One of the most powerful and unexpected outcomes of being a coach is how your clients shape your worldview. At iPEC, one of our core coaching principles is, “Everyone is our student and our teacher.” As your canine co-coach, I’ve lost count of the number of “AHA moments” I’ve experienced for my own personal growth following a coaching session.
Here’s an example:
“Mom” often speak with clients experiencing “Level 3 energy”—a mindset of responsibility, forgiveness, and cooperation. In this state, we are masters of rationalization, able to motivate ourselves by finding ways to cope, tolerate, or forgive. Sometimes, in this state, we settle for “good enough” or just being “OK.” Our clients are often surprised to realize they are settling or coping until we explore how this feels and how they’d like to be showing up in their lives. She didn’t fully understand how this level can “hide” from our view until one of our clients turned the mirror on her.
A true story: She had a frustrating weekend a few months back but thought she had it under control and that she was “fine.” It took about five seconds in a coaching call for a client to ask her if she was OK. She even diagnosed it: “You sound very level 3 right now.” And she was right.
It made us realize that, even after so much study and reflective practice on the mindset we bring to work, everyone has their moments of blind spots. That’s why we have each other, why we live and thrive in community, and why it’s so valuable to create an environment where coworkers can be intellectually honest in a way that allows us to receive and grow.
To that client, thank you. For recognizing that in us, for being brave and compassionate enough to care about her as an individual, and for being a powerful student of the Core Energy Program. It’s not a surprise that the culture of your team is so strong!
Who has shined that light for you? Who walked along side you when you were “just fine”?