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August 16, 2010

Styles

Cognitive Coaches understand the state of mind of flexibility and value its application when mediating the thinking of another. When intentionally choosing the skill set required for a coaching conversation, the coach is mindful of the four Cognitive Coaching^SM Capabilities.

This week we will honor the differences of humans by growing the capability of adjusting one's own style preferences. Mediators are aware of their own preferences of perceiving and communicating information. They understand that operating and communicating from one's own styles is a powerful habit. Mediators recognize that styles different from their own are not bad, just different. Cognitive Coaches expand their repertoire of responses in order to match the styles of those they coach. As a means of collecting data on your progress of this capability, reflect and consider the following:

• Noticing and collecting cues for language patterns, I try to reflect another's style as I coach.
• I assess for the cognitive style (viewing the world from the forest or the trees) and find it useful to mediate thinking.
• Respect and appreciation for another's way of doing things is felt and found useful, as I coach.
• I consciously strive to create comfort and rapport so that we both feel free to be authentic .
• Judgment of another's beliefs is not activated in my words, and I remain focused on tool choices and responses.
• I consciously pose questions from both the other person's (allocentric) and the outside (macrocentric) positions.
   

Costa, A., & Garmston, R. (2002) Cognitive Coaching: A Foundation for Renaissance Schools. Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon Publishers, p. 66.

Costa, A., & Garmston, R. (2010) Cognitive Coaching Foundation Seminar Learning Guide. Highlands Ranch, CO: Center for Cognitive Coaching.