The Mindful Coach: Seven Roles for Facilitating Leader Development

Introduction: What Is Coaching? A Working Definition of Coaching. Distinguishing Coaching from Other Aspects of Professional Relationships. Contexts for Coaching: Four Dynamics. The Being of Coaching: Mindful Service. Placing Oneself in Service. Mindfulness and Self-Awareness. Mindfulness and the Three Levels of Experience. Attachments and Aversions. Conditioning and Habits That Block Mindfulness. Coaching Habits. Cultivating Mindfulness. Self-Observation. Practices for Cultivating Mindfulness. Coach as Learner. Accountability in Service. The Seven Voices of the Coach. Learning the Voices. The Individual Roles or Voices. The Voices and Their Aspects Placing the Voices in Context. The Master. Maintaining Self-Awareness. Listening with Focus and Presence. Modeling Learning and Growth. Embracing the Client with Compassion and Respect. Choosing Which of the Operational Voices to Use at a Given Time. The Mindful Master. The Partner. Establishing and Honoring an Explicit Structure for the Coaching Relationship. Helping the Client Articulate Specific Coaching Outcomes. Offering Choice Points and Making Joint Decisions About the Coaching Process. The Mindful Partner. The Investigator. Asking Questions That Shift the Client's Understanding of the Situation. Helping the Client to Articulate Desired Outcomes. Asking the Client to Generate Courses of Action. The Mindful Investigator. The Reflector. Providing Direct and Honest Feedback. Directing the Client's Attention Toward His or Her Capabilities and Potential. Encouraging Self-Observation and Reflection. The Mindful Reflector. The Teacher. Providing New Distinctions, Information, and Knowledge. Challenging and Stimulating the Client's Thinking Process. Explaining the Coaching Process, Theory, and Models Being Used. The Mindful Teacher. The Guide. Encouraging the Client to Take Some Action of the Client’s Choosing. Offering Options for Action. Recommending Specific Courses of Action. The Mindful Guide. The Contractor. Establishing Clear Agreements About Actions. Exploring and Resolving Client Doubts and Hesitations. Following Up with the Client About Agreed-On Actions. The Mindful Contractor. Self-Development Strategies for the Coach. Self-Assessment Tools. Self-Observation as a Coach. Navigating the Model. Learning from Your Reflection. Reviewing Audio Recordings. Obtaining and Listening to Client Feedback. Planning Your Own Development. Epilogue: Coaching as a Journey Toward Mastery. About Fluidity and Intuition. Practice as Path. Selected Reading.