He hit the table with his closed fist, making my glass of water splash and the other diners pause for that brief moment. “I’ve got to reach younger men and help them grow in their deeper in their walk with God,” he said through clenched teeth, “or I just won’t be able to live with myself!”
“I think you’ve just confirmed your passion.” Read More ›
Powerful, thought-provoking questions can help a client to think outside the box, discover new territory, jump-start creativity and evoke a response from the heart. Keep the question short and to the point using less than 10 words.
If you are a new coach and feel stressed thinking about the “right question”, relax and focus on “being” with the client instead of “doing” (trying to perform). Stay curious and if you can’t think of a question, just remember two words….. “Tell me”… and “Tell me more about that…”
My dear Grandma Clara was a bit of a Christian Life Coach and never knew it. She had the gift of knowing how to ask a wonderful, thought provoking question and then resting in silence, allowing a 12 year old to discover. I was a chatty child and so many times, I remember how she would gently lean down into my face and take hold of both my ears, and squatting down at face level, she would say so softly, “Janice, God gave you two ears and one mouth, and He intends for you to listen twice as much as you talk.” Oh, such a wise and gentle spirited woman. Thank you, Grandma Clara!
Good coaching is comfortable with silence, giving the client time to reflect and respond which is a critical skill for coaches to master. There is no need to jump in thinking you are helping. Some of the most powerful moments in coaching take place in the silence. It is here that a client reflects, processes, discovers, and has many aha moments. There are golden moments when a coach can hear more than the words spoken for the power is behind the words that remain unspoken. Most importantly, it is in these moments of silence and reflection that our role is to allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in the client and this is between the client and the Holy Spirit. ….. “Peace, Be Still and know that I am God…”
As an IAC Licensed Coaching Masteries School, we train our students to give full attention to the words, nuances, and the unspoken meaning of our client’s communication.
What is your client saying in the silence? How are you coaching in the silence?