I’m still taken by surprise by the power of coaching.
Usually it’s when I see a coachee make a particular breakthrough, or come to a realisation that had been lurking under the surface. But it’s useful sometimes to remind myself of what that feels like from the other side of the fence.
Recently I was feeling stuck and frustrated. I had set myself a goal, but was making little traction on it, and couldn’t see a way forward.
I met with my own coach, but was unsure what we were going to talk about that would help. I mentioned, in passing, that I was feeling a little frustrated.
About 25 minutes into our discussion it was like a cork suddenly popped from a bottle. Where I had felt blocked, there was now release. Solutions flooded out of me, so quickly I struggled to scribble them all down. Suddenly there was complete clarity.
Throughout my coach employed the power of silence. She provided me with access to what had been there all along, then got out of my way as I dove in and explored it.
As the flood passed my coach asked me to return to that feeling of frustration I had mentioned, and explore that. It was gone, I realised, replaced by a powerful sense of energy and elation.
And from this position it was now blindingly obvious why I had felt the way I had. The clarity I had been seeking extended not only to the solution to my work-related goal, but to my own self-awareness.
I came out of that session feeling hugely positive and energised. And in the week that followed I not only met my goal, but greatly exceeded it.
The power of coaching probably shouldn’t surprise me after all the coaching I’ve delivered and received, but somehow it still does.
Have you had a similar experience?
