Creating of Inner Space for Coaches

July 7th, 2010

As any coach will confirm, being able to create an inner space for themselves is paramount to being able to be fully present and supportive of the client during a coaching session. Creating inner space helps to eradicate and separate any personal opinions, experience, moods and thoughts of the coach from the coaching process.

Achieving this is not always easy, especially if coaches’ life is busy and he/she gets pre-occupied with his/her own worries or stress. If we are feeling depressed, we tend to concentrate on the negative parts of the conversation, whereas if we feel more optimistic, we tend to pick out only the positives, even though this was not the most important message the client was trying to convey.

Furthermore, coaching is an intimate process and as such can easily reveal the inner state of the coach, thus a regular routine of setting aside time for creating an inner space and peace is one of the most important routines a coach should have. How to achieve that?

I personally developed a routine of preparing for my sessions 10 minutes before they are about to start. I read the notes from my previous sessions with that particular client and that gets me in the right mode for his/her particular needs. By concentrating on my notes I am already shifting my focus toward my client and away from my own mind. Then I prepare my notebook, pen and while waiting for the client I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths. By the time my client calls or walks through the door I am fully ready to fully concentrate on the session ahead. This routine is simple, short and effective.

For some coaches, a quick walk outside or a quick meditation can do the trick.

Irrespective of which method we choose, by clearing our own mind we allow ourselves clearly to focus on our client. On top of it, by being present and in peace we help to create the same frame of mind for our client, which provides a good foundation for our session to be highly effective.

Natalie Ekberg is an international personal and executive coach and offers self-improving, motivational and coaching e-courses and e-books as well as face to face or telephone coaching.