what is coaching - why retain a coach · fred kofman and peter senge (1993) pointed out how...
TRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: What is Coaching - Why Retain a Coach · Fred Kofman and Peter Senge (1993) pointed out how “problem solving is fundamentally different from creating. The problem solver tries to](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062915/5eb695fee257dd61441a9e76/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Page1of9
WhatisCoaching?WhyRetainaLeadershipCoach?ByAnthonyV.Zampella
Coachingemergedinresponsetoourinabilitytocopewithincreasingchangeandcomplexityinthesocial,cultural,technological,andprofessionaldomains.1Thesechangingdemandsimpactedlife,performance,andleadership.Thefieldofcoachingisunique,asitmovesbeyondtherational,embodiesdynamiclearning,engagesgenerativelanguage,andadoptsafutureorientation.Pleasenotesometermsonthelastpageofthisdocument.
Thefieldandprofessionofcoachinghasevolvedoverthelasttwodecades—asbothamethodologyandaproduct—tofilltheincreasinginformation-actiongapthathasresultedfromtheemerginginformationage.Thisgaphaswidenedastheinformationparadigm,itsprocesses,anditssystemshavebecomemorepervasiveinestablishingourpatternsofthought,andinterpretations,perceptions,andaction.
ShifttoBeing
Inthefaceofourinformationage,thecoachingprofessionemergedtobridgethecommunications-performancegapbetweenconventionaltransactionalcommunicationsandgenerativecommunications.Thedifferencebetweenthesetwomindsetsrequiresashiftfromknowingortransactingrealitytoanawarenessofbeing—orgroundofbeing—fromwhichweaccessandexperiencenewviewsofreality.BusinessphilosopherPeterKoestenbaumobservestheimportanceofthisshift(Labarre,2000):
“…whenyou’restuck,you’renotlikelytomakeprogressbyusingcompetenceasyourtool.Instead,progressrequirescommitmenttotwothings.First,youneedtodedicateyourselftounderstandingyourselfbetter—inthephilosophicalsenseofunderstandingwhatitmeanstoexistasahumanbeingintheworld.Second,youneedtochangeyourhabitsofthought:howyouthink,whatyouvalue,howyouwork,howyouconnectwithpeople,howyoulearn,whatyouexpectfromlife,andhowyoumanagefrustration.Changingthosehabitsmeanschangingyourwayofbeingintelligent.”
Changing“yourwayofbeingintelligent”requiresexpandingcapacitytoincreaseawarenessasdistinctfromimprovingskillstoachievemore,oracquiringknowledgetoknowmore:
o Transactionalcommunicationsviewlanguageasdescriptive;thatis,intendedtogatherandtransmitinformationtodescribe(map)realityfrompastframesofreference.Thegoalistodetermineanaccurateperception,basedonanalyzingevidencetobettermanageactionandpredictevents.
o GenerativeAcommunicationsviewlanguageasaction;thatis,listeningandspeakingcreateperceptionsthroughrevealingorshapingtheverycontextinwhichwelistenandspeak.Thegoalis
1 Brock, 2014, pp. 14–20
![Page 2: What is Coaching - Why Retain a Coach · Fred Kofman and Peter Senge (1993) pointed out how “problem solving is fundamentally different from creating. The problem solver tries to](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062915/5eb695fee257dd61441a9e76/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Page2of9
tocreatefuturesthroughtappingourcreativityinourlisteningandspeaking,basedontheauthorityofthespeakertogenerateactionandaltercontext.
Inthelatterinstance,onerealizesthereisnosingleorobjectiveinterpretation,soonebecomesresponsiblefordevelopingthecapacitytolearn,unlearn,experiment,andreframethemoment—toachieveanewlevelofunderstanding.
Thefollowingfour“relationships”highlightindicatorstoacoachingmindsetandapproach:
1)RationalMindsetorrelationshiptothought,potential,andawareness;
2)LearningFocusorrelationshiptogrowthandlearning;
3)GenerativeLanguage,orrelationshiptolanguageandaction;and
4)FutureOrientationorrelationshiptopastandfuture.
