“Presence” is a book by Peter Senge, C. Otto Scharmer, Joseph Jaworski, and Betty Sue Flowers that explores the concept of presence and its transformative power in personal and professional realms. It delves into the importance of deepening one’s awareness, listening deeply, and tapping into a deeper level of intelligence to create positive change.
When applied to coaching supervision, the principles of presence can significantly enhance the effectiveness and impact of the supervisory relationship. Here’s how presence can be applied to improve coaching supervision:
- Developing Presence: Supervisors can encourage coaches to cultivate presence by cultivating self-awareness and deepening their ability to be fully present in coaching sessions. This involves focusing on the current moment, suspending judgement, and creating a safe space for open exploration.
- Active Listening: Presence involves active listening, which goes beyond hearing the words spoken. Supervisors can model and encourage coaches to listen deeply, with curiosity and without preconceived notions, to truly understand the coach’s perspectives, challenges, and aspirations. This allows for more meaningful conversations and deeper insights.
- Creating a Thinking Environment: Presence in coaching supervision involves creating a thinking environment where coaches feel safe to reflect, explore, and challenge their assumptions. Supervisors can facilitate this by providing uninterrupted attention, respect, and openness to diverse perspectives, allowing for richer thinking and expanded possibilities.
- Cultivating Intuition and Insight: Presence enables coaches to tap into their intuition and access deeper insights. Supervisors can support coaches in developing their intuition by encouraging them to trust their inner wisdom, explore their values and beliefs, and embrace reflective practices. This cultivates a greater sense of self-trust and authenticity in the coaching process.
- Embracing Emergence: Presence allows for the emergence of new possibilities and creative solutions. Supervisors can encourage coaches to remain open to unexpected insights, embrace ambiguity, and explore uncharted territories. This mindset fosters innovation and growth in both the coach and the clients they serve.
By applying the principles of presence in coaching supervision, supervisors can create a transformative and supportive environment for coaches to deepen their self-awareness, expand their perspectives, and improve their coaching practice. It enables supervisors to guide coaches in accessing their inner wisdom, strengthening their presence with clients, and delivering more impactful and transformative coaching experiences.
Remember, presence is a continuous practice that requires ongoing cultivation. By embracing presence in coaching supervision, supervisors can empower coaches to unlock their full potential, facilitate meaningful change, and create profound impact in the lives of their clients.