Just between us Coaches – Do you do it, too?

Just between us Coaches – Do you do it, too? Do you sometimes JUMP in with a reply as soon as your client finishes speaking? If you know that you do this, you are ahead of the game! Hint: a verbatim recording and transcript can be positively eye-opening! And humbling!

I am fortunate to participate in numerous weekly coaching sessions, whether as a coach, a mentor, or a trainer. I witness a lot of coaching!

Some of us coaches struggle with silence, and it shows. I notice coaches responding to a client’s deep sharing, with barely a moment having passed since the client finished speaking.

• What might happen if the silence lingered?
• How can coaches train to respond with silence, just as athletes train for an event?

Let me ask you something: If you want to build muscle (as all my doctors recommend as I age), do you really care whether you exercise with a soup can or a free weight—as long as you achieve the desired results?

In this analogy, Muscle represents a Coaching Mindset. We want to build, tone, and maintain our professional coaching mindset, including “establishing a reflective practice, and preparing for sessions.” (CC #2)

In this analogy, the Soup Can represents Improvisation skills honed through practice and tied to specific ICF Core Competencies.

What does improv have to do with coaching? Both Coaching and Improvisation share some core skills while differing significantly. For instance, as coaches, we rarely need to be reminded not to turn our backs on our audience!

Improv, as a tool for building a Coaching Mindset/Muscle, has proven adaptable to the virtual environment. It offers strong benefits to our clients and contributes to our ongoing professional development—which is also a key aspect of Mindset!

Where might you start with improv?

Are you inspired to have fun, enjoy some improv, laugh, and learn with other coaches in a space designed to grow your Coaching Mindset Muscle?

Decide whether you would prefer an in-person experience or a virtual experience. If you want an in-person option, a local online search will reveal opportunities in your area. Consider local theaters, community colleges, universities, coaching chapters, speakers, and entertainment venues. Ask your network if anyone has participated and how they found the experience.

It has been enlightening to see how we all show our preferences for participating in such an “in-the-moment” Presence-building experience. Some, like me, love it, while others—whom I thought would enjoy it—do not feel the same way. It’s very individual.

Join Coaches in 2025 for Improv and Coaching Mindset training! In 2025, I will volunteer again with PCC Sandy Menzies to bring Coaching Mindset and Improv training to the ICF Maryland Chapter!

The CCE credits will be low-cost (since Sandy and I are volunteering), and they will be accredited for Core Competency. We will offer monthly improv/Mindset events for the ICF Maryland Chapter on the second Wednesday from 12:00 noon to 1:15 pm ET.  Connect with https://icf-md.com/ for details and to register.

Join us to strengthen your reflective muscles and become more comfortable and confident with the gifts of silence and pause in coaching.

Coaches at all levels of improv and coaching experience are welcome. Attend one Chapter webinar or many, and earn your CCEs with a smile!

CCEase Resource attached-5 page Improv/Mindset (PDF)