1. BeyondaRationalMindsetBythemid-90s,thepaceofchangehadevolvedfromincrementalandsequentialtononlinearwithincreasingcomplexity.TheacronymVUCA(Volatile,Uncertain,Complex,andAmbiguous)highlightstheshiftfromevidence-basedknowinginstabletimestoaction-basedlearninginunstabletimes,whichhascreatedgapsinperformance.InthebookTrickyCoaching:DifficultCasesinLeadershipCoaching,theauthorshighlightalessonfromhumanhistory(Korotov,Florent-Treacy,KetsdeVries,&Bernhardt,2012):
Althoughformillenniahumanshavesoughtadviceabouttheirlivesfromindividualsindefinedsocietalroles(shamans,counselors,religiousfigures,sages),andmorerecentlyfrommedicalandparamedicalprofessionalssuchaspsychiatrists,psychoanalysts,andpsychotherapists,theworldisnowmovingatsucharapidpace—whenwecangetallwewant(orthinkwewant)atthetouchofamouse—thatpeoplenolongerrecognizethesimpleneedtostopandthink,letalonetakethetimetoseekadvice.Theincreaseddemandfor[leadership]coaching,howeverundoubtedlyreflectsabasichumandesireforcommunicationandreflection...(p.13)
Unlikeotherhumaninterventions,suchaspsychology,psychiatry,psychotherapy,orevenconsulting,thefieldofcoachingexpandshumanpotentialbeyondthelimitsofrationalthought.Coachesappreciatetherationalprocess—thatwhichisempirical,measurable,orobservable—whenprovidingassessments,clarifyingresults,andestablishingfacts.Gettinggroundedinfactsisnecessaryasabeginning,butinsufficientasanaim.
Coachingappreciatesthefullnessofthehumancondition:thepotential,therational,andthecreative.
Groundedinproblem-solving,thescientificmodelofferspowerful,evidence-basedsolutions,yetcanforecloseotherpossibilitiesthatrequireimagination,insight,ortimelesswisdomaboutthewholeofbeinghuman.Intheirclassicessay,“CommunitiesofCommitment:HeartofaLearningOrganization,”FredKofmanandPeterSenge(1993)pointedouthow“problemsolvingisfundamentallydifferentfromcreating.Theproblemsolvertriestomakesomethinggoaway.Acreatortriestobringsomethingnewintobeing”(p.10).
![Page 3: What is Coaching - Why Retain a Coach · Fred Kofman and Peter Senge (1993) pointed out how “problem solving is fundamentally different from creating. The problem solver tries to](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062915/5eb695fee257dd61441a9e76/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Page3of9
Coachesalsodelightinmovingbeyondtherationalorempiricalmind.Theyengagetheimaginativerealmtodesignnewcontexts,andcanengagethephilosophicalrealmtoofferrigorousinquiriesandintentionalpractices.
Acoachiswillingtoplayandexperimentwithnewexperiencesinordertoobservewhat’spossible.Thismayoccurintheformofarequest,anidea,theaskingofboldquestions,orthetestingofintuitiontoviewgreaterpossibilities.
o Criticalpoint:Acoachembracestheunknown,anddoesn’tdismisssomethingsimplybecauseitisnotseenorunderstood.Indeed,muchofourgreatestinformationabouthumanphenomenacomesrightfromourclientsandtheirexperiences,regardlessofthelanguage(terminologyornomenclature)usedtodescribeit.Acoachwilllearnfromtheclienthowbesttocoachthem.
Acoachwillworkwithyoutodevelopyourcapacitytotapintoyourimagination.Thepracticaleffectofthisistoinspirethelearnertoreachbeyondwhatisknown,toacceptadynamicviewofnature/realityandtoleverageuncertaintyasagreatsourceofnewandinnovativeapproachestolearning,relating,andacting.
o Criticalpoint:Thehumanconditionisdynamicandplayful—weareabletoactoutofwonderandcuriositytoengagetheimagination.Coachesarewillingtoengagethisprocessandactuallylearnfromaction,ratherthanlearningtoact.Thistranscendslinear,rationalprocesses,whichplaceapremiumonunderstandingthepartsbeforetakingaction.
