Last night I spoke at “Interesting Talks”, a London meetup group, on the subject of Coaching with Clarity. I divided the time between talking about the Clarity Coaching model, demonstrating it in action (we had 2 demonstrations) and getting the participants to do exercises with each other. In this video, I coach Mark on a common dilemma – trying to get balance between conflicting priorities – studies, social life and building his coaching practice. He wants to find balance. But as you’ll see when you watch the video, it turns out to be quite a different issue.
I may “unpack” the session in a later post, but I’ll give you the same invitation I gave the group: don’t put your attention on what I’m doing – put your attention on where I’m coming from.
As you’ll see when you watch the video, the session had a big impact for Mark, despite the questions being pretty obvious. My leverage as a coach was coming from my grounding; my embodied understanding of how life works. As I said to the group before I started coaching Mark, 1) I know he already has all the answers he needs within him and 2) I know that I DON’T have the answers he needs within me. That leaves my mind free and clear to follow my wisdom and curiosity as I try to get a better understanding of what’s going on for Mark.
The main thing that this video is a demo of is the power of grounding in the coaching context.
In the last few minutes of the video, we return from a break, and I ask Mark if he has anything to report. Here’s what he said (I’ve transcribed it as the volume’s a little low)…
MARK: I think, there were certain instances when you were asking me these questions about, you know, people can’t be in two places at once and I was like why are you asking me that? But, I think in the end that, i dunno, gave me the information, I kind of needed. I don’t know, cos the life coach course I’m doing I’m sort of learning to ask these very incisive questions but you were asking these very kind of obvious questions but that did seem to, you know, clean everything out I suppose. Since I’ve been sitting here, like, you said go away and think about it, I don’t know how you’ve done it but I think I’ve clocked why I drink like so much when I do have to go to these things, so it was really good, thank-you.
Thanks to Dan & Matt at Interesting Talks, London, for putting on a great event and making the video available!
I hope you enjoy the video. Please let me know what you think, or if you have any questions
To your increasing clarity
Best
Jamie