Making Distinctions & Defining Terms

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Listen to episode no. 8 of Coaching Through It, where Laura & Julie discuss extras to questions, comparison, definitions, and emotions in coaching.
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

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Want to learn more about coaching? Have a question or topic we should discuss? Let us know!
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Connect to the hosts: @laurapasquini & @julieclarsen
Music credit: The song reCreation by airtone has been remixed under a CC-BY license. 
Making Distinctions & Defining Terms
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