The pre-requisite for pure and in-depth listening is to BE in CONNECTION with the client, from the first moment of a coaching session.
As a coach, your listening aims to connect with the client’s humanity, with the client’s quality of being.
When you are in full connection with your client, you are likely to be fully responsive. You will experience synchronicity and flow and your interventions will flow effortlessly.
As a coach, you are a completely connected observer of the client. A connected coach will hear many things, both what is shared by the client and what may be implied but not said explicitly.
You listen deeply from the curious mindset of a learner: you listen to how the client thinks and feels, what behaviours, beliefs, values and attitudes the client describes or implies. Pure listening in the moment requires that you listen to the client’s words and use them to dive down. Listen, just listen, with lots of silence and lots of quiet spaciousness.
Ignore nothing. Do not say: ”Yes” or “OK” when the client shares thoughts, feelings and statements. Instead, demonstrate the complete curiosity of a learner with a mindset that is not polluted by a need to perform.
Inspired by Carly Anderson – MCC
