International Coach Academy

Coach Training School

  • LANGUAGES
    • English
    • Chinese
    • Italian
  • COMMUNITY
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Canada
    • Egypt
    • France
    • Germany
    • Greece
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Italy
    • Japan
    • Jordan
    • Lebanon
    • New Zealand
    • Singapore
    • Switzerland
    • Taiwan
    • Trinidad Tobago
    • UAE
    • UK
    • USA
  • Contact Us
  • OUR SCHOOL
    • Why ICA?
    • Our School – Our Story
    • Our Team
    • Our Alumni
  • PROGRAMS
    • Training Methodology
    • Coach Certification
    • Become a Coach
      • Advanced Coach (ACTP)
      • Professional Coach (ACTP)
      • Vocational Coach (ACSTH)
    • Add Coach Skills
      • Workplace Coach (ACSTH)
      • Life Design Course (CCE)
      • Group Coaching (CCE)
      • Bridging Programs (Pathway to ACTP)
  • STUDENT LIFE
    • Inside the Classroom
    • Study Schedule
    • Coaching Confidence
    • Your Niche and Model
    • Portfolio Creation
    • Unparallaled Support
  • COACH LIFE
    • ICA Coach Alumni
    • Get A Niche
      • Life Coaching
      • Health Wellness Coaching
      • Leadership Coaching
      • Business Coaching
    • Getting Clients
    • Coaching Demonstrations
    • Coaching Tips
    • Day in the Life of a Coach
    • Community Library
  • FLIPIT
    • A Framework for Change
    • Certified Group Coaching (CCE)
      • FlipIt Facilitation License
    • ICA Power Tools
      • Graduate Power Tools
  • BLOG
    • Graduation Yearbooks
    • Coach Portfolio
      • Power Tools
      • Resources
    • Articles
    • Podcasts
  • Join Login
You are here: Home » COACH PORTFOLIOS » Research Papers » Research Paper: Reasons For Uncertainty

Research Paper: Reasons For Uncertainty

2012/12/10

Research paper_post_Craig Morton_600x250 v2

Research Paper By Craig Morton
(Personal Change and Development Coach, CANADA)

Coaching poses an interesting duality. On the one hand, the role of the coach is to help the client become more certain about moving forward with action. Yet, what has often brought a client to a coaching relationship is a great deal of uncertainty on how to proceed in one or several areas in their lives. Therefore, it is vital for a coach to not only help a client get from point A to B, but to also be aware of what has caused (and currently causes) uncertainty in their clients’ lives. This awareness of their “uncertainty triggers” can then be used for creating a deeper awareness of actions in their lives but also a very powerful tool for profound and sustainable action rather than frozen inaction. The idea of uncertainty alone provokes implications of the unknown, a changing present reality, and, in some cases, weakness. We look to leaders to provide certainty, jobs to provide an unchanging sense of security, and large endeavors to be forever (marriage, where we live, etc). However, to quote an overused yet accurate cliche “the only thing that is certain is change itself”.

So if change is inevitable and if with it comes uncertainty, why is it not embraced? Why do we work so hard to try and keep things the same and ourselves away from the experience of uncertainty?

1. Uncertainty is uncomfortable

Often clients, despite being unhappy in their current situations and being in a state of inaction, feel justified in their realities because at the very least, their status is predictable (Fields, 2010). Clients may not like their surroundings, but they are familiar with the situation and the emotions that are evoked. Taking steps to change them will create a temporary disruption, change of routine, and touch emotions that may be unexpected. As well, the question that often looms is “I know I’m unhappy now, but what if I’m even more unhappy after?” It is the classic argument in one’s head between “the devil they do know vs. the one they don’t”.

When clients feel these feelings caused by uncertainty like fear, anxiousness, panic, and impending doom, they run the other way and try and create some sense of certainty. For example, in a case study done in the book Uncertainty: Turning fuel and doubt into fuel for brilliance, Jonathan Fields (2010) outlines a client call that highlights this very reaction of trying to quickly extinguish uncertainty for a perceived safer and more certain path:

“I feel amazing,” said the voice at the other end of the phone.

“It’s like that tightness in my stomach is gone. I can breathe again. And I slept like a baby for the first time in months.”
“Really?” I replied. “What gives?”

“Well . . . I’ve decided to pull the plug on the business, and the moment I did, everything got better. I wasn’t anxious anymore, I felt like a weight had been lifted. Like after struggling and working like crazy for months, I finally got my peace of mind, my life back. I feel totally free again. Unencumbered.”

The voice belonged to a client, Anne. It was a call I’d taken before from many people and in many different variations. After six months of planning, hundreds of hours of preparation, site building, design, asset creation, product development, copywriting, casting, filming, editing, system testing, and marketing prep, she’d launched a new business. The plan was to grow it aggressively over the following two years until it was successful enough to support her.

“So,” I asked, “do you trust me?” “Implicitly.”

“Why?”

Because I’m about to ask you something that’s going to make you angry at me. And very likely kill your ‘free as a bird’ buzz. I need to know whether walking away from this venture was genuinely a good call or whether it was born out of your inability to handle the uncertainty, the exposure, and the risk that rides along with the birthing of any deeply meaningful creative endeavor. Put another way, we need to figure out whether you’re confusing genuine peace of mind with the passing lack of angst that follows the demise of a dream but precedes a mounting wave of regret.

“Oh.”

“I want you to close your eyes and visualize something. Imagine, just for the moment, that you didn’t make the call to shut down the business. Yeah, I know, you’ve made your decision. You feel really good about it. Just humor me. Now, place yourself forward in time. It’s two years from today. Everything you dreamed of making happen in your business has happened. You’ve succeeded beyond your wildest imagination. Every goal has been met, every team formed, every product and service launched and embraced, a vibrant culture grown.

Related Posts

  • Coach Training At ICA FAQs.Coach Training At ICA FAQs.
  • At ICA we Make Global become Local and FamiliarAt ICA we Make Global become Local and Familiar
  • The Fallacy of FairnessThe Fallacy of Fairness
  • Coaching Research: Coaching for Mid-level Nurse Leaders is the Key to Successful Healthcare ReformCoaching Research: Coaching for Mid-level Nurse Leaders is the Key to Successful Healthcare Reform
  • Research Paper: Gratitude in Coaching: An Invitation for a Deeper Exploration
  • Research Paper: How You Can Become COACH
Pages: 1 2 3

Filed Under: Research Papers Tagged With: become a coach, craig morton, personal change and development coach, reasons for uncertainty in coaching

International Coach Academy

Categories

You can connect with us in a variety of ways.
Here's how...

Call Us: Australia: 61 (0) 414 484 328  
Ask Us A Question Click HERE

snail-mail

PO Box 3190 Mentone East, 
Melbourne AUSTRALIA, 3194

Terms and ABN

Terms and condition
Privacy Policy
ABN: 83 094 039 577

Copyright © 2021 · International Coach Academy ·

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.