Written by: Sarah Merron, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
If you think being a coach is all about promoting a positive mindset and goal-setting, think again. In reality, a good coach operates much like a legendary private detective. If you want to be a professional Coach, you might want to consider your ability to morph into Sherlock Holmes. This article explores how coaching and private detecting are two sides of the same magnifying glass, and how a commitment to coaching is a never-ending journey of development and expansion.
Preparing The Ground
Just as we prepare the soil before we plant a seed, if we want to make a career out of coaching, or even if we want to level up our leadership and management skills, we must prepare the ground to support this growth. How do we do this? We follow the advice of Greek philosopher Thales of Miletus in the 6th century BCE when he said "Know Thyself." Specifically, we want to develop the relationship we have with ourselves. Tilling the soil can take time. We want to break up our minds, aerate and create enough space to be flexible.
Techniques Are Secondary
Coaching is so much more than learning techniques and processes. It is about expanding our perspective to be able to see our patterns, appreciate the archetypes that hover deep in our psyche, heal our insecurities, identify any assumptions and preconceptions we hold, learn to overcome judgements and bias, and balance our ego to the point of total possibility. Through this deep dive into ourselves, we can truly appreciate what we bring into the room when we encounter another. With this awareness, we can set 'ourselves' aside and develop powerful systemic thinking. After the first phase of this continuous journey, we are ready to apply tools and techniques to dive deep into the minds of others.
7 Sherlock Holmes Character TraitsTo Develop The Coaching Mind
Observation Skills: Sherlock Holmes was renowned for his extraordinary powers of observation. In coaching, tiny details can give powerful clues to understanding the elusive unconscious mind. As we step outside of our inner monologue and focus externally, we develop the ability to pay close attention to changes in body posture, vocal tone, breathing pace and location, facial movements, a word out of place, context, distractions, and patterns in stories. The tiniest of details can give us a powerful clue to the root cause of specific thought patterns and behaviours.
Excellent Memory: Like Holmes, you want to be able to remember the most obscure details from a previous session with a client, a pattern from another client, or a nudge from your intuition. If you can remember every piece of the jigsaw puzzle, every edge, and every detail, you can have a clearer view of the big picture.
Vast Knowledge Base: Holmes had a broad and deep knowledge base, and was able to draw upon his profound learning to solve cases. In the same way, a coach wants to have a broad understanding of psychology, philosophy, ancient wisdom, theology and spirituality, neuroscience, mental and physical health, and more. Continuous expansion of your knowledge allows you access to a larger database from which to draw conclusions. The power of systemic thinking lies in the ability to zoom in and out of specific and global thinking and find connections.
Deductive Reasoning: Holmes was a master of deductive reasoning, able to draw logical conclusions from even the most complex and seemingly unrelated information. In coaching, we want to stretch our minds even further and become experts in deductive, inductive, and abductive (lateral)reasoning. This level of flexibility affords us a more effective vehicle for exploring the psyche of ourselves and others.
Creative Problem-Solving: Holmes was incredibly creative in his problem-solving methods, often coming up with unconventional solutions to seemingly unsolvable cases. When we get truly comfortable with the tools and techniques we use for coaching we can get creative in our approach. We appreciate that one size does not fit all, allowing us to evolve a unique approach with technique, tasking, and communication for each individual we work with. We free ourselves from the story a client may use to nudge us in a certain direction and consider even the most outlandish possibility as a potential cause or effect.
Persistence: Holmes was extremely persistent and determined in his pursuit of answers. As a coach, we want to approach every case with determination and use persistence wisely. Specifically, we must acknowledge that the desire and dedication to grow, expand and change comes from the client. We can use every conceivable approach and still meet resistance from a client. This marks the point where we want to draw a boundary and explain that they have to decide how much they want the outcome. We may even choose to step back until they are ready to come towards us. Tenacity is useful only up to a certain point.
Dispassionate Reasoning: Holmes was able to remain calm and objective in the face of even the most emotional cases. He used dispassionate reasoning to help him remain focused on the facts and avoid being swayed by emotions. In the same way, when we can appreciate that an emotional outburst is a clue, rather than directed toward us, we can observe and connect the dots, leading us to a greater level of insight.
The Objective Is A Mutual Journey Towards Discovery
In an ideal world, our coaching approach is openly questioning in a way that allows the client to make their own discoveries. Questions such as “What did you notice about this?” or “What did you learn from that experience?” become amusingly familiar to the client. Rather than having a 'magical reveal moment' common in most private detective novels, a coach wants to teach their client independence and empowerment by showing their workings at the appropriate moment.
Since we don't live in a perfect world, we can also acknowledge that some coaching relationships require more direction at the outset. Even so, as rapport and trust build, the most likely outcome is a client's ability to develop the flexible thinking patterns used by the coach throughout the relationship. These critical skills give a powerful level of self-awareness and insight to the client, or a team member if you're using these skills in team leadership or mentorship.
Trust The Process
We are not born with coaching talent. Skill and expertise are cultivated through an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, a desire to communicate and operate with impact, repeated practical application of the techniques over time, continuous self-development, and a profound sense of innate curiosity.
Every mind is as unique as the fingerprint of the body it resides in. One of the most powerful questions we can always ask is "What if that's not the case?"
In the same way, just as every client has a unique representation of the world, every coach brings distinctive expertise to the table. Everything you have learned and experienced until now makes you the most appropriate coach for those you attract. That is your USP.
Do You Want To Develop Your Inner Sherlock?
Whether you are a coach or leader, or you just want to polish your magnifying glass and satisfy your curiosity, come and join one of my Primal Integrity™ NLP Coaching Trainings and discover your inner detective. Get in touch with me here.
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Sarah Merron, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Sarah Merron is an NLP Trainer and Self-Leadership Coach who has transformed mindsets since 2008. With her extensive experience, she has trained and coached individuals from all walks of life, including business leaders, entrepreneurs, parents, athletes, and more. Sarah's expertise lies in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Hypnosis & Time Line Therapy® techniques. For 15 years, she has been helping people develop actionable self-insight and self-awareness and map their version of success. With her guidance, you can design an authentic life that truly feels like you.