2. LearningFocusCoachingoperateswithinaparadigmoflearningandco-creating,ratherthandiagnosingandproblemsolving.Coachesdistinguishbetweenaninquirythatengagesbetterquestions,andproblemsthatdiagnosebetteranswers.Theyencourageself-discoverytodistinguishandexperiencewhat’smissing,ratherthanwhat’swrong,inanysituation.Thisrelationshiptolearningtranscendsandincludesthestandardaccumulationofknowledgeandfacts.
o Criticalpoint:Acoachneednotpossesscomplextheories,research,orstudiesoneveryaspectofyourcurrentproblemorchallenge;theyobservethehumanconditionbylisteningandquestioning,andsupportandchallengerealitytodistinguishactionpreviouslyunseen.
Asafield,coachingventuresbeyondanormativeBorproblem-solvingfocusandisgroundedinphilosophicalinsightandexperience.Coachingappreciatesthefullnessofthehumancondition:thepotential,therational,andthecreative.Distinctfromotherhumaninterventions,suchasconsulting,counseling,therapy,ormentoring,coachingleveragesthedifferentdomainsofscience,art,andphilosophyasfollows:2
• Third-personorempiricallearningfocusesattentiononwhatwelearn,onacquiringinformationfroman“objective”orempiricallybasedperspectivetoexpandknowledge.Weaccessitthroughthescientificmethod.Thisthird-personfocuscultivatesthescienceofcoaching.
2Havingoutlinedtheseemergingchallenges,VickiBrock,PhD,authoroftheSourcebookofCoachingHistory,hasproposedtwobranchestocoaching,philosophyandsocialscience(Brock,2014,p.8).MuchofwhatBrockplacesinthesocialsciencesIfurtherdistinguishbetweenscienceandart.Artisdistinct,asitisperformativeandexperiential,whilescienceisempiricalinnature.I’veoutlinedthisin“CoachingLearningGrid”onpage3ofthisdocument.
![Page 4: What is Coaching - Why Retain a Coach · Fred Kofman and Peter Senge (1993) pointed out how “problem solving is fundamentally different from creating. The problem solver tries to](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062915/5eb695fee257dd61441a9e76/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Page4of9
• Second-personlearningorexperientiallearningfocusesattentiononhowwelearntoexperienceconnectionandapplyknowledge.Weaccessthisthroughmasteryoftechniqueandpractice.Thisthird-personfocuscultivatestheartofcoaching.
• First-personlearningorexistentiallearningfocusesourintentiononwhywelearn,andchallengeswhoweareaslearnerstoexpandawareness.Weaccessthisthroughphilosophicinsightandwisdom.Thisfirst-personfocuscultivatesthephilosophyofcoaching.
Coacheslistenandobserve,usingeachoftheseapproachestocultivatetherational(empirical),imaginative(artistic),andinsightful(philosophical)mind.Throughobservationandconversation,coachesco-createacrucibleforchange,Crelevantlearningtotryoutwhenyouarestuckorunabletoact.Coachesdonotviewbeingstuckasaproblemtofix,oran“issue”todiagnose;rather,theyseeitasa“hiddenalterative”todiscover,oftenfromanewperspective.Acoachdoesn’thelpyouunderstandordescribeyourbarrier;theywillpointtoaction,helpyoureframeasituation,generateanewcontext,orco-createnewperceptions.
o Criticalpoint:Tomakeameaningfuldifferenceinyourlifedoesn’trequireunderstandingyour“problems”better;itrequiresthecapacity,throughobservingandlistening,tocreateacontextinwhichyourcurrentproblemcannolongergrip(ortrap)youinthesameway.Itrequiresanimaginativeandinsightfulapproachtohumanpotentialgroundedintheempiricalevidenceofanysituation.
