FLOWING in SEASON

in #blog5 years ago (edited)

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We are familiar with the four seasons of the temperate climates - Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Here in Southeast Asia, we usually have the Monsoon and Dry seasons. As we travel in orbit around the sun, the timing and alignment of sunrise and sunset shifts; mildly when closer to the equator and greatly when closer to the poles.

Seasons bring valuable lessons into our lives. Each season has it's quality and teaches us the value of performing certain actions during that season. We plant seeds in one season, we nurture and grow it in the next, we harvest, cook and celebrate in the following, and finally we store, preserve and rest before the next cycle begins.

Much like the seasons in nature, we also have seasons in our lives. A season to study, learn and grow, a season to take action, a season to celebrate and a season to rest and reflect.

The elaboration of seasons here is to serve as a useful metaphor in understanding the COACHING process. Although it is possible to have a one off coaching session, gain fantastic insights and carry on with life, coaching is not a one-hit wonder process.

Much like the seasons in nature, the COACHING process flows through different seasons of the client/coachee's journey. Most coaching processes are done anywhere between 6 - 12 sessions depending on the coach, client and purpose. These sessions can stretch anywhere between 3 months to 6 months, or more in some cases.

A coach generally has a process or some guideline on how best to guide a client. Each person is unique. Some people have tremendous awareness and know where they want to go, some may not have the same insights, some may have great awareness yet later realise that their heart actually lies elsewhere.

In the Catalyst Coaching Certification (CCC) program, a special coaching process is introduced to help coaches become better navigators through the seasons of growth and change. I find this very useful, not just in my coaching practice, but also for my self coaching and personal growth. When I am aligned as an individual I can be better aligned as a coach. Once I'm better aligned as a coach, I can focus on the coachee and how best to support the coachee.

Coming back to the analogy of the seasons, the CCC coaching process flows through five "seasons", and hence is aptly called the FLOW5 C.O.A.C.H. process. The first C stands for Core, O for Outcome, A for Awareness, the second C for Connect and finally H for High Point.

Whether it is within a SINGLE coaching session or over the course of the coaching JOURNEY, the FLOW5 COACH process serves to anchor the coach and coachee on a trajectory of growth and sustainable transformation.

Before we can figure out any goals, we first need to understand WHO we are inside. We each have unique potential, needs and drives. Needless to say, even these change through the seasons of a lifetime. But it is quite possible that we may be operating out of sync with this CORE, not realising that it changed along with the season in our life.

For example, financial stability may be an important driver for someone starting a family, but 20 years later, that same inner drive would not be the same. When we first started working as a young adult, our drive for success and gaining new experiences may be important, but it may not be aligned with our professional growth 10 years down the road. The first C focuses on finding clarity at our CORE - inner being.

Once aligned with our core we can begin to focus on the OUTCOME - the goals that works for US, NOW. This is the perfect time to take stock of the type of goals, focus on the most important ones, set timelines for each and begin charting a course for change and growth.

As mentioned in earlier posts, once the course is set and AFTER one sets off on the journey towards the goal, is WHEN valuable learning takes place. One gains greater AWARENESS. When we encounter setbacks, we become aware of our thought processes, fears and lingering doubts or insecurities. We learn more about ourselves and can address these limiting thoughts. It is ALSO an opportunity to discover and lean on our strengths.

Here a coachee/client begins to understand at a deeper level how their filters in thoughts and emotions might be holding them back. Although such awareness can happen throughout the coaching journey, there is a different quality of awareness when one learns through struggles and even failures. Those earlier mentioned filters become so unbearably obvious, whereby the subconscious need to hold onto them is weakened as a result. This is when the AHA transforms from a cognizant level of understanding to an internal change in beliefs and values.

This leads the coachee/client to CONNECT their awareness and alignment with their actions. Their commitment to goals become more meaningful as they connect with the intrinsic strengths they have (re-)discovered. With each awareness and action step, a client grows more confident in their own potential, building up momentum and motivation to keep going.

Upon arriving at each win and accomplishing their goals, the coachee reaches a HIGH POINT in their journey. Here they can honour the learning that has taken place, appreciate the transformation and continue to take action in the coming days for a sustainable change, long after the coaching season ends.

Approaching a coaching "season" or "session" with these different markers helps navigate the coach and coachee through a journey of discovery to achievement and finally empowerment!


