At the Gourmet Girl yesterday for sandwiches and coffee with Peter.
Peter is planting a church in inner Melbourne and he’s out of control. People coming to know Christ. Groups starting up. He’s growing some leaders. Plenty of life. All this on two days a week while he’s a teacher the other three.
That’s not quite true. He’s getting paid two days. He’s probably putting in four or five. He’s having a great time.
I’m taking it in. Wondering how on earth I’m going to be profound as a coach. But I don’t have a clue what to say.
Fortunately I give up any attempt to be profound and made Peter do the work instead.
“Sounds like you’re juggling a dozen different balls at the moment. Setting up groups. Growing leaders. Growing new Christians. Helping them reach their friends and family. Can you draw it for me?”
This is what he comes up with:
That’s Peter in the middle. He’s a better church planter than he is an artist. Take a look at the picture and you’ll get a feeling for what it’s like to be a church planter. That’s why Peter’s having so much fun. He loves the challenge.
I’m still resisting the impulse to be profound. I want him to do the work. I ask another great question. “So of all those balls in the air, which one is most important right now?”
Silence. He grabs the pen and starts circling the ball in the top right hand corner.
“Develop leaders! I’ve got to focus on growing my leaders. If I can do that we can take on the other challenges together.”
We talk about how he’s going to do that. We pray. He tells me what a great coach I am. Not bad since he did all the talking, all the thinking and all the drawing. I just asked a few questions and tried not to be profound.
6 Comments
Steve,
That’s what coaching is all about! Making the coachee do the work of reflecting, deciding, and acting. Coaches ask questions, listen, prod, challenge, and encourage to make these things happen.
As coaches are “interested” instead of trying to be “interesting” we will be successful and facilitate change in the life of the coachee. Just as you did.
Good on you!
Keith Webb
Nice Steve. Just tell him to look out for the moment when you start a sentence with “I might just take my coaches hat off here for a moment…” But, you know, they are great moments too. And I have often found them profound. Colin
Colin, who are you? I deny ever meeting you or taking off my coaches hat to tell you what you should do. And when I did you deserved it!
Great to hear from you mate.
Steve, you’re brilliant! Not only a profound coach, you’re also a profound student of coaching!
Thanks for this great example, and for the humble way in which you build people up, including your readers.
profoundly simple. Just found your site as I study and develop the coaching skills needed to see a church planting revolution in Georgia. Good stuff!
I concur that Peter is a great life teacher and has taught me the ways of a media teacher. I PRAISE PETER BOTROSS!!! Who’s Steve?
GO AVILA! CORSINI YUCK!