“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are”
Carl Jung
To be present is to be in the moment. In each moment there is no emotion, no thoughts and no anxiety. When you are in the moment, you are completely there. It has been said that when we are present, there is nothing else around us or within us that ca distract us. We remain in that instant.
Coaching presence refers to the coach being completely mindful and fully engaged in the coaching session.
There is no inner dialogue and no competing thoughts. The coach remains authentic in their role with a natural curiosity as they work with the coachee through their specific process. The present coach absorbs all forms of communication mindfully. They are fully aware of body movements, verbal communication, facial expressions, voice inflections, and non-verbal communication.
The mindful coach who embodies a coaching presence is able to engage with the attitude of: “What lies before us and lies behind us are small matters compared to what lies within us.” (Henry David Thoreau)
To work within a framework of the coaching presence is to be deliberately aware of both your purpose as a coach, as well as of how you and how your coachee become distracted. As a co-creating partner with your client, you ease their concentration to ensure them gaining the most from their coaching session. When a coachee is able to show their vulnerability and when they are able to remain in the moment, you have achieved the art of working with your coaching presence in an unconsciously competent manner.
The privilege of coaching is to facilitate the process of your coachee becoming who they really are. And this is what the coaching presence achieves.