What is Co-Active Coaching?
Co-Active Coaching is the approach to coaching developed by CTI (Coach Training Institute) - the largest coach training organisation in the world and the first to be accredited by the International Coach Federation (ICF).
Their book - ‘Co-Active Coaching’ by Laura Whitworth, Henry Kimsey-House & Phil Sandahl – is used as a core text by many other coach training organisations.
The term 'co-active' refers to the fact that the coach and client are active collaborators who work together as equals to create a coaching relationship which provides a powerful and safe ‘container’. The sole purpose of this container is to support the client in creating a life which they experience as fulfilling and meaningful.
The client achieves this by :
- Taking actions which move them towards what they want and where they want to be (and away from what they don’t want and where they don’t want to be)
- Deepening their understanding of themselves so that they gain greater clarity about exactly what it is that they do want.
As the client’s clarity and understanding of themselves deepen, the actions they take will be more focused and effective. At the same time, any action that they take – regardless of the consequences – will provide feedback and learning which will increase their clarity and understanding.
Co-Active Coaching has Four Cornerstone Principles :
1) People are naturally creative, resourceful and whole
- Nothing is broken or needs fixing
- You have the right answers for you – but the coach has the powerful questions that enable you to access those answers
2) Focus on the whole person
- Recognising that you bring all of yourself to coaching and also that a change in one area of your life is likely to impact, to a greater or lesser extent, all the other areas
3) Evoking transformation
- People are yearning to be called forth into the greatest expression of themselves that is possible. To live a life that is a journey of growth, evolution and transformation
- Your coach stands with you for that and ensures that you are always steering towards fulfillment and balance, and are fully engaged with, and learning from, the moment-by-moment ‘process’ of your life
4) ‘Dancing in this moment’ with you
- The coach coaches what shows up rather than from a rigid plan
- There is a fluid give and take in the lead between you and the coach
- Everything that happens is an opportunity for learning and movement
