The Surprising, Life-Changing Lessons from Joining Professional Coach Training

Michelle Travers, an Empower World coach training alumna joined us recently as a guest on the Empower World Coaching and Leadership Podcast. In the recording of the podcast, Michelle shares what she describes as a life-changing learning experience after her coach training in 2021.

When asked about what she experienced in the online Empower World ICF Approved Professional Coach Training and Leadership Programme, Michelle shared her “mind was blown away.” 

“It was just a wonderful opportunity. And it's really been the catalyst, I guess, for propelling me into the next stage of my life,” explains Michelle.

“My background is in (the field of) early childhood… I'm mainly doing family support work. And this is where the coaching comes in.”

“I facilitate groups and use coaching within the groups. And then I do in-home support where I go in and do coaching with families around building parenting capacity … looking at what's going well for the families and … harnessing that. 

“It's a very strengths-based approach, as coaching is. So it's been really wonderful to be able to support families in that way.”

We asked Michelle what has been some of her biggest and surprising learnings that support her role in assisting families in need. She shared the following powerful insights for herself:

1. I don’t need to ‘fix’ people

“The first thing I learned (or it had a really big impact) was the concept that we don't need to fix people: that people have that ability within them to be creative, resourceful and whole - as you say in the coach training.”

Michelle explained when she’s dealing with families who experience complexities - disadvantage or trauma – and by being empathetic and in the moment, as well as ‘holding the space’ for people to have a voice and listening to whatever they're bringing in. At the same time, she also recognised it's not up to her to fix them, that they are incredibly capable of making choices.

She also recognised she can ask thought-provoking, life-giving coaching questions to support them to reflect and ‘dig deep’ into their own wisdom, creativeness and resourcefulness.

“At the end of the day, I can walk away and leave it with them,” says Michelle with the understanding they will find their way when they are ready.

Michelle goes on to share: “I feel that if I hadn't done that coach training, I don't think I would be so well-positioned to do that. I really believe I'd be taking some of this trauma home with me. So that's been an absolutely massive learning because I really don't believe I could be doing the work I do on a day-to-day basis without having that coach training behind me.”

2. Active, deep listening

Michelle states what she truly values - and declares she is still working on every single day - is practising deep, active listening. She explains when she's with families and colleagues, she is really listening to what they're saying and reflecting back what is said because she appreciates the reflecting is really powerful skill to support people.

Michelle believes that's what assists in creating new, expanded conscious awareness for people by reflecting back what is heard and assisting people to 'hear' and process their thoughts from a different perspective or from an understanding of how their physiology or emotions are responding and when they share their stories.

“I think that's something that I do consistently in my work and in my coaching,” explains Michelle. “Some people aren't aware of their strengths. Some people can't see their strengths. But when you can give an example, such as, ‘I really admire the way that you did this.’ Or, 'That interaction you just had with your child was so powerful.'

“If you can reflect their strengths back to them, it just really shifts their mindset and helps to move them forward.”

3. Getting super curious

Michelle says the listening part of it has been huge for her, together with getting curious. Michelle shares a possible and very helpful workplace example, where she explains there are often conflicts or differing opinions. “You might have someone come in and say, ‘I think we should do this this way.' And in my mind, I might be thinking, 'Well, that's not going to work!'

"Then instead of being judgmental and reactive, I might say … ‘Explain more.’ ‘What are you thinking?’ ‘What is it looking like for you?’ Just getting curious instead of being judgmental. And I think that's been really helpful.

“And if there are difficult conversations, which happens in the work or home place, … my go-to now has been, ‘Could you help me to understand better?’ As opposed to, ‘That's not right,’ or, ‘That's not okay,’ or, ‘That's not going to work,’ or, ‘Why did you do that?’

By getting super curious, Michelle says the ‘judgmental’ sounding language (which can be detrimental to creating trust and rapport) disappears and is replaced by supportive and empowering type questions that can be utilised to assist the person or people we are in dialogue11 with to find their own empowering way going forward.

These are just some of the key learning and life-changing concepts Michelle shared on The Empower World Coaching and Leadership Podcast episode 199, which when brought together, are an incredibly potent combination to open up new resourceful possibilities and pathways.

Even though Michelle is not a full-time coach, she has brought the coaching skills into her professional role in an empowering and powerful way for both herself first and foremost, in support of her clients.

Listen to Jeanine, and Michelle in Empower World Coaching and Leadership Podcast Episode. 199 here.

Our next live training is starting on 16 February 2024 in Doha, Qatar. Find out more here.

With empowerment and gratitude,

Jeanine and Marie Empower World Co-founders

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