Hi,
This is Part 2 of the series of Coaching is about Discovery. It is more than a year after I wrote the Part 1. I do think it is time for me to complete this might-be 10 Parts series now.
As mentioned in Part 1, effective coaching can result in either improvement or development. Then, what is improvement and what is development?
This is all about limitations!
Improvement is being better, faster, easier, cheaper but still under the previous limitation. Development is an advancement beyond the current limitations. Another term for development can be a breakthrough. It is the rising above the ceiling.
Whenever one discovers something new about their situation, problem, objective, solution, etc, one improves. Until he/she discovers the governing limitations of his/her current situation, one cannot develop.
When someone is operating within his/her limitation, it is difficult to discover anything beyond it. A limitation limits not one's actions, but one's perceptions. A coach's role is to "take" him/her stepping outside to "see" more!
There is limit to improvement. When everything that can be explored within the limitation explored, one goes onto plateau. Mid-life crisis is a typical example of such. A coach can help his client to improve by helping him/her to see his/her situation. One improves when one see what he doesn't know.
There is no limit to development except limitation itself. The key to discovering limitation is to allow the client to see how he/she see his/her situation, that is seeing the "seeing". One develops when one see what he doesn't know what he doesn't know.
What makes a person not knowing what he doesn't know? Blindspots!
In Part 3, we will discuss how blindspots stop one from developing.
Keith
Explore, Exceed & Excel
