Coaching With Compassion
Coaching with compassion involves discussing the person’s dreams, aspirations, hopes, values, and other things that stimulate the Positive Emotional Attractor.
Conduct two coaching with compassion sessions. After the two coaching experiences, write a case analysis of the experience with each person. It is expected that each case analysis would be about 3-4 pages. DO NOT INCLUDE THE PERSON’S NAME, but indicate their position relative to you (i.e., subordinate, friend, boss, etc.). The case analysis should include: (1) a brief description of the person’s performance prior to the session; (2) a brief description of what occurred in the session, or sessions; (3) the person’s mood at the beginning, during, and after the session/s, as well as your mood before, during and after the session/s; (4) analysis of what happened; (5) what, if anything, you expect will be the outcome of the coaching.
The analysis section (#4 above) should include concepts covered in the readings and class discussion of Intentional Change Theory and complexity theory. For example, you should include components of Intentional Change Theory (ICT), the Ideal Self, components of the Ideal Self model, the Positive and Negative Emotional Attractor (PEA and NEA), tipping points and moments of discontinuity.
Feedback will be based on: (1) the quality of the story and the degree to which it was coaching with compassion versus coaching for compliance; and (2-5) the use of concepts from ICT and complexity theory used in the analysis.
This should be practicing coaching with compassion. This is NOT practicing coaching for compliance. Therefore, do not engage in a session with someone who you are trying to fix, save, or rehabilitate. Similarly, it is recommended that you do not engage in a session with someone with whom you are currently feeling angry or frustrated. Although some of the questions or methods may be relevant, please remember this is not an appreciative inquiry project.
Key Concepts in the Course
Intentional Change Theory and Complexity Theory include many ideas but the ones of most importance for understanding sustained, desired change and your coaching with compassion essays and course projects are:
1) Change often occurs through discontinuity or emergence (also known as discoveries or epiphanies at the individual level). There are five discoveries that seem to be present in sustained, desired change. They are described by the Intentional Change Theory model . The emergence of each stage or state (i.e., Pea or NEA) is a discontinuity. It occurs when a tipping point is reached, like a phase shift of water turning to ice at 32 degrees Fahrenheit. This property is often referred to as sensitivity to initial conditions or the butterfly effect.
2) There are two attractors of primary relevance to sustained desired change. They are the Positive Emotional Attractor (PEA) and Negative Emotional Attractor (NEA). These are Lorenz or strange attractors. One of the major drivers of the PEA is the Ideal Self or Shared Vision.
3) Intentional Change Theory is a multi-level complex system. It is isomorphic, meaning that the same processes that produce Sustained Desired Change at the individual level do so at the dyad, team, organization, community, country, and global levels.
4) The interaction among levels (i.e., movement of information, emotion, and relationships) occurs through two possible factors. First, resonant leadership facilitates flow among levels. Resonant leadership occurs when hope, compassion and mindfulness are parts of the relationship between the leader and the people around him/her. Second, along with resonant leadership, at levels of organization or greater size, social identity groups are factors.
Coaching With Compassion Sample Coaching Questions
If your life were perfect and your dreams came true, what would your life and work be like in 10-15 years?
What are the values or virtues that are most important to you? What kind of person would you love to be?
Who helped you the most become who you are or get to where you are?
If those fail to stimulate the PEA, try something like these to warm them up and then go back to the above questions:
1. If you won $50,000,000 after tax in the lottery, how would your work or life change?
2. What would you wish your legacy to be (i.e., after you have died)?
3. What would you love to do or experience before you die?
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