Friday, March 16, 2007

Coaching: Coaching is about Discovery Part 1 - Discovering What?

Hi,

I am starting another articles series - Coaching is about Discovering. Although I am still working on another series (NLP is about Thinking), I just can't stop myself to start something new. (Might be I need some coaching?!)

This is Part 1 of the series. I am really not sure about when will Part 2 be available. It might be months later.

Back to 2001 when I start teaching Coaching, I told the participants that "Coaching" would become a buzz word in a few years' time (at that time, most of the people in business field of Hong Kong still haven't heard of the term). I also told them that with more people knowing about Coaching, there would be more and more misunderstandings. Both happened!


What is Coaching?

If you ask someone about Coaching, they will tell you different stories. Many people think that Coaching is like Training, Counselling, Persuading, Therapy, Advising, etc. If Coaching is about the above, then why gives her another name?!

No, Coaching is nothing about the above. It is something totally different. Coaching is about Discovery!

Coaching helps others by facilitating their discovery. The more they can discover, the higher their awareness.


But discovering what?

There are 3 levels of discovery.

1. Discovering about their Thinking about Themselves, their situations, their goals, their problems, their opportunities, their strength, their threats, their limitations, etc. These are what they think, their Perceptions!

2. Discovering about Themselves, their situations, their goals, their problems, their opportunities, their strength, their threats, their limitations, etc. These are what really are, the Reality!

3. Discovering what they don't know they don't know about Themselves. These are their Blindspots. The above 2 levels are something they don't know. When they know about it, they improve! But at this 3rd level, they are going to discover something they don't know they don't know! These are stuff that are totally out of their awareness. They just don't know their existence. When they know about it, they develop!


Is Coaching better?

No. Coaching is NOT more superior than all other helping skills. It is just different. Not everyone can be benefited from Coaching. Coaching is only for those who are willing to discover by themselves. Not every moment is suitable for Coaching. Coaching is appropriate only when time is available for a rather slow process of discovery.


Then why Coaching?

There is 2 distinctive advantages.

1. Acceptance. When people find out stuff by themselves, they are more readily to accept it. There needs no persuasion, which might be required in other forms of helping.

2. No Misleading. We do not direct or lead our clients when coaching. So, there is much less dangers of misleading others to wrong and unrealistic conclusions.

Coaching might result in Improvement and/or Development. Then, what is Improvement and Development? Let's discuss in Part 2 of the series.

Keith
Explore, Exceed & Excel