Optimally,coaching,asamethodologyandprofession,isatitsbestwhenitmovesbeyondrationalorempiricalideasthatemphasizemeasuringevidence,knowingfacts,oracquiringskills,toexpandmindsetsandcultivatethepotentialtothinkandactdifferently,allowingforcoachandclienttoco-createtogether.
![Page 5: What is Coaching - Why Retain a Coach · Fred Kofman and Peter Senge (1993) pointed out how “problem solving is fundamentally different from creating. The problem solver tries to](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062915/5eb695fee257dd61441a9e76/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Page5of9
3. LanguageasGenerativeWhatmaymostdistinguishthefieldofcoachingfromotherhumaninterventionisitsrelationshiptolanguageasgenerative.Generativelanguagehonorsitsgenerativepropertiestocultivatethecapacityforactionthroughincreasedperformance,enhancedrelationships,andexpandedtrust.Inthismindset,languageisaction,andcoachesaretrainedtodistinguishthepropertiesofactioninherentinlanguagetoshiftattitudes,ratherthananalyzeevidenceordevelopnewskills.
Theprofoundnatureofwhat’spossiblewhenwesituateourselvesascreatorsinlanguagealtershowweactandlearnandenhancesourabilitytoserveothers.Allspeakingandlisteninginthisdomainisgroundedinyour“word”—tomeananddowhatyousay,orwalkthetalk—asthesourceofaction,andisintentional.Itcannotbespokenbythosewithaweakrelationshiptotheirword.Here,eventheresponsiblechoicetonotactisaconsciouschoicethatforwardsaction.Indeed,inthismindset,theabilitytothink,reflect,andobserveatadeeperlevelalignschoices,focusesattentionandintentions,andisthesourceofaction.
Theprofoundnatureofwhat’spossiblewhenwesituateourselvesascreatorsinlanguagealters
howweactandlearnandenhancesourabilitytoserveothers.
Coachesobservehowwerelatetosituationsthroughhowweinterpretaction.Whichsituationsthreatenusandleaveuspowerless?Whichsituationsrenderusfreeorempoweredtoact?AcoachwillrevealandcreatecriticaldistinctionsD(newordifferentlenses)inlanguage,whichrevealitsgenerativeproperties,causingnewactionfromadistinctsetofchoices.
o Criticalpoint:Coachingwillhelpyoudistinguishhowlanguageshapesaction.Acoachwillrecognizeconflatedmeaningsandperceptions,anddistinguishbetweenthemtocreatenewpathwaystoaction.Thesepathwaysresultfromadifferentrelationship:notnewskillsorcontent,butanewcontext.
Tooperatefromagenerativemindsetrequirestraininginthehumancondition,toperceiverealitythroughaconversationaldomain.EFromaconversationaldomain,coacheshonorlanguageandconversation,asbothcontentandcontext,toformandinformourreality.Inessence,coachesco-createthehumanexperienceinlanguage.
Toco-createtheseconversations,muchofcoachingoperatesinafirst-personphenomenologicalForas-livedexamination.AspartofanontologicalGinquiry,itshapesthewayweobserve,interpret,andlistentothatofaculturalanthropologist.Whoweareshapestheobserverweare,whichshapeshowconversationsunfold.Coachesdifferentiateourgroundofbeingthroughdistinctionsinlanguageforperspective-building,toexpandpossibilityandpathwaystoaction.Ifafterworkingwithacoachyouarenotinaction,youdidnotexperienceacoachingsession.
o CriticalPoint:Acoachlistensandasksimportantquestionstodistinguishthoughtsandmeaning,toopenustonewdistinctionsthatopennewperceptions,empowergreaterchoices,andempoweractionsthatfindusoperatingfromanewlevelofawareness.Noneofthatispossiblewithoutgenerativelanguage.
