Cindy, a coaching client, who joined Coaching Cafe® on a recent Coacharya Colloquium, (https://www.youtube.com/c/coacharya) mentioned that her leader had referred to her as a “diamond in the rough.”

Through True Leadership coaching she was able to discover and polish her diamond like qualities. This prompted a member of the audience to ask, in the context of the role of the coach:

What is the role of the sculptor when the sculpture is already in the stone?

Often attributed to Michaelangelo, this description of sculpting as simply revealing the statue that is already in the block of marble is a useful metaphor for exploring the coaching process.

As coaches, we believe that the role of coaching is to enable the coachee to see themselves as already having everything they need to become the best version of themselves.

In “What is Coaching” on the Coaching Cafe website (www.coachingcafe.co.za) we say “the coach creates a space that orientates their client towards the future they want”.

Holding a coachee in that creative space with increasing self awareness enables them to become both the sculptor, shaping the stone and the sculpture, thefuture self they are becoming.

True Leadership coaching enables this process by integrating the new 2019 ICF Competencies (https://coachfederation.org/core-competencies), in particular the following:

Full partnering has always been expected at master level coaching and a welcome enhancement is how partnering is infused throughout these competencies. So the coach partners the coachee in their role as both the sculpture and sculptor.

Stepping into the sculptor’s space with a Coaching Mindset we recognise and respect the sculptor as the artist/creator of their sculpture. We enter this space with them as a partner, not a teacher or advisor.

Listening Actively and Evoking awareness come alive in this metaphor as the coach joins the sculptor in this creative space. The coach is a connected observer, watching the sculptor chip away the stone to reveal the beauty of the sculpture hidden within. ThIs space allows the coach to walk around the sculpture with the sculptor, hear what they say and see what they see. As the coach, you may notice features they don’t and you share observations and ask questions.

You are curious about what the coachee sees emerging, what they are feeling and sensing and what this means to them and you enquire..… You notice the tools and techniques they use and you enquire and raise their awareness.…….

The framework that underlies True Leadership coaching enables coachees to transfer what they learn into other areas. When coachees integrate this framework into their lives they become effective self coaches that continue to align and orientate themselves in the direction of the future they want.

To discover more about how the Coaching Cafe integrates True Leadership principles in our approach, explore our website (www.coachingcafe.co.za).