As a coach you can help your client bring awareness to her/him self by asking them to be attentive to the way he/she talk to her/him self, to consciously stop their Gremlin. Also ask your ask client to be aware of how they present themselves in every area of their lives. How your client presents him self at work, with his partner, or even on the phone. Does he carry him self confidently, or is he slouching maybe? Even body image and body language have an effect on confidence. Ask your client if she is consciously or unconsciously putting her self down or harshly judging her self.
Below are some exercises that a coach can utilize with the client to help make a shift:
- Advantages and disadvantages of change. In this case ask your client to put advantages for being in a place of fear and the disadvantages. Then ask your client to do the same thing again but this time for confidence. Now ask your client to assess the two lists, and realize how this shift will work for him/her.
- Ask your client where will he/she be without this fear? What can he/she achieve if this fear was completely eliminated?
- As a coach you can ask your client to draw a table to list their achievement, skill, quality and/or strengths. On the opposite side ask your client to list ways that these qualities have been evidenced. This will help your client reaffirm their strengths and also bring about confidence in their abilities and increase their motivation.
Reflection
- Ask your self what motivates you? What challenges you? What frightens you? What pleases you?
- Sit in front of a mirror and look at your self. Tell your self what you are your qualities and your strengths. If you hear your inner voice trying to tell you otherwise, make a conscious effort to tell that voice those things are untrue.
- Consider where you want to be in five years. Now think of what is stopping you from getting there. When you are done, write down what is stopping you. Now come up with a plan to over come those self imposed hurdles.
- As a coach, what else can you think of to help support your client in this change?
- As a coach, pin point what makes YOU fearful and eliminate it. Now you are ready to move forward and be the best coach that you can be.
References:
Carson, Rick, 2003. Taming Your Gremlin. Harper Collins, U.S.A