Early afternoon saw me awaiting eagerly and with trepidation the moment that was about to unfold. I was ready to enter my first official Ontological coaching conversation. I had experienced such conversations before but never with the concentrated focus that this one was to have.
An Ontological coach is a particular kind of coach, able to observe how individuals construct interpretations about their existence, which are reflected through their emotions, body and use of language. Through conversation, an ontological coach is able to assist others become aware of the interpretations around which they construct their existence and how these can be changed. An ontological coach has the capacity to work across the diverse domains of human life, addressing personal and/or professional concerns.
It sounds powerful and it is.
My coach invited me to select what I wanted to talk about and we began. I selected an apparent paradox between my willingness to both work full-time and a desire to engage fully with the learning of others as a consultant. Always listening from a point of care, my coach asked a number of pertinent questions that saw me understand the deeper issues at hand. The ontological coaching model creates a backdrop that highlights experiences and creates the means to understand the whole; then to bring about a change in behaviour. Never once did my coach infer or push his own judgement upon me. I found this particularly impressive given that my coach was aware of some of the background behind my actions.
An hour after it started I ended by declaring I would hold a further conversation to delve into my values and learn what is important to me. The original paradox had been shown as a conflict between my values rather than a barrier to action.
In July I start my own journey towards accreditation as an ontological coach. It is something I do with humility and respect for those that have gone before me.