Renaissance

A Word From Gordon

"I have come to believe that as coaches, we regularly underestimate what is required for the building of trust, and for the development of a rich and lively professional relationship. This is the case whether the client sought coaching help, or has been told by superiors to accept coaching.

While many of us enjoy the process of learning, very few of us move quickly and easily into a relationship that we feel forced to enter, or one in which we feel diminished relative to someone else’s expertise.

Even for the most psychologically hearty, self-esteem can be fragile. Consequently, it can be easily compromised in the presence of another who is hierarchically positioned to teach us things we believe we should know. This situation is clearly exacerbated in organizational settings in which ongoing evaluation and review are standard practice.

Therefore, what I am suggesting here is, in a hierarchical relationship where the coach is seen by the client as the upper dog, building trust and “contact” is not simple; it does not just emerge. It requires genuine interest in the client and the availability of the coach to be “contacted.” When this contact is rich, which is my hallmark, it results in excitement and energy; this excitement and energy is what drives the process of learning and the subsequent growth."