Out of the Box: Silence is Golden
Silence is a beautiful thing. Silence provides us with a break from all the buzz. It affords us some breathing space. It can be a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the day-to-day. As coaches, it can be one of the most powerful coaching tools in our coaching toolbox.
You may have already noticed or experienced this, but when there’s silence there’s a natural urge to fill it. In the coaching conversation, when you use silence you give the other person the time and the space to reflect before responding. Think about it, you have asked that jewel of a question, a real eye-opener, what better way to highlight that question then to go silent?
We encourage you to give yourself the gift of silence in your conversations and take notice of what happens. Did the person you were talking to create a deeper awareness? Did they fill the silence with more information? What happened?
Here’s to the gold that is silence.
Team Talk
Beware of the Coach who has no Coach
by Dave Veale, CEC, PCC
Founder
One of the first things I did after completing my Certificate in Executive Coaching (CEC) from Royal Roads University was hire one of the best coaches that I could find. In my case, this wasn’t a particularly difficult task as I had been exposed to so many amazing coaches.
I realize that I was very lucky, finding a great coach can be difficult for those people that do not have the same level of exposure to the coaching world that I had. I did a quick Google search to see what information would be available to people interested in hiring a coach – there is an incredibly overwhelming amount of information out there! No wonder people are intimidated by the prospect of searching for a coach.
In my search I ran across an article by Maria Marsala that touched on one point that I’d like to shine some light on…she said she ‘would absolutely, positively, not hire a coach who doesn’t have a full time coach themselves’. I completely agree, in fact, I would take it a step further and put a warning out to people – BEWARE OF THE COACH WHO HAS NO COACH!
I read this in a colleague’s bio and it struck me as an incredibly accurate statement, something that all potential coaching clients should be aware of. Make sure your coach is ‘walking the talk’ and is committed to continuous self-renewal, self-development and personal excellence. Put another way, for those Stephen Covey fans out there, check to see that your coach is practicing the Seventh Habit – “Sharpening the Saw”.
Now that you know a few important things to look for make sure YOU are practicing Covey’s first habit – “Being Proactive” - and start your search for a great coach. I guarantee you won’t regret it!
It's All the Buzz
"Prior to the workshop I doubted coaching skills could be effectively shared in a one day session. The experienced trainers provided a professional presentation that is warm, authentic and powerful. Truly an important innovation in the field of coaching." - Alison Wolf
Quote of the Month
"May you always be blessed with walls for the wind. A roof for the rain. A warm cup of tea by the fire. Laughter to cheer you. Those you love near you. And all that your heart might desire. ” -Irish Proverb
What Would You Do?
You have a coachee that brings up the same topic to discuss three sessions running, but each time you begin to delve deeper into the topic the coachee deflects. What would you do?
