Question From A Coach - What Is A Good Strategy To Stay Focused During A Coaching Call?

Jennifer - This is such a great question. In order to stay focused during a coaching call, the work starts before the session even begins. To step into that coaching presence, the grounding work that you do before the call can support you in the session and throughout.

You´ll want to get grounded, centered, focused, and clear, and each coach has their own way to do that. For me, getting grounded and centered requires clearing my workspace. For others, it may include lighting a candle, burning incense, chanting, doing a meditation, setting an intention, or anything else that might feel helpful. Getting grounded in this way is part of your job as a coach. It's like an athlete that warms up before their sport. We need to take this step seriously. 

Then if you get into the session and you still feel ungrounded, there are a couple of things you can do. First, you can admit to your client that you’re feeling ungrounded. You can ask, “Can I take a second to take a breath?” It is very unlikely that your client will have a problem with this. Take a moment to move your focus and energy out of your head and into your solar plexus.

A second very simple thing that I do to get grounded during the session is change my physical position. If the session is a phone call, I might just get up from where I am and try moving elsewhere. If I’m Zooming, it may be as simple as leaning forward or sitting differently

Finally, sometimes I find it helpful to “put on the shelf” what’s distracting me with an intention to return to it later.

Be sure to test-drive some methods for yourself, and in no time at all you will settle on your own best practices. This may take some time, so be patient and you and your clients will enjoy the return on your investment.