when the student got off track.
One single relationship made all the difference. Dr. Comer wrote, “No significant learning happens without a significant relationship.”
This critical insight drives coaching. You have something you want to change. It would help if you learned about the problem and yourself. That happens best in a targeted relationship with someone invested in your success. Your coach is an ideal candidate. Finding the right coach can make all the difference.
I will promise you that if we end up working together, it will be because we’ve agreed that we can build the kind of relationship that facilitates change.
Coaching is a unique kind of relationship. It’s not two-way, or evenly balanced. Everything leverages toward the client. In what other situation do two people work together, strictly to benefit ONE person? That’s what coaching relationships offer. The pairing of coach and client digs into a cause of the client’s choosing and work toward a solution.
The Framework
Once the relationship works, the framework moves to center stage. Masterful coaches use a repeatable setup help clients deal with symptoms and identify what progress will make a difference in addressing the cause.
The three essential targets that make up the framework are 1) a goal, 2) meaningful learning, and 3) focused action steps. Let’s push into each.
The Goal: Coaches work with clients to identify specific goals that will make a difference in addressing their cause. You might have one, or a whole bunch.
Learning: As you make progress toward your goal, you will acquire new knowledge, wisdom and/or insights. You might discover something about yourself, the people around you, or the situation you’re facing. During a coaching conversation, your coach will invite you to verbalize your learning. When you say it out loud, you test whether your education is helpful. Decisions about what to do become more natural after a test!
Action Steps: Once you’ve processed what you’ve learned, coach and client work to identify action steps that will move you toward your goal. As you accomplish them, you address your cause!
Here’s how these three keys fit together.
That’s what the framework looks like for the client (the person being coached).
Notice that the sum of Goal + Learning + Action gets divided by the strength of the working relationship between coach and client. The closer the coaching relationship is to being of one mind, the more effective you’ll be!
We use a slightly different equation to describe the coach’s point of view. Coaches think about Relationship + Purpose + Intention.
Relationship and Purpose are similar to Relationship and Goal in the client equation. Integration is where the difference comes to life.
The client puts their energy and effort into Learning and Action. However, the coach focuses on integrating the skills necessary for a useful coaching conversation. You might think of those as the tools a coach uses to get the job done. Most coaches (including me) rely on active listening skills, powerful questioning, creating awareness and designing actions. Delivering those in a natural and polished way describes integration. (That’s also called “coaching presence.”)
The two sides of the coaching relationship look different, but the cause that gets addressed spans both client and coach.
Coaching powers much change in the world, and I believe in it. Leaders can’t lead to their potential without being able to develop the people around them. Coaching changes everything or at least has the power to change everything.
I’d love to work with you. Want to see what coaching can do in your life? Let’s get started!
Drop me your information, and we’ll get on the phone to check out your cause, and see if we can build the kind of relationship that makes a difference!
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