ICF Core Competency 6: Listens Actively

Summary

In this video, Sequina Gordon-Jones discusses the ICF Core Competency of *Listening Actively*, emphasizing its evolution and critical role in coaching. Active listening now focuses on the coach’s presence and attunement to the client, encompassing verbal and non-verbal cues. The competency encourages coaches to empathize with the client’s context, ensuring that their perspective guides the listening process. The discussion also highlights the importance of reflective inquiry and powerful questions to help clients gain deeper insights. Ultimately, mastering this competency enables coaches to foster client growth by truly hearing and understanding them.

Takeaways

• 😀 Active listening is a core competency for coaches, crucial for understanding clients and helping them move forward.
• 😀 The updated competency 'Listens Actively' emphasizes the verb, highlighting the coach’s presence and attunement to the client.
• 😀 Listening actively helps the client hear themselves, not just the coach hearing their words.
• 😀 Listening isn’t just about the words spoken—coaches must also pay attention to body language and non-verbal cues.
• 😀 Empathetic listening involves understanding the client’s perspective, considering their unique context and cultural background.
• 😀 A coach should avoid filtering the client’s experience through their own lens and instead listen from the client’s point of view.
• 😀 Listening actively involves responding to verbal and non-verbal cues in a way that helps the client explore deeper feelings or contradictions.
• 😀 The coach’s attunement allows them to notice when something the client says doesn’t align with their body language or energy.
• 😀 Powerful questions emerge from active listening, encouraging clients to reflect on their words, emotions, and actions more deeply.
• 😀 When active listening is done well, the coach uses reflective techniques like mirroring, summarizing, or paraphrasing to help clients hear themselves.
• 😀 Active listening also involves noticing the nuances in a client's statements and questioning contradictions to help them find clarity and insight.

Q & A

What is the key difference between 'active listening' and 'listens actively' as discussed in the video?

The key difference lies in the shift from a task-based approach to one that emphasizes the coach's presence and engagement. 'Active listening' is about a specific action to take (listening to the words), while 'listens actively' focuses on the being and doing of the coach, meaning they are fully attuned and present with the client, considering verbal, physical, and even visceral cues.

Why is 'listening actively' considered essential for coaching?

'Listening actively' is essential because it allows the coach to deeply understand the client, not just through their words, but by interpreting their emotions, body language, and overall context. This comprehensive listening helps clients hear themselves, gain clarity, and move forward in their personal development.

What does it mean to 'attune' to a client in the context of active listening?

To 'attune' to a client means that the coach is fully aware of and responsive to all aspects of the client’s communication—verbal, physical, and emotional. It involves being deeply present and noticing subtle cues like body language, tone, and energy that may not be explicitly stated but reveal important insights.

What role does empathy play in 'listening actively'?

Empathy is crucial in 'listening actively' because it allows the coach to understand the client’s perspective without filtering through their own context. It helps the coach listen not only to the words but to the underlying emotions and unspoken messages, which can significantly enhance the coaching process.

How does cultural competency tie into active listening in coaching?

Cultural competency is key in active listening as it allows the coach to fully understand the client’s context, considering their cultural background, personal experiences, and worldview. This helps the coach listen empathetically and avoid interpreting the client’s words or actions based on their own biases.

What is an example of how active listening can reveal discrepancies in a client's words and actions?

An example would be a client saying they are excited about a new opportunity but showing no physical signs of excitement (e.g., no change in body posture or energy). A coach, through active listening, would notice this and ask the client about the mismatch, helping them explore potential hidden feelings or hesitations.

How does the act of reflecting the client's emotions or words impact the coaching process?

Reflecting the client’s emotions or words back to them helps the client gain deeper insight into their own feelings and thoughts. This reflective process encourages self-awareness, disruption of unhelpful thinking patterns, and can lead to breakthroughs in the client’s personal growth.

What kinds of questions should a coach ask to demonstrate they are listening actively?

A coach should ask open-ended questions that encourage reflection, such as 'How do you feel about that?' or 'What might be preventing you from taking action on this?' These questions invite the client to explore their thoughts and emotions more deeply, creating an environment where the client feels heard and understood.

What is the danger of listening too tactically during a coaching session?

Listening too tactically means focusing only on the client’s words in a mechanical way, without being attuned to the underlying emotions, body language, or context. This can result in missing important cues, limiting the coach's ability to truly understand the client and missing opportunities to help them uncover deeper insights.

Why is it important for a coach to notice non-verbal cues, such as body language or energy shifts?

Non-verbal cues like body language or energy shifts can provide critical information about the client’s true feelings or thoughts, which may not be expressed verbally. Recognizing these cues allows the coach to address potential contradictions, deepen the conversation, and help the client explore emotions they may not be fully aware of.