Lessons from the Certifiers

 

Ask the Certifiers – What’s the Most Important Mastery?
by Natalie Tucker Miller, MMC

Q. I’ve seen the infographics about how the Masteries support each, but I admit I’m confused by that. Aren’t some Masteries more important than others?

A. The certifiers are often asked “what is the most important Mastery?”

What we’ve noticed is that there are favorites that coaches tend claim, but as far as THE most important?
Perhaps it’s as individual as you are as a coach.

Is there something about coaching that you value so much that you see it as the essence of coaching?
Is it possible that what you bring to coaching determines your most important Mastery?

Maybe that’s something to consider as you peruse the elements of the Masteries.
Where do you feel that you reside most powerfully in your coaching approach?
Identifying your most important Mastery may be something to acknowledge and honor.
(Did I just reveal my love of Mastery #2?)

Think about the following questions, and contemplate your natural inclinations. Do you demonstrate a Mastery right off the bat, or do you rely on the other Masteries to support key components of a Mastery?
For instance:

• When looking at Mastery #1, does creating a safe and supportive environment come naturally to you, or do you build on that through the support of the other Masteries? (Such as expressing in a manner which communicates commitment [Mastery #5])
• Can you lead the client to empowerment through a sincere recognition of his/her capabilities (Mastery #2), or are you more apt to tap into the dynamics of the session and help your client make connections to their inner knowing as an anchor to their greatness (Master #4)?
• Does it make sense to you to directly question the client’s assumption (Mastery #7), or are you more apt to use the approach of curiosity to unravel those assumptions (Mastery #8)?

These, of course, just touch on a few scenarios in the vastness of different combinations of a coaching approach, as well as considering the unique needs of each client, in each session.

It can be helpful to recognize which Masteries you most identify with, and use that recognition as a way to weave in the support of the other Masteries.

Continue to immerse yourself in the broad scope of possibilities that each — and all — of the Masteries embody and you may even find that every Mastery is the most important, depending on the circumstances.

Do you have a question that you’d like to ask the certifiers? Submit your questions here: http://certifiedcoachblog.typepad.com/blog/ask-the-certifiers.html.

Natalie Tucker Miller, MMC, is the Lead Certifier and a certifying examiner at the IAC, as well as Past-President. Natalie is founder of Ageless-Sages.com Publishing (www.ageless-sages.com), and creator of the literary genre, Picture Books for Elders™.

 
Please send your questions on the IAC Coaching Masteries^® and the certification process to certification@certifiedcoach.org.