Do Coaches Need Creativity?
教练需要创造力吗？
According to the International Coach Federation's (ICF) definition of coaching, we believe that coaches inspire individuals to unleash their personal and professional potential through thought-provoking and creative processes.
Coaching is indeed a creative process that requires even more creativity than my past design work. Why? As Bruce Lee once said, "Breaking boards and hitting people are two different things. No matter where you strike, the board won't dodge, but people will, thus dispersing the force of the attack." This means that the people of the coaching process can shift their thinking at any moment, like a moving target. They are dynamic and bidirectional, unlike the static nature of designing for a still target.
The coaching process is like a brainstorming session in the realm of design, where thoughts from both sides or multiple parties collide. