How to Apply the Sensory Acuity in Your Coaching

July 2nd, 2010

Being emphatic is very important for a coach but to put you in a position of excellence, applying the sensory acuity is a must.

What exactly is Sensory Acuity? Simply put, it is your ability to employ all your senses and absorb as much as possible about the person you are with. It is not only what you see or hear. It covers testing congruency, to understand what is really being communicated to you, through both verbal and non-verbal means. It is listening to the tone of their voice as they are speaking, testing that against the words they are saying. Reading their physiology, their posture, hand movements and so on, is even more important than words, because quite often these are the signs that are revealing the real meaning.

You will be reading this subconsciously anyway but by using your Sensory Acuity, you will be capable of taking meaning from communication in a proactive conscious way. How?

Listen to and watch out for conflicting signals. The clients might say they are happy with something but what is their tone telling you? What is their body language telling you? Notice everything that is going on.

When the sensory acuity extends deeper and you are using all your senses to take meaning from what you are seeing, hearing and feeling, then you are engaging in listening to understand. And if you want to provide your customers with the best service possible, this should be the only level of listening you ever engage in.

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.