What is a coaching mindset?
The coaching mindset is a non-judgemental and curious mindset that shows attitudes of presence, acceptance and empathy.
Coaching is being curious about the client. It is about letting the client, be a teacher to you and you become a newbie student. Curious to find out what is keeping clients away from the immense potential they have.
It is about being a learner. To see this world as a learning opportunity. Every turn there is a lesson, every mistake is a lesson, learn the lesson and keep going. No need to delve into the past, whatever happened, we can not change it. Look at the potential ahead and what can we learn from the past to maximise the future potential.
Learning is constant.
The coaching mindset is empathetic, not sympathetic. Coaching is about showing empathy to the clients. Empathy is the capacity to understand or feel what another person is experiencing from their point of view. Try connecting with the feeling they are trying to express more than the specific cause of that feeling.
This mindset is about being optimistic. It looks for possibilities in situations that are very complex.
The coaching mindset is relationally intelligent. It is very efficient in challenging and caring personally (Radical Candor). It is a story collector and shows genuine interest in people. It has one mantra “People matter the most”.
It is a listener with eyes and ears open. Coaches use all senses to listen fully. They look for non-verbal clues in the client’s attitudes and emotions. They are fully present in the conversation and self-aware of the external and internal interferences.
The most important essence of a coaching mindset is being non-judgemental. Coaches believe people have their answers within themselves. They just need a partner to talk through who can ask them creative questions to bring the best out of them. Coaching mindset doesn't have any biases towards clients hence they practice being not to judge others.
Coaching mindset is an observer without any judgements.
I do believe everyone needs to have a coaching mindset. During my professional coaching training with
Jaya Bhateja (Abhyudaya), I learned about the beliefs of Coaching mindset.
Beliefs of Coaching Mindset
We discussed about 5 foundational beliefs of coaching mindset.
Everyone can learn, that is one human trait. Everyone can grow from their current state and change their mindset.
Everyone wants to be successful.
People do know more about their problems than coaches do. They are the best judges of where they are and where they would like to go and how.
There are always many ways to do the most things.
People are most committed to their ideas if those ideas are generated from their mind. They are more focused as that’s what they have committed and accountable to themselves to fulfil those ideas.