By Allison Iantosca, ACC
It is not atypical for a coaching client to come to a session or two and then wonder “What’s next?” Especially a high-paced executive who rarely has the luxury of reflecting on any decision for more than twenty-four hours.
The ability to make quick decisions that directly impact outcome is often a hallmark of any C-Suite’s irrefutable reputation. No wonder there is urgency and a desire for action. I can attest to the potency of this intrinsic value; something I’d hardly seek to expel from my own CEO toolbox.
Yet, having been coached myself, there is a criticality to sitting in the awareness that comes first.
Summer comes to mind. All dressed up in her blue hydrangeas, she takes on a life of her own. We may want to slow her dizzying pace, but she’s hard to contain, ever seeking out the next grand event. The 4th of July blew the lid off graduation and before those fireworks even had a chance to ember, she’s off to the seashore and the mountains and Camp Winnebago. The days are long, and the light is good. Labor Day lurks at the fraying end of August and she isn’t about to miss a thing.
Indeed. But by mid-September, we may find her worn out in a sunburned heap, hair a tangled sandy mess, scratching at leftover mosquito bites. Exhausted and ill-prepared for the more buttoned-up requirements of fall and winter and wondering how she missed the chance to relax and reset when she had it.
Let’s go back to Memorial Day. Pull out the white pants and canvas shoes and breath. Notice the pull of anticipation– the whimsical chime of the ice cream truck, the weight of the baggie full of spare change for the candy store, the flutter of promise in the stack of paperbacks, the smell of sunscreen—but don’t pack the beach tote quite yet.
Rather, sit here a minute. Feel the kiss of warm air on your newly-bared skin. Take in the intoxicating scent of freshly mowed lawn. Revel in the slapping sound of the screen door shutting back against the jamb. It’s summer.
This is working with a coach. Sitting on the front stoop and taking it all in before you move to action.
What does summer mean to you? Oh dear, there is that old pang of homesickness, why is that still around? If you could sink deeply into these next few months what would that feel like? You’ve mentioned the beach a couple of times, yet you’re planning a trip to the mountains. What do you make of that?
It’s not that action is bad, it’s just so much sweeter when it is accompanied by a deeply expressed knowing.
Applying this metaphor to any “season” of life, your coach can support you in simply paying attention to the whole, capable, resourceful, creative part of you. To be there while you make meaning of what is coming to the surface. To partner with you in a thoughtful, thought provoking and creative process that inspires you to maximize your personal and professional potential. **
So that all the action is intentional and meaningful and yours for the taking.
Happy Summer.
Allison Iantosca is a Gestalt International Study Center (GISC) trained coach certified by ICF with extensive leadership and management experience. She is an Executive Coach and is the Owner and President of Boston based FH Perry Builder.
*Photo Credit: Pexels by Pixabay
** International Coaching Federation definition of Coaching