{"id":4352,"date":"2022-12-01T17:56:18","date_gmt":"2022-12-01T17:56:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coachingoutsidethebox.net\/staging\/?p=4352"},"modified":"2025-01-13T14:43:37","modified_gmt":"2025-01-13T14:43:37","slug":"direct-communication-coaching","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coachingoutsidethebox.net\/staging\/direct-communication-coaching\/","title":{"rendered":"Direct Communication in Coaching: An Essential Core Competency"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Understanding ICF Core Competencies: Communicating Effectively – Direct Communication<\/h2>

By Karen L. Bruns<\/p>

While asking powerful questions and curiosity are core skills in coaching, direct communication is very important for a successful coaching session.\u00a0 Direct Communication, while not specifically named as a core competency itself, falls in the Communicating Effectively section of core competencies, squarely in competency #7: Evokes Awareness.\u00a0 This article will address what it means to have direct communication as a coaching competency and why it is so important.\u00a0\u00a0<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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What is Direct Communication<\/h2>

In the new competencies released in officially in 2019, but not integrated into\u00a0 coaching programs until January of 2021, International Coach Federation<\/a> (ICF) now defines competency #7 as Evokes Awareness<\/strong><\/a>. Formerly, competency 7 was Direct Communication. The definition for #7 as Evokes Awareness is, \u201cFacilitates client insight and learning by using tools and techniques such as, powerful questioning, silence, metaphor or analogy.\u201d\u00a0 It\u2019s easy to see that Direct Communication can still be found in this revised competency as it brings powerful questions into play, as well as silence, metaphors and analogies.\u00a0 If we were to turn back time and revisit competency 7 when it was Direct Communication, we\u2019d find that its definition was written, well, more direct in stating that Direct Communication is the \u201cAbility to communicate effectively<\/strong> during coaching sessions and to use language that has the greatest positive impact<\/strong> on the client.\u201d\u00a0 The new wording is much more client-focused. The former definition seemed to have more focus on the coach even though it did end with the greatest positive impact on the client.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The refined competency did not lose the spirit of the former one; even with the inclusion of the word silence. Some would say though that powerful questions and direct communication are a bit of a dichotomy, and yet they really aren\u2019t.\u00a0 Many powerful questions have been quite direct indeed. In the newly worded coaching competency Evokes Awareness<\/a>\u2026 simply put that is the result of a direct, powerful question, silence, metaphor and analogy.\u00a0 Without carefully placed moments of silence in the coaching conversation<\/a>, the awareness might not be as great. Without pulling on the thread of a metaphor the client introduced, without exploring an analogy and its meaning to the client, awareness could have been stifled.\u00a0 The value in the updated competency is in how it looks when it shows up in the coaching session.\u00a0 If we want to evoke awareness, we must allow the client to bring the topic, we don\u2019t set the agenda for them, it is theirs to set. A coach can evoke awareness through the sharing of observations, offering feedback, reflections, using questions to explore how a client feels about both the current thinking and feelings, to new ways of thinking and feeling both about themselves and about the topic.\u00a0<\/p>

We see direct communication come to life when we speak clearly and concisely<\/strong>, and when we allow the client to do most of the talking<\/strong>.\u00a0 Our questions can help our clients see things from another perspective or entertain other possibilities. It is important for the client that the coach fosters self-awareness through the use of direct communication, even using the client\u2019s own language<\/strong>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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What Direct Communication is Not<\/h2>

Many new coaches are fearful of using direct communication, despite it being a coaching competency, because it seems to go against everything we learn in coaching not to do (give advice, judge, think for the client, put words in their mouth, or make assumptions), or they fear the client\u2019s reaction to direct communication\/it\u2019s risky, will they think me too provocative?\u00a0<\/p>

In the way experienced coaches see direct communication it is a positive thing. So let\u2019s talk about what direct communication is not:<\/p>