![Page 6: What is Coaching - Why Retain a Coach · Fred Kofman and Peter Senge (1993) pointed out how “problem solving is fundamentally different from creating. The problem solver tries to](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062915/5eb695fee257dd61441a9e76/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Page6of9
4. FutureOrientationThisfourthrelationship,tofutureorientation,istheultimatecontextforcoachingandourfirstconsideration.Recallthatcoachingdevelopedtofillthegrowinggapresultingfromthefuturecomingatusatgreaterspeeds.Thefutureiswherecoachingandleadersintersect.Eachdealswithcultivatingnewfuturesorparadigms,oralteringcurrentperceptionsorcontextsthatcanimpactthefuture.
Thepossibilityofchangeresultsfromadifferentviewofthefuturethatallowsforalteringcontextinthepresent.Copingwithchange—nonlinear,volatile,anddisruptive—anditsfalloutistheprovinceofleadershipandthepreconditionforcoaching.Coachingasaprofessionlacksanypurchaseduringstableandpredictabletimes.
Thus,ourrelationshipwiththefutureiskeytocoaching,especiallythecoachinganddevelopingofleaders.Creatingfuturesoralteringcontexts,unconstrainedbythepast,requiresanopennesstoconfrontingitemsfromourpastthatcanholdusback.Indeed,ourpastonlyemergesinthefaceofanewcontextorcompellingfuture.Compellingfuturesanddifferingviewpointsorcontextsprovokeourpastframesofreference,looseningtheirgriponus.
Toco-createthefuture,coachesrelyonthepreviousthreerelationships:toventurebeyondrationalviews,toembodylearning,andtoemploygenerativelanguage.Unlikeotherhumaninterventions,whichfocusonthepast,coaching’sfutureorientationrevealspiecesofourpastthatconstrainus.
o Criticalpoint:Throughobservationandlistening,acoachcandistinguishthefuturesufficientlytoofferdistinctionsinlanguagethatrevealnewpossibilitiesandaction,alongwithlearningandpracticesthatsustainanewdirection.
Thepossibilityofanunconstrainedfuturedevelopsfrompractice;specifically,theopennesstoseepossibilityinanysituation.Thisshiftinone’sgroundofbeingexpandsopennessthroughdeliveringcontemplativepractices.Byexpandingopenness,coachescultivateperceptionsthatleadtoslowingdown,pausing,becomingmindful,andchoosingintentionally.
Acoachemployssuchpracticestointerruptourlimitingpatternsandframesofreferencediscoveredinthepresenceofacompellingfuture.Withinalearningmindset,coachesacknowledgethepastasasourceoflearning,notastheframeofreferencefromwhichtoextrapolatethefuture.What’spossibleforeachclientrequiresanewcontextbeyondrationalpredictionsfromourpast.
Acoachoperatesfromaclient’sfutureandonlydistinguishesthepasttoloosenanyconstraintstoactiontoengagethecurrentsituation.Whenthisisaccomplished,webecomepresenttoanopenness—afuturenotextrapolatedfromourpastbutfreelychosenfromafuturepossibility.
o Criticalpoint:Thepastisneitheraconstrainton—norpredictorof—yourfuture,butcanprovideanopeningtonewlearning.What’spossibleinanunconstrainedfuture,resultsfromouropenness,theclarityofourintentions,andthestrengthofourwordtocompleteourpast.
Gettingbeyondthepastrequirespracticestogetinactionandtoholdthemoment.Thisisparticularlyimportantforleadershipcoaching,wherebeingpresentisfundamentaltocopingwithandcreatingchange.
![Page 7: What is Coaching - Why Retain a Coach · Fred Kofman and Peter Senge (1993) pointed out how “problem solving is fundamentally different from creating. The problem solver tries to](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062915/5eb695fee257dd61441a9e76/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Page7of9
Leadersarecalledtogenerateacredibleandaccurateinterpretationofthepresent,andtointentionallychooseapossibilityfromadifferentfuture.Noneofthatispossiblewithoutopennesstoafutureorientation.
WhatisLeadershipCoaching?Recallthatcoachingasafieldemergedinresponsetoour(in)abilitytocopewithincreasingchange(VUCA3)andcomplexityinthesocial,cultural,technological,andprofessionaldomains(Brock,2014,pp.14–20);thesechangingdemandsimpactourperformanceandleadership.Interventionsaremadeatthelevelofperformance,andmoreoftenforleadershipdevelopment.
Giventhemanyapplicationsofthecoachingmethodology,leadershipcoachingisdesignedspecificallytodevelopindividualstorelateandactwithgreaterinsightandeffectiveness,withaspecificfocusoncopingwithchangeinanunpredictablefuture.
o Criticalpoint:LeadershipdevelopmentfocusesonexpandingmindsetsHratherthantrainingforskillsorcompetencies.4Itisuniqueamongtypesofcoaching.Itrequiresfacilitywiththefourrelationshipspreviouslydiscussed,tocreatefuture,altercontext,andcopewithchange,andtopossessakeenself-awarenesstobetterunderstandhowindividualsandgroupsinteract(Korotovetal.,2014).
Fromalearningmindset,resultsareonlypartofourviewforinformingorclarifyingintentionstoaltercontexts.Primarily,leadersareinterestedincreatingandsustainingcontextsforchange:toincreaseawarenessandachievenewlevelsofperformanceandexcellenceinthefaceofincreasingcomplexityandvolatilechange.
Leadersreframeperceptions,generatecommitment,andengageactionfromnewpossibilities.Coachesdevelopleadersas-livedthroughdistinctionsinlanguagefromwhichtheycanobserve,generateaction,andsustainpracticestocreatepossibilitiesthatimpactthefuture.
o Criticalpoint:Youknowcoachingworkswhenyouareabletoact,practice,andproducedifferentresults—eventhoughyoumaynotacquireagreaterunderstandingofyourproblem.Acoachwillhelpyoutoproducedifferentresultsthroughsustainablepractices,notagreaterunderstandingofwhat’swrong.
Forleaders,coachingsupportstheirexpandingleadershipcapacity–toidentifyanddevelopemergingmindsets–byhelpingthembecomeopentochange,copewithandadapttochange,andevolvewithchangeinwaysthatdevelopothersforthenextparadigm.
3TheacronymVUCA(Volatile,Uncertain,Complex,andAmbiguous)highlightstheshiftfromevidence-basedknowinginstabletimestoaction-basedlearninginunstabletimes,whichhascreatedgapsinperformance.4Anexaminationthatinvolvesidentifying,expandingandcultivatingmindsetsdeservesmoreattentionthatispossibleinthisspace.Thedistinction,however,asoutlinedinthe“terms”sectionattheendofthisdocument,iskeyforleadershipcoachinganddevelopment.
![Page 8: What is Coaching - Why Retain a Coach · Fred Kofman and Peter Senge (1993) pointed out how “problem solving is fundamentally different from creating. The problem solver tries to](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062915/5eb695fee257dd61441a9e76/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Page8of9
BibliographyBono,JoyceE.;Purvanova,RadostinaK.;Towler,AnnetteJ.;&Peterson,DavidB.(2009).ASurveyofExecutive
CoachingPractices.PersonnelPsychology,62(2),361–404.
Brock,VikkiG.(2014).SourcebookofCoachingHistory(2nded.).LosAngeles:CreateSpaceIndependentPublishingPlatform.
Coutu,DianeandKauffman,Carol(2009).Whatcancoachesdoforyou?HarvardBusinessReview,87(1),91–97.
Koestenbaum,PeterandPeterBlock.2003.FreedomandAccountabilityatWork:ApplyingPhilosophicInsighttotheRealWorld.Jossey-BassPfeiffer,pp21-28
Kofman,Fred&Senge,Peter(1993).Communitiesofcommitment:Theheartoflearningorganizations.OrganizationalDynamics,22(2),5–23.
Korotov,Konstantin;Florent-Treacy,Elizabeth;KetsdeVries,ManfredF.R.;Bernhardt,Andreas(Eds.)(2012).TrickyCoaching:DifficultCasesinLeadershipCoaching.Basingstoke,UK:INSEADBusinessPress.
Labarre,Polly(2000)DoYouHavetheWilltoLead?FastCompany.https://www.fastcompany.com/38853/do-you-have-will-lead
About the author: Anthony V. Zampella is an educator, activist, leadership coach, writer, and researcher in the field of adult learning and leadership development. His work presents an eclectic fusion of Western business models, generative learning methods, language-action theory, and contemplative practices from Eastern wisdom traditions. As an Integral theorist, Tony integrates Western knowledge and Eastern wisdom and practices to examine the connections between language, listening, and learning in cultivating leadership cultures. He can be reached at www.zampellagroup.com
![Page 9: What is Coaching - Why Retain a Coach · Fred Kofman and Peter Senge (1993) pointed out how “problem solving is fundamentally different from creating. The problem solver tries to](https://reader036.vdocument.in/reader036/viewer/2022062915/5eb695fee257dd61441a9e76/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Page9of9
TERMS AGenerativeasitpertainstocommunicationinvolvesarelationshiptolanguagethatcreatesaction.Itcreatesratherthandescribessituations,conditions,andcontexts.Employingitcultivatescapacityforactionthroughincreasedperformance,enhancedrelationships,andexpandedtrust.BNormativeappliestoastandardornormofevaluation.Forhumanbehavior,itimpliesanidealmodeltowhichallobservationscorrelate.Theaimistoachievethatideal,anddeviationsfromthatnormareobservedindegreesofabnormality.CAcrucibleforchangestemsfromasharedunderstandingbetweenthecoachandclientthatreflectsacommitmenttolearning,andthewillingnesstomanagethenecessarycommunicationstocopewiththechanges,andthefalloutofchange,thatcanresultfromgrowthanddevelopment.DAdistinctionisalinguisticabstractionthatdistinguishesthoughtandmeaning.Itopensupnewperceptionsandpossibilitiesforaction.Morethanaterm,concept,orvocabulary,suchdistinctionscreatenewperceptions,akintoanewlensinlanguagethatalterstheobserverweare.Adefinitionexplainsthemeaningofaword,providingknowledge.Adistinctiondistinguishesawordfromanybackgroundassumptions,toopenadifferentview.E Aconversationaldomainisalensthroughwhichtoviewreality,inthiscaseasconversations.Facts,actions,feelings,experiences,friends,systems,identities,andproductsallinterlinkasaninterwovenwebofconversations.Weconsumeoremployinterpretationstoconnectandsustainconversationstoexperiencereality.Throughaconversationaldomain,everythingsayssomethingaboutourlives:thecarIdrive,booksIread,coffeeIdrink,myfriends,familyandjob,whatIeat,howItipservers...everything.Eachissourcedin,oraresultof,ourspeakingandlistening.FPhenomenologyexaminesthemeaningfulnessofanentity(being)asitappearsthroughrigorousinterpretationfroman“as-lived”experience.Fromthisfirst-personexperience,weengageanas-livedexaminationintohowweperceivetheworld,others,andourselves.Aphenomenologicalexaminationaccompaniesanontologicalinquiry.Theontologyismoreakintothemodelandphenomenologythemethodology.Forexample,epistemologyisamodelforknowing,withthescientificmethodologydisclosingthatwhichweknow(seealsoOntology).GOntologyisthestudyofthatwhichis,asitis(asopposedtothematterofmaterialism,oridealisminplatonicterms).Ontologicalinquiryexploresthenatureandfunctionofwhatis(being)—theaprioriconditionsofbeing,orthemeaningofbeing.Toproperlyexaminethisquestionrequiresrigorousinterpretation,tointerpretanddiscloseittoitself(seealsoPhenomenology).HMindsetisusedheretodefineattitude,notaptitude.Mindsetsrevealthelensorawarenessweemploytoviewtheworld.Itincludesourviews,attitudes,assumptions,beliefs,andourcapacity–inthiscaseourcapacitytolead,adapt,andcopewithchange.Mindsetsaredifferentfromskillsetsandcompetencies,whichfocusonaptitudeorourproficiencytousetoolsortechniquesefficientlyandeffectively.