It seems so obvious that when we throw out our back or tweak a muscle, we usually find ways to alleviate the physical pain or inconvenience, through physical therapy, massage, or a new workout regime.
But it is not so obvious when our mental performance is out of balance. And when we do notice that a part of our cognitive structures is problematic to the current context, we don’t rush out to “fix” it. Yes, we see therapists when our emotional well being is at risk but what about general mental effectiveness?
So what is coaching? I see coaching as helping clients make meaning and thus learn from their experiences, whether that is understanding them through the lenses of the past, present or future. Coaching helps individuals and organizations develop a deep awareness that helps move them forward with intentional actions and enable self-generative growth.
The image below maps out a big picture view of the client journey. As you can see, coaching is just a small part in putting together the puzzle. Does this diagram resonate with you? In what ways do you see yourself in this lifecycle?
Although I demonstrate my thoughts on the coaching client journey through the analogy above, there are problematic associations with this visual. For one, this describes the process as linear. Rarely do we progress and regress in a linear fashion. This model focuses on building strength on weakness. However, a lot of coaching is devoted to understanding and leveraging strengths while neutralizing weakness, which is called Positive Psychology Coaching. And last, we don’t always need to look back to move forward
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