CO-ACTIVE
In our view, the ultimate being Model for coaching.
Designed by Henry Kinsey-House, Karen Kimsey-House, Philip Sandahl and Laura Whitworth.
5 Contexts
Intuition: Intuition should be treated by the coach as another dimension, A skill that we all have. The coach acts upon it by testing it out with the client. The coach loses nothing if the intuition is wrong, but if the the intuition is right - a whole new set of information and clarity may emerge. The effective coach uses intuitive information with a tactful intervention, such as: “I’m get the impression that you already know the answers to these questions. Is this the case?” or “I get the sense that while you are saying yes, you still have some reservations.”
Forward Action: Co-active (and indeed most) Coaching is about forward action. That's what separates coaching from all other forms of conversation. The coach can hold the client accountable and responsible for their own growth and change by asking questions that promote accountability. Example questions include: “When will you do it?” or “How will you know you’ve succeeded?” Removing action and learning from a coaching conversation would be like removing reflection and active experimentation from Kolb's learning cycle - True development or change would not take place.
Self Management: The Co-Active ethos considers self-management as managing your own gremlins so that they don't interfere in the coaching process. This means managing your boundaries as well. If as coach you feel out of your depth because the client issue seems to require greater psychological input, then it is your duty to act upon that and to refer the client. There is also a degree of self-declaration required in self-management. If the client hits upon an issue that is emotive for you, for whatever reason, and you feel unable to manage your gremlins, you will need to declare that to the client as it gets in the way of you being fully present. When your internal dialogue is louder than the client's needs, the gremlin is taking over. Declare it as a boundary issue and seek to establish whether it is possible for you to exclude that subject at least for the present session.
Curiosity: Bringing curiosity enables the coach to ask open-ended, powerful questions while at the same time honouring the client completely. The outcome from curiosity is the powerful question - questions that the client may never have been asked before, such as: What would you do if you knew you would succeed? “What do you do when you are your most successful” or W”hat does success feel like for you?” Coaches can frame these powerful questions with statements such as “I'm interested...” or “I would love to know more about..” By being curious the coach is being nonthreatening and yet challenging.
Listening: Three levels of listening are presented in Co-active Coaching. Level I listening (Internal Listening) is the kind of listening that takes place in everyday conversations. It is listening from the perspective of the person who is listening - the coach - rather than from the perspective of the person who is talking - the client. Clues for level I listening are when someone is talking and you are running an internal dialogue to form a better story, or thinking of what you would do in those circumstances. It forms part of the fabric of the vast majority of conversations. But it is not coaching. That is where levels II and III come in.
4 Cornerstones
The client is naturally creative, resourceful and whole
Observe all of the client - We are interconnected. The Gestalt.
Dance in the Moment
Evoke Transformation
3 Principles
Fulfillment
Balance
Process