3D Coaching

3D Juggling 467: Avatar insights - " I see you"

Jane writes: 'If you have seen the film Avatar you may recognise this statement. It's what the Na’vi say when they greet each other. “I see you” is an acknowledgement of the other person, recognition that they are part of a bigger whole – something that they are only a part of and to which everything is connected. A bit like The Force in Star Wars, although the Na’vi call it Eywa.

“I see you” is empathy. It acknowledges the other as one like you. The ‘I’ and the ‘You’ are the same – parts of a bigger whole. This awareness makes the individual recognise their place in the world. It makes her humble, and it makes her care for the world around her.

I recently read some notes that I made while attending a course about supervising in teams and organisations, and noticed a parallel between “I see you” and the supervision of coaches. Here are some of things I had noted:

• It’s all there – you just need to see it
• We can tap into more than we think we know
• We reveal ourselves to ourselves through other’s eyes
• Get out of your own way

All of these insights acknowledge that we do nothing in isolation, that every decision we take to act or not to act, and how to act, is influenced by where we are, how we came to be there and what is going on around us. The way that we are connected, through experience, knowledge and beliefs to those we seek to support impacts on what we do. Being aware of this is critical for the coach, and the supervisor has a responsibility to help the coach to “see” this.

A series of questions that I sometimes ask when supervising a coach is ‘What did you nearly do, what would have happened if you’d done it, why didn’t you?’ These questions can help the coach to “see” themselves more clearly – their preferences, blockages, habits and impact. By seeing themselves more clearly, and recognising the wider systems within which their actions impact, and within which their clients are working, coaches can become more confident and effective in their craft.

Others can see things for us that we cannot see for ourselves.

What difference could supervision make to the quality and impact of coaching in your organisation?'


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