Such a simple question to pose, right?
Lots of weight in it though. This stemmed from a conversation I was having with a member of CFG just the other day. We were discussing what she was doing to make headway towards her goal and before we got too deep into the chat, I just stopped (politely) and asked her:
“Are you getting the results you want?”
After that, my job was quite simple – I shut my mouth and listened.
However, my intention behind the listening was quite different than what I see many fall prey to. Namely, waiting for their turn to talk. I know that sounds harsh, but it’s true. I know this because it used to be me. As a young coach, I was so eager to share all my knowledge in a virtuous effort to help this person.
Looking back now, with two decades of coaching under my belt, I realize how little I knew then and how much more I still have to learn!
Here’s the thing: it doesn’t matter if the answer to my question was a ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ Because no matter what, my goal was to learn.
I was prepared to learn what was working or what wasn’t working.
This can only happen if there is ample space and time for a conversation to get stretched out.
As coaches, we are fiercely dedicated to getting you from where you are to where you want to go. That happens in the context of the relationship between coach and client.
So whether you can answer my question above with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’, we’d love to hear from you. It helps us more effectively help you. In the words of Jerry Maguire – ‘Help ME help YOU.“