**Note: This blog entry is to meet Catalyst Coaching Certification course content of FLOW5 C.O.A.C.H Process on the Overview module: "UNPACKING THE FLOW5 C.O.A.C.H PROCESS"

This piece has been posted from my blog Coach Chitrah if you wish to stay up to date with my content please consider subscribing.

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Good to see you back here posting coach !

Killing two birds with one stone eh

I had a hard time focusing as I was day dreaming of seasons all four of them. Sigh, I’d say we have summer and extra summer here haha 🤣

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Hahaha, Yes ... The best way to use stones I say ;)

Awww, I can imagine how you must miss the seasons, they are very pretty ... Each one.

Hot, hotter wet and wetter! Lol.

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Truth be told to avoid winter I'll trade off not having fall and spring for perpetual summer. Snow and Ice are only acceptable as a vacation novelty for this guy.

As long as one has the ways and means to escape to the highlands, a waterfall, or best yet jetset off to wherever the heart desires Malaysia is a perfect home-base.

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I lived out in SLC, New Haven, then Lincoln. I enjoyed the winters in the Midwest. There were only a couple of super cold days. Maybe because in Malaysia we have a choice of hot and wet Lol!!

I do like our Malaysian weather too. Honestly, the only thing I miss are watching the fall colours and the spring blooms.

But if you have fruit trees and other seasonal plants here, they put on a pretty fancy display. I enjoy watching our mangoe tree and Jasmine flowers at their peak seasons!

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Good morning @kchitrah

So Salt Lake and New Haven Connecticut? As well as time in the cornhusker state! That's a decent slice of americana indeed.

New Haven is practically a suburb of NYC and his it's own thing going.

Yes the fall colours and the crisp invigorating breezes are dearly missed. The fruiting trees and tropical plants satisfy for the aesthetic of spring but it's impossible to replicate that feeling that things are coming back to life.

To get on topic in consideration of your coaching post I can confirm that coaches in athletics had a profound impact on my life. When it comes to self motivation I'd like to think I alone have what it takes, but coaches showed me that was just hubris. I admittedly tend to under achieve or do just enough to get by if left to my own devices.

Am I to understand you're going through some formal training for coaching? Is the term life coach applicable?

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Yeah, also travelled around and visited places. One of them was NY, it is a 45 min train ride to Grand Central from New Haven! Good slice of Americana indeed.

It was nice to visit NY. But I just couldn't get over how dirty the pavements were! Lol!! It's a pretty city though.

Yes, I'm getting my professional coaching certificate. I haven't decided yet if I want to do personal coaching, leadership or executive as yet.

I'm looking forward to carving out that niche.

Yes, I can relate to sports and self coaching. I feel like I've come so far on my "own", but looking back I can see a lot of hands that supported my growth, and the place I too have underperformed has been my own shortcoming.

We get the opportunity to get coached by a master coach in this program, and to also have him mentor and coach us in our coaching skills.

So it's been quite a journey.

I did sign up for this program back in November, but wasn't till last month that I kicked myself into high gear.

Had a winter season ;). And once I was hitting my spring I got in touch with my coach to push myself into action for the summer. It's nice to have three coaches, two on the spiritual end, and the other ... Well in a way it is spiritual too, but with a different focus.

Hi, @kchitrah!

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I'm sure you are a great coach, but you also write very well @kchitrah!

I've been around coaches enough of my life to know they've helped me greatly along the way, beginning with sports. Coaching helped me so much that I've been a self-motivator all the years since the last and most intense coaching I've had, which was my military training. The greatest test and lesson for motivation came to me by chance, when I was at the point of giving up, when another near me said aloud that he was giving up - and suddenly I was recharged, and I helped him to finish as well. Since then, I have never doubted myself in any situation, and I'm so grateful to have experienced that moment in my life.

Also, congrats on your Curie a week ago!

See, you're making me blush now ... Thank you @free-reign :) - for stopping by, and checking out my posts and leaving me such a sweet nugget.

I really love hearing personal moments, especially so with defining moments, it really gives a glimpse into one's inner being. I really appreciate you sharing your special moment with me.

It's one thing to be self motivated, but it's another to step outside yourself and your own perception of pain and failure to encourage another. I love that the result is you "coached" yourself again, to victory. But your drive came from the need to help others.

I guess that's why you joined the military. Just sharing an observation of mine. :)

Look forward to seeing you around more.

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