Coaching Case Studies - 1

I appreciated this walk through and start to the course. The shift from coaching the "what' to coaching the "who" and how to ask questions differently to focus on the who. I want to continue to be in tune with the client’s language, feelings, beliefs, potential blind spots, and other barriers to moving forward. This can help frame powerful questions to build clarity and context for the client. Being present is an important role as the coach and trust the process. The client is in charge.

Reviewing these case studies together in class was an excellent way to open up conversation around the 8 core competencies, specifically in the areas of digging deeper as a PCC level coach, and not being so quick to give up. Instead, a PCC level coach should push and challenge the client in order to get to the root of the problem, and never casually accept what's initially presented as the true root problem.

Working our way through these Case studies was a very effective way to begin our exploration of PCC level coaching. Digging into to the Core Competencies was an excellent refresher for me as an invitation into going deeper into the Competencies as an entre into PCC-level understanding and practice of the Core Competencies. Initially our class discussion "blew out the cobwebs" for me but as our discussion progressed I began to glimpse how being rooted in a deeper understanding of the Competencies was key to becoming an exceptional PCC-level coach. Our discussion helpfully introduced the PCC-level practice of moving beyond the "what" to the "who" of the client's situation.

I found our first class really helpful in laying the groundwork for moving from ACC level to PCC level coaching. Last spring during the ACC class, I caught glimpses of the move from focusing on the what to the Who in my own coaching and my fellow coaches. This class provided specific examples of what that move looks like. It helped clarify the work of a PCC coach and provided a great introduction for what is to come. I find myself more readily shifting now from the what to the Who as I continue to develop my coaching skills. It is becoming more natural, session by session.

Starting off to think around case studies was really motivating! It is wonderful to learn from other students how they would react/ask another question. I felt I already needed to know the difference between ACC and PCC and would have liked to have an intro class :), and maybe to learn more about the students in this class - their coaching journey, their hopes and challenges. I hope we will use case studies again in class!

I like working through these as a distinction between coaching the what and coaching the who. Particularly in the coaching agreement, i thought it was particularly helpful to do further exploration of what a client wants to discuss by simply asking them, "What do you want to discuss?"



I also liked the further distinction between the who and what of ACC vs. PCC- PCC allows for freedom to explore a person's heart motivations, and I think that building into the courage to name and explore those deeper parts of our lives lead to true transformational moments.

As others have noted, actually thinking and talking (fumbling) through these scenarios forced us/me to think in real-world terms. What would be the appropriate question here? Is it okay to ask permission to share a story that might bring helpful perspective to my client? As curious as I am, as useful as I desire to be, and regardless of my expertise in a given area, if the client voices that they feel done with an issue , can I let it float in respect and deference to the client?

I am beginning to see the significant differences between ACC and PCC coaching. As we move in the direction of PCC coaching it feels to me that there is an even higher level of awareness needed by the coach in order to discern where the coachee can be challenged. There is also a new level of freedom in terms of that opportunity to go deeper. It's important to understand where the coachee is in terms of that readiness to move into more vulnerable territory. Going back and forth between ACC and PCC approaches was fascinating, moving from the what to the who, which also requires a greater vulnerability on the part of the coach. But the key thing for me is always to be aware that the coachee is in charge. The coach can release performance anxiety, adopt the beginner's mind, and ask away!

I must admit that at first I was caught a bit flat-footed by the questions about "PCC-level" responses to the case studies. I felt like I was being transported to a dimension I'd never been to, asked to perform at a new level I hadn't tried with intention. With the coaching group mostly in the same situation, we all began to give it a try and it became quite enlivening. I was able to revisit the core competencies, which I admit weren't fresh in my mind, and the session became not only a brush up on things past but a taste of things to come. A good first session for this PCC-level course.

Since I missed most of this class, it's taken me a while to get caught up.



I think what I've realized is that on some level, I've always gravitated toward coaching the who rather than the what. My current primary job gives me a lot of opportunities to utilize coaching skills, but because these are people that I am engaged with on an on-going basis, I'm not necessarily concerned about the immediate what of the situation but rather focused on their long-term vocational journey. It's also been my observation that often, an issue that presents as a "what" issue, if you dig down a little bit, also has a who layer to it. For example - what might be "I want to improve communication with parents," while the who issue is "I don't think the work I do is worthwhile and lack the confidence to communicate it well".

The real distinction here is remembering the "who" is a hot priority, while we may tend to focus on the "what" - it's the difference between listening and fixing. The very first question launches this, because it's not just "What do you want to TALK ABOUT today," but "What do YOU want to talk about today?" The coachee is always in the driver's seat, even if they approach the time wanting the coach to drive them somewhere.



Tapping into this helps us tap into real client growth. It's been so helpful to reinforce learning the core competencies in real-time every time we practice.