Depth Impact The Art & Science of Writing
by Macarena Vergara (Spain)
This is not another article on how robots will take over our coaching profession, or about how to package ‘coaching’ programmes online to create passive income. It is not about devaluing coaching by turning it into a rapid, unconscious exchange of sound bites. This is about a revolutionary methodology I recently trained in, and that is now an integral part of how I coach. It involves technology, a love of the written word, intense commitment and deep presence even when not ‘live’ with my coachee. And it has proved immensely effective in creating rapport and awareness as well as fostering immediate behaviour change.
There is a world out there that needs coaching – and along came E-coaching . A scientifically robust coaching methodology, developed alongside its IT support systems which have been thoroughly checked for ethics and online security. Coach and coachee are not present online at the same time – we exchange messages on a secure and user-friendly online platform. We go on a coaching journey like we would face-to-face, on the phone or on video. We develop trust and intimacy, we explore together the coachee’s current reality, and we get to the ‘question behind the question’, uncovering what needs to be named. We set objectives for frame behaviour change, the coachee practices new habits, we jointly tweak them and make them sustainable. All of this without ever needing to have a live conversation!
You might think this is too good to be true – or that this cannot possibly be coaching. I call it ‘quiet power coaching’ – it goes deep and far in a short period of time. It is coaching because the ABC model (described in the book) was developed from the ubiquitous GROW model, covering the typical phases of a coaching journey and even better, allowing for space and time for deep exploration before setting concrete goals, allowing for intense and close follow-up of the coachees’ ‘baby steps’ venturing outside their comfort zones, and allowing for embedding visible behaviour change day by day.
Source: iCN Issue 23 (Coaching Tools, Tips & Techniques); pages 84-86
About Macarena Vergara
Macarena is an ICF-accredited coach and trainer with a global coaching practice from her house in the countryside in southern Spain. Originally an economist, gender equality and public health specialist working in the international development field, Macarena soon discovered the impact of working with individuals through coaching. She then trained in E-coaching, Brain-Based Coaching and Zen Coaching, and now uses her understanding of the psychology of the written word, brain science, mindfulness, somatic focussing and conscious leadership to create awareness and empower her clients to find their voice and live in integrity and strength. You can read more about her on www.macarenavergara.com
