Making Distinctions & Defining Terms

In this episode of @CoachingThruIt, Julie and Laura talk about having coaching clients make distinctions, define terms, and get to the heart of the matter in a session. We chat a bit about “fillers” vs. blunt questions, and how we are thinking about defining terms and comparison when in our own coaching practice. 

Tools we compare in this episode -- specifically to know the “how” and “what” certain words mean to them:

Making Distinctions - differentiating between two things; comparing two concepts or ideas.

e.g., leadership vs. being a leader; community vs. relationship

Defining Terms - how the client describes a concept, term, etc.; e.g., “What do you mean by that?” or “Tell me more about that…”

• Removing the “barnacles” or fillers: the extra words, context, or “scratchy bit,” that might get in a way of your question; e.g. “Help me understand...” {insert question}
• Do these context pieces or summarization direct/lead our clients? 
• Does empathy look different in a coaching relationship?
• How much can our coaching clients take in with these questions?
• Bottom line: Shut up, and just ask the direct question 
• Mirroring behavior: “Emotions are real!”
• Setting the tone with coaching clients to bring them up/down/even
• Bottom lining: when a client is giving too much context, etc. to redirect the client
• Checking in with clients: Just to say “Hi, How are you?”
• Peeling back the onion in the “murky middle” of a coaching session
• Put on your “opportunity overalls” -- let’s get to work!
• Self-reflection tool for making distinction
• Do we not spend enough time thinking about words?

Book:

Finding Your Why by Simon Sinek

-----

Want to learn more about coaching? Have a question or topic we should discuss? Let us know!

Follow the pod on Twitter: @CoachingThruIt & Instagram: @CoachingThruIt

Email us at: [email protected] 

Connect to the hosts: @laurapasquini & @julieclarsen

Music credit: The song reCreation by airtone has been remixed under a CC-BY license.