Coaching Growth Arcs - Thoughtful Development of Our Coaching Mindset

The old adage, you don't know what you don't know... until you do, rings true in coaching. There are many ideas about what coaching is and isn't, and they run the gamut from counseling to consulting, with some coaching sprinkled into the mix.

Growth Arcs

When I decided I would embark on my MCC, I had heard a lot of people coaching. What I had not heard was a lot of MCC's coaching. And, again, I didn't know what I didn't know. I was hungry to understand what made an excellent MCC a great coach. What were they doing differently than I was? And, what did I need to be more consciously intentional about bringing forward in my own coaching?

These are some of the ways that I keep myself growing and developing as a coach. I am transparent about my own need to continually be stretching myself so that I can continue to be of service.

Four Methods to Deepen Your Coaching Competency

1: Listening to as many other coaches as you can. 

If you want to learn to coach, and/or you want a coaching designation through a professional organization like the International Coach Federation (ICF), Board Certified Coaches (BCC), or European Mentoring & Coaching Council (EMCC). I highly recommend Moore Master Coaching (affiliate link) as a resource for hearing a lot of very wonderful coaches coaching. Gail Moore's program really helped me to "hear" other coaches. Choosing to explore new ways of asking questions, being with clients, and also recognizing what I didn't align with as far as coaching styles.

Listen to coaches who have gotten credentials through the organizations you want to align with. Listen to them a lot and learn about the different coaching approaches. See what styles of coaching fit within these certifying organizations. You may be amazed at how people learn to be curious with others.

2: Self-awareness and self-reflection. 

One tool I use regularly is to transcribe my coaching sessions. Transcripts accelerate you to embody a coaching mindset—a mindset that is open, curious, flexible and client-centered. Coaching Mindset is a process that requires ongoing learning and development, establishing a reflective practice, and preparing for sessions. For me, the self-reflective and ongoing learning happen when I go through a transcript and really look at what the client said and what choice point I noticed. This process supports my coaching ear to become tuned to nuances. I use Raenotes (no affiliation) religiously to work with my transcripts.

Here is an example from a session in the Agreement Setting Stage:

00:00 Lyssa : Well, I love that you brought your hand up so quickly. Um, what is showing up That's important That you would like to do a bit of coaching around ?

00:10 Client: Um Well, um, lately, I have been, um, like, in a space of, like, hurry up and wait for a lot of different things. Um, And now kind of, like, a lot of things. They're converging all at the same time. So I'm finding myself in the space. We're like, I have too much on my plate where I've been waiting for, like, something to be on my plate. Um, and specifically, I have found myself in the partnership, That kind of feeling like I can't decide. Uh, like, whether or not it's fruitful. Yeah, um, I'm trying to figure out, like, what do I do? Because I just have so many things on my plate Just trying to sort, right? Yeah. I feel like I've been I feel like I've been really mindful on, like what I'm saying Yes and no to. And we now

01:09 Lyssa: You have a really full plate [talk over]

01:09 Client: Yeah. So, now I really need to say no to things. And I'm like, I was so mindful to saying yes. So I'm just feeling overwhelmed.

01:19 Lyssa: So when you look at this really full plate, given that we're going to be talking for 15 to 20 minutes, what would you like us to do with this plate by the end of our conversation ?

Other Choice Points

• Choice point: I hear the overwhelm as you talk. What would you what to be different by the end of our conversation?
• Choice point: Would exploring what you say yes to and what you say no to, be useful in our time together?

By playing with what I actually asked and what other directions I could have gone, I began to develop a habit of listening more deeply. Noticing the nuances of language and listening deeply for what is important to the client.

Any of you who know me know that I will always use the powerful metaphor that the client brings forward. So, at the end of the day, I still like the question that I asked, what would you like us to do with this plate by the end of our conversation.

There is something powerful about getting the words on the paper that your client actually said. Our memories can be biased. Then, using those verbatim words to support you to notice what you heard, maybe what you missed, and where your focus went.

3: Mentor Coaching or Coach Supervision

One of the ironies of coaching, really many of the helping professions, is that coaches often don't have their own coach supervision or mentoring as an ongoing practice... We run the risk of being in a silo, with no outside perspective on the things we might be struggling with in our practice. It's an interesting intersection when you consider that we offer our services to support others to grow, heal, thrive. And, yet, we often choose to muscle through alone.

I can't over-communicate the value I have gotten from the 100's of hours of mentor coaching and supervision that I have received over the past 6 years. I probably get between 15-20 hours a year of mentoring or coaching supervision. I value the introspection into my own coaching. Exploring places where I can get hooked or where I feel stuck in a coaching experience. 

4: Get Your Own COACH :)

I also have a coach coach. Therapists go it alone often also. White knuckling through our own situations when we could easily get support.

When I practiced therapy, I had a therapist. My therapist was helpful in my muddling through my personal relationships and navigating my own stories. My bias is that we are in this helping field, and we too, need support to thrive. And, frankly a coaching mindset invites us to get the support we need, so that we can show up fully with our clients.

Compassion fatigue, overwhelm, boundary setting, perfectionism, and frustrations can impact us just as much as these emotions impact our clients. Plus, what are we energetically communicating to potential clients, when we ourselves don't invest in coaching?

What Do You Do to Grow?

I would love to hear from you. 

• What tools or strategies do you use to deepen your Coaching Mindset?
• How do you support yourself in your coaching journey?

“Yesterday I was clever so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise so I am changing myself.” 

Rumi

Originally published at Lyssa deHart Coaching

I do have several mentor coaching programs starting soon. Group Mentor Coaching starts in March 2021. We can help you get the 7 ICF Group Mentor Coaching hours and 28-32 ICF CEUs.

Do you have 15 minutes? If you would like to meet to see if we are a good fit, let's do it!

Do you need to renew your ACC certification? Ready to apply for your ACC or PCC? Navigating to MCC? Come Play! Visit me here to see all my current offers today! or schedule a Complimentary Mentor Coaching Discovery conversation and, let's see if I might be of service in your growth arc.

Lyssa deHart, LICSW, MCC, author of StoryJacking: Change Your Dialogue, Transform Your Life, is a Leadership Confidence and Whole Life Coach. Lyssa works with coaches who are ready to apply for their ICF credential.

Lyssa is an ICF Certified Mentor Coach and course leader with an international coaching school. She uses her understanding of the ICF Core Competencies, combined with her knowledge of Neuroscience, to work with Professional Coaches and support them in their coach development.