Coaching change agents, or change agents coaching?

Aaah. Grasshopper. When the student is willing, the teacher arrives.Had an insightful and amusing moment this week. I'm currently working with a team within an organisation to build the change management capability. Basically, they had noted that to do their jobs effectively they needed more skills at creating behavioural change.  So together we developed a formal program of development: baseline workshops on change management 101, targeted seminars on specific topics of interest, evaluated each team member's change capabilities, worked through goals, and developed an accompanying individual change coaching program.I have been very blessed with this engagement - the team members are so committed to the process, and terrific people to work with. And the organisation is extraordinarly committed to learning and development.Coaching is a very effective way of building change capability. You take complex activities and 'chunk' them down, and provide a safe space to play with new skill sets. I see my role as coach as one where I encourage the exploration within a structured framework. Together we look at barriers to learning and identify new ways of trying new skills. I provide feedback on how they are executing new skills, and suggest modifications to skills play that may assist in building change efficacy (confidence in ability to change behaviours).So imagine my delight/surprise, when one of my coachees wouldn't let me leave a session when it was done this week.  In our initial session, the coachee has mentioned she had an aversion to goal setting. I said, so sure no problem, have a look at my earlier post - I work with themes. She had seen this, and kindly offered a suggestion the following week on how I may improve my Zen-like practice. Spend 30 minutes a couple of times of week just sitting and clearing your mind.  She had asked again about progress in subsequent sessions - I deferred, been too busy etc etc.  But this week she stood her ground.

 Jennifer - I just want to check. Did we talk about how much time you might want to try sitting and doing nothing?  I'm concerened your reluctance to try this may be because it is overwhelming. This week I would invite you to try for just 10 minutes. How does that sound?

Wow. Coached by the coachee. Identifying the barrier, suggesting modifications, encouraging and inviting.Typically, I wrap up an engagement with a post-course evaluation. I'm not sure I will need to. I suspect, my work is done! I am reminded of another favourite quote, which I first heard from the magnificient Iyanla Vanzant on Oprah (doesn't matter where you get the learning, it's that you get it!)

As I teach, so do I learn. As I learn, so do I teach.