Working as an Agile Coach and focusing on actions and ways of working has been great… until I found out how transformative deeper conversations can be!
Here are five ideas to enable greater depth in conversations to spark insight and forward movement in those you coach.
- Silence: Silence helps our client delve into their own thoughts and feelings, encouraging introspection and can lead to a more profound understanding of oneself. Silence creates space for deep work.
- Exploring meaning: Words are often carriers of underlying values, beliefs, needs and wants. Exploring the meaning behind words – the ones our client emphasises or keep repeating – can help uncover what influences their thoughts and behaviours.
- Going underwater: Inviting to focus attention on what is happening underwater – thinking, feelings, limiting beliefs, values, identity – is an effective way to increase awareness and help our client align actions with values.
- Using somatics: Both our body and the client’s give us signals of what needs attention. This awareness allows our client to better understand their own needs, preferences, and boundaries, leading to an increased emotional intelligence and resilience.
- Sharing responsibility: By sharing responsibility to co-create what happens in our conversation, we encourage deeper exploration and growth. It is not our job to lead them to a solution. Therefore we need to be brave enough to let our client do the work!
Some people are ready to do deep work, some others need to be guided, some others simply do not want to! Just watch out what is right for the person in front of you…
You are invited to join our FREE ‘Coaching Dojo’ to practice in a safe space and get feedback on your skills by an ICF MCC certified mentor coach.
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