On the first day, I learned that coaching is about slowing down so that we can speed up. Every client wants to speed up to achieve a goal or objective or to change something in their life. However, this may also be where they fall. I also learned that coaching is holding the space in a dialogue or conversation.
Everybody has resources. As coaches, we help our clients tap into theirs and be resourceful. I also learned the definition of coaching as per the ICF. I very much liked the time we spent on this, breaking down the definition phrase by phrase – it was helpful, and I feel it enabled each person in the class to challenge our assumed meaning of each part, from what I heard during the class contributions. This helped add clarity to the activities and live demonstrations we’ve experienced
since.
I learned about the different types of coaching and who might be the respective clients. This was interesting and practical in the sense it enabled me to think about where my professional background and acquired knowledge may lend themselves across the various types. However, it was emphasized in the session that coaching is coaching. Whatever I call myself eventually, every type of coaching is treating the individual, not the problem, and the principal is the same.
We spent a lot of time on the planning phase of the coaching process, but in a more practical way.
I’ve been impressed at how well-managed the course has been with regards to Zoom. I’m familiar with using Zoom as a tool to teach and train groups on a daily basis. And I understand the challenges associated with trainee/student inclusion and attention. So far, the course has been fantastic in this
sense too – of course, it helps on the technical side to have such interested and engaged students!
I also really liked how the course expectations were set up so thoroughly from the outset. I felt this brought the class together right from the start and clearly marked what was expected from us.
Overall, I’ve really enjoyed the sessions, and I’m learning a lot. There is a long way to go, and I do feel apprehensive about taking my first coaching session when the time comes. I’ve been making a concerted effort to be a better listener in my daily life, to ask more questions, and to pause and think before answering a question myself. Strangely, I feel I’ve procrastinated less and been more productive with other things in the last week – and procrastination was my priority area. Perhaps unrelated, but it’s a bonus either way. 😊
