As I was tasked with writing and submitting a reflection paper at the end of the Certified Professional Coaching Program (CPC), I found myself in a position of profound accomplishment. This sense of achievement is a testament to the program’s success and the dedication of its participants. I can confidently summarize my feelings, yet I remain curious about what lies ahead.
To elaborate on why I feel confident, firstly, I can comprehend the course’s content and apply what I have learned in my multiple interactions with other coaches-to-be in the breakout sessions. During those smaller, interactive, and more intimate sessions, I could practice coaching concepts taught, which is the best method for me to learn something new. There were definitely some theories and coaching concepts that were sometimes quite difficult to grasp at first. Still, with the opportunities throughout the course, I could understand them better. Acknowledging that it has only been 2 days since the start of the program, I am confident that I will be able to complete the remaining courses as long as I maintain the attitude, mindset, and positive regard I have now.
The feeling of curiosity and confidence in the program is in anticipation of what I will learn in the classes. As I write this reflective paper, I speak about all the coaching attributes I have consumed. For example, to “Be Curious” does not mean to be ‘inquisitive’. To be inquisitive, to have an inquisitive mind is to think while having a preconception, whereas being curious is to wonder and seek out to learn something completely unknown. In this regard, Dr. Haris Syed is an exceptional trainer. I am starving and craving to know what the rest of the program entails. By being curious, I can focus better and be present every minute of the sessions.
Of the many things I learned in the past couple of days, the definition of coaching was the most impactful. I always imagined coaching similar to what a trainer or a mentor would do. Previously, my understanding of the roles trainers, mentors, or coaches play was more defined as someone who would guide and show through example or explain what is right and wrong for their client(s). I realize now that coaching is about partnership; it is about walking together with your client and exploring beyond what has yet to be apparent. I understand now that I am a coach, and when engaged in a dialogue with a client, I will not be imposing or suggesting my own ideas on what the client needs to do or how ideas are to be taught.
It is about opening the door to creative opportunities for options and methods that the client may not have considered and swimming in that space of possibilities and potential paths until the client decides on the track to take to resolve and/or achieve his/her goal(s).
Another fascinating fact I realized while learning about coaching is that its fundamentals were relatively easy to relate to and apply. Reflecting now on how I felt when I was first introduced to the idea, especially on Day 1 of the CPC training, I remember how my mind was bouncing off the walls of my skull because I was trying really hard to understand as quickly as I could and then jumping into conclusions. I was impatient and did not permit myself the time to digest what was happening simply because I had the need to see how applicable and practical each new idea was. In the past two days, I have fully understood how coaching is all about concentrating on the journey, not the destination. While learning to enjoy the journey, I can grow closer and closer to identifying the purpose of ‘being’ rather than focusing on the ‘doing’ aspect of this course and my outlook on life.
