Not all good listeners are great coaches, but all good coaches are great listeners. In fact, listening is such an important skill as a Life Coach, it is one of the ICF’s 8 Core Competencies.
But being a great listener is not as easy as it sounds. (Like what I did there? 😊) Listening well isn’t a natural skill for us and it takes focus and practice for coaches to develop. But if we want to have an impact as a Christian Life Coach, it’s a skill we must develop.
We have so many distractions – our phones, computers, our to-do lists, our family responsibilities, our jobs, etc. When we talk with others, we can find ourselves thinking about time, work or what we are going to say next.
We can often want the other person to hurry up and finish what they are saying so we can say what we are thinking or so we can move on. But does this show genuine care for others?
Few people are ever truly listened to, but isn’t being heard and understood one of our deepest longings? One of the greatest gifts you can give your client as a Christian Life Coach is to actually listen to them and hear what they are saying and even what they aren’t saying.
We want to be fully present and let go of our own agenda and put our attention completely on the client and what they want.
Let’s look at the Master Coach, Jesus Christ, and how He encountered others. He was totally engaged with everyone He met. He was completely mindful of them, their lives, their interests, their joys and sufferings. He listened carefully, deeply and attentively. He demonstrated His love through His listening.
As Christian Life Coaches, we can look to Christ for the perfect example of how to listen to others.
Here are 3 key ways to practice better listening:
Practice patience as a listener – Our clients rarely begin talking about what’s most important or the deepest thing they want to share. As Christian coaches, we need to listen to the whole response, staying engaged through it all, avoiding distractions and temptations to interrupt.
Practice love as a listener - Poor listening can make a person feel rejected but good listening can make a person feel embraced. Active listening invites others to exist, and to matter to us. Great listening flows from a loving heart that considers others more significant than ourselves.
Practice grace as a listener – Listening is a key way in which God continues to pour his grace into our lives. We listen to Him through His Word and in our prayer time. When we share the gift of great listening with people, we are passing on His grace to those around us.
Ready to learn a key coaching skill that changes lives? Contact us today to become a Christ-like listener.
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