I recently attended a small group event of PCC coaches who are working toward the MCC credential. In the group, one of the participants asked: “What is the real difference between coaching at the PCC versus MCC level?”
It is a great question! Yet, the facilitator just kept saying… “It is about coaching the ‘who.'”
The participant did not understand. I don’t blame him.
Why? Because “coaching the who” is such a cringe phrase in coaching. Why do we work with such jargon? Is something too difficult about saying, “Coaching the whole person?” Do we expect every coach to naturally understand these silly words?
The same can be said for “coaching the what.” Is there an overwhelming burden by saying instead “coaching the problem / story / issue / challenge / circumstances?”
Language is beautiful. “coaching the who” and “coaching the what” are not beautiful examples.
In mentor coaching, I often recommend to coaches to “focus the attention on the client as a person, not the client’s problem.” If I said, “Focus on the who, not the what,” I deserve to be fired.
So, on this Monday, I share with you the same message I tell my cat when he scratches the couch.
“HEY, STOP IT!”
Don’t even get me started on “How do you show up?”
Photo (featured image) by Zdeněk Macháček from https://lnkd.in/gys4vW39