In “Clear Leadership”, Gervase R. Bushe shared four leadership skills. 1. Aware Self – the ability of observing and knowing one’s own experience; 2. Descriptive Self – the ability to describe one’s own experience so that others empathize with it; 3. Curious Self – the ability of getting others to describe their experience; 4. Appreciate Self – the ability to find the best in people and processes. A person who has these four skills can provide leadership when they do something that helps a group or organization to achieve its goals or increase its effectiveness.
Interesting enough, I have seen those four skills as the key skills for an effective coach. I have been very intentionally working on mastering them. I can listen and hear my clients only when I master self awareness. I can understand my client’s experience only when I master the skill of reframing and curiosity with clarity. I can coach my clients to tab into their potential and eliminate interferences only when I master self awareness and appreciative creativity and conversations.
Being an effective coach is like being an effective leader. My leadership coaching training has made me to be a stronger leader. It’s really interesting to see the relatedness between the two.