Maybe you've noticed that my past few posts have been about coaching. That's because I've been wrestling with this idea for a bit: Is everyone a coach?
Maybe not, but could anyone benefit from developing the skill of coaching? Business leaders? Parents? Grandparents? Teachers? Kids with siblings? Managers?
A few weeks ago I wrote about how motivation fuels action, action creates results, and results reinforce motivation. Do other people besides coaches need to create action, results, and motivation? I think so.
I also wrote about how the best coaches ask insightful questions that lead the client to discover solutions. And that the power of our presence often creates better results than simply providing expertise.
Are these skills most people need? I think so.
Imagine if we all approached our interactions with the mindset of a coach:
- Attentive, genuine presence
- Thoughtful, curious questions
- Humble, collaborative problem-solving
- A balance between support and challenge
I'm still learning how to integrate these coaching principles into my daily life. There are plenty of days when I fall short—when I lecture rather than listen, when I prescribe rather than ask, when my attention is distracted by my phone rather than focused on my kid.
But in my efforts to bring a coaching approach to my roles as a husband, parent, and leader, I've discovered that these skills don't just help the person being coached—they transform me, as well.
Maybe more about that later as I continue to wrestle with this.
