Coaching, the value of diversity

Coaching, the value of diversity

Through the interests in my coaching career I try to develop in France, I started reading “Le Livre D’Or du Coaching” (Coaching’s Guestbook) directed by Frank Bournois and Thierry Chavel.

This book has been created as a presentation of a new Master course (one year) in Paris II University. I hadn’t realize it when I ordered it and, at first, I was pissed. Why do the French always have to put a Diploma on the top of everything? There is basically nothing one can do without certification in my home country, and, to my view, it kills creativity that is deeply needed at least in some professions.

But, well, I knew that coaching is not (yet?) regulated and, as long as I wanted to practice it in France and that I’d bought the book, why not dig in?

Then I was pushed-back by the complexity of the language. I like simple and efficient communication, all the more as I had been used to this going through a lot of American-based websites and blogs, which put a lot of efforts into being understood by all, to benefit as much people as possible, which I appreciate a lot. It was hard re-digging-in the conceptual speaking that my fellow citizens of the intellectual sphere cherish above all.

But after those walls were passed, I started to really enjoy my reading. In the first chapter of the book, each coach is given a section to explain her/his practice and theory.

There was not one theory in this course, but as many as “guests” invited to write in the book and speak at the master course.

In their practice, some recommend having a specific goal, while others, such as Gestalt-inspired coaching, extol the importance of focusing on letting the next step and therefore the destination come to the coach and the coachee naturally.

Some, such as evolutionary coaches, view their practice as being and creating optimistic and multidisciplinary leaders, who can, with the right balance of individuality and working together, guide others through the future. Others, such as Mindfulness-related coaching, focus on the “here and now”, to be present, open, and connected.

Some coaches’ writing styles were appealing more to my intellect, while, for instance, Jose Redondo, who is coaching through his profession of being a clown (funny and sad, more in the sense of a mime artist), appealed to my emotions. I was deeply moved by his vision of the job and had to stop there and walk around for a while to feel the depth of it.

Though I’m still at the beginning of the book, I am already amazed by how this non-academic approach to teaching (though taught in University) very well pictures the diversity of the profession. Coaching is defined by the Coach, by her/his inspirations, subjectivity, interpretation, art and ways to connect to the world around. This is what makes the job special and in constant evolution.

This is what I love about it and why I believe it is a career I would like to follow.