ABSTRACT
The quality of a coach’s listening determines the quality of the work they do. This introduction argues that listening is not only an essential enabler of coaching, but can also be curative and generative. This has profound implications for coaches’ development and practice.
There is not however an agreed, robust and coherent framework for listening in coaching. Amid the plethora of courses and workshops on diverse tools and techniques, there are few on listening. Although listening is an essential foundation for coaching, it does not get the attention it merits.
This introduction argues that the listener plays a crucial part in enabling a speaker to become clear and articulate. The listener learns to play their part, not only through acquiring technical skills but also through developing deep self-awareness and strong self-management. Learning to listen therefore involves personal discovery as well as skill development.
Against that background, this introduction lays the foundation for what follows by arguing for a new definition and model of listening. That model encompasses the different ways in which the coach gets to know what a speaker is experiencing and, ultimately, discovers who they are.
