Coaching Emotions

At Six Seconds we say: Emotions drive people, people drive performance. Yet some coaching programs tell trainees to “avoid negative emotions.” That doesn’t work… but what does? How can coaches effectively engage their own and client emotions as fuel for learning and growth?

Personally, I’ve found the process of learning to be an effective coach to be a highly emotional journey for myself — and that my and clients’ emotions are the key to coaching as a transformational process… but this seems to be a challenging topic.

Key questions

• What’s something important you learned about emotions through coaching?
• In “the old days” clinicians were trained to put aside their own emotions. What should coaches do with their own emotions?
• Why do you suppose some coaches — and even people training coaches — are so afraid of emotions?
• What do you do when clients express strong emotions?
• The new ICF competencies seem more emotionally attuned than the previous competencies — what’s something in this change that you’re excited about?
• What’s something you’re currently curious about or learning about in terms of emotion?

Panelists

Jenny Rogers has been an executive coach for 30 years, typically working with clients from media, government, healthcare, the performing arts and professional service firms. She also works as a supervisor and trainer to other coaches. In parallel she has a career as a writer. Her book Coaching Skills: the definitive guide to being a coach is in its 4th edition and is widely translated. 2021 will see publication of two new books: Are You Listening? to be published by Penguin Random House and Coaching – What Really Works, to be published by Sage.

Ann Rindone, Vice President, Global Development – ICF Professional Coaches.  As chief staff officer for the  International Coaching Federation Professional Coaches Organization, Ann leads membership strategy, develops effective relationships with stakeholders, and positively represents the association to external audiences to elevate the profile of coaching as part of a thriving society. In this work, Ann’s personal purpose is to inspire growth and understanding so that we may live in a more inclusive world.

Natalie Roitman, Six Seconds Regional Network Director, China; from Argentina, Israel, China & France, Natalie has lived cultural immersion. As a coach, leadership consultant, educator and changemaker, Natalie’s work is cocreating space for people to grow. She is coauthor of The EQ Gym and the EQ Family 360 Profile, and a master trainer for EQ practitioner, assessor and coaching certifications.

Moderator: Joshua Freedman, cofounder and CEO, The Six Seconds Emotional Intelligence Network, working since 1997 toward a world with more EQ. Josh is a Master Certified Coach and author of the best-selling At the Heart of Leadership