COACHING IS SUBTRACTION
This statement from Michael Bungay Stanier, celebrated coach and author, caught my eye.
It reminded me of a lively conversation with a fellow coach when she spoke about her struggle to explain to people in her region about what her job as an entrepreneur coach entailed.
It’s never easy to explain that you need to be paid for not providing any ready-made solutions!
Where then is the value addition?
Let’s go back to where we started.
Coaching is subtraction indeed because it involves …
- Less talking
- Less setting agendas
- Less fixing issues
- Less judgement
- Less advice
- Less doing
You balance this out by greater curiosity, deeper listening, providing a psychologically safe space and flowing along with the coachee’s stream of thoughts.
The only assumption you start with is that the person being coached is whole and complete.
Yes, the coachee has challenges AND also the potential to access all the resources that she/he is seeking.
There is therefore no intent to advise or provide any solutions.
Allowing the answers to reveal themselves through questions that nudge and provoke.
And holding the coachee accountable for his/her goals as you hold space through your presence.
Coaching adds value through subtraction.
Making those being coached discover MORE of themselves by the coach doing LESS .
As simple as that!
Curious to hear views.
