First, thank you, CTA, for the time and effort invested in today. The trainer’s positivity and spirit radiated with passion, patience, and professionalism.
Day one, particularly the breakout session, was a memorable experience. It was a privilege to connect with individuals from such diverse backgrounds and hear their unique perspectives on coaching. This diversity not only enriched the learning experience but also underscored the value of inclusivity and respect in our profession, making each of us feel included and respected.
The innovative approach of using the term “developmental opportunities” instead of saying “weaknesses” was truly inspiring. This shift in perspective not only reframed the way we view our areas for improvement but also fostered a more positive and growth-oriented mindset, motivating us to strive for excellence and inspiring us to continue our personal and professional growth.
I also enjoyed the twist on the presuppositions of NLP (Coach Transformation belief of excellence). One of the participants gave a great metaphor about the number 8 (the person with the most flexibility in thinking and behavior has the greatest influence). The metaphor was to be like Google Maps, in other words, to redirect yourself every time you get stuck.
I also enjoyed the part where the trainer discussed how you want your client to feel connected to the outcome, which may happen after the coaching session.
I also enjoyed reading the ICF code of ethics for professional coaching. Not only is it important, but it’s a necessity to adhere to as coaching continues to gain popularity, especially in our region.
Overall, it was a good day. I look forward to the rest of the training and connecting with more people because I thoroughly enjoyed hearing their insights, questions, and answers. I am excited about the learning and growth opportunities that the rest of the training will bring.
I’ve always been the kind of person who had emotional empathy where I really felt what the other person was feeling, and that not only drained me on a personal and professional level. Over the past few years, I’ve trained myself to have more cognitive empathy, almost like being on autopilot the whole time. I know exactly what to say and when to say it without really feeling much, and while that was working for many years, it felt pretty robotic and detached. Today, I reflected on that, and it made me realize that I was almost faking empathy. So I tried to mess around with what I introduced as compassionate empathy and found my sweet spot. I was testing it in the breakout rooms and enjoyed it quite a bit. I definitely need to work on that more.
You don’t have to coach every single client, and if you happen to be a part of the problem as a coach, whether the values presented contradict your own or whether it’s an issue you’re trying to resolve personally, then you definitely cannot be objective enough to be a part of the solution, and it’s okay to say that you can’t help the client.
CTA’s A4 model of transformational coaching is definitely different from mine. I am looking forward to diving deeper into it as we progress through the course. I really enjoyed the coaching session shared on video from the previous course. It was pretty insightful and taught us a lot about the power of silence.
On another note, sharing my book with everyone today for free was a moment for me. Thank you for allowing me to do that. I’ve never given out a free copy since 2013. I even bought my own first copy. Giving it out for free made me feel something that reminded me of a certain kind of “less businessy” side of me that I used to have years and years ago when I first started coaching. I wanted to coach everyone, from the valet parking guy to my friends to anyone, even people who had never asked for my coaching. Over the years, as I’ve expanded my businesses and coaching business, I have centered on “if you have the money, I have the time,” even if I have never really verbalized it to anyone. To be honest, I enjoyed this feeling that I’ve missed. Hah! Thank you for allowing this space for journaling, reflecting, and sharing.
