Listening Through Enjoyment and Appreciation

There's always something to say about listening ... it's rather important for everyone, not just for coaches.

Listening through the filter of enjoyment and appreciation can work wonders for not only the coach but also for the client. When a client has a seriously great sense of humor, seriously serious coaching doesn't make for an enjoyable conversation. That's precisely why sharing stories is so darn powerful. A first-hand account of something dumb (per my client's description) can effectively diffuse the situation and the drama that could follow.

Let's face it, we humans are rather amusing. Thinking of all the dumb things I've done and survived always provides me with laughter and a few great stories. Of course, one can't fake this ... ever ... but deveoping a good sense of humor is possible and a great idea.

So, my client told me a story about something he was "trying" to accomplish by doing the kind of administrivia he simply dislikes doing (gosh, haven't heard of that, have you?). I smiled on the other end of the phone while he went on and on about it all. My smile was internal given these were the same kinds of tasks I dislike as well. So I said "Nice job." and he replied "I didn't like it at all." "What didn't you like?" "Uh, well it wasn't that." "And it was...?" "It was really okay. The results were wonderful and everyone felt appreciated." We laughed big time. He had backed himself out of a story that had nowhere to go because a much better one intruded. Cool stuff, eh?

Our lives are important. What we do is important. How do I know? I know because I say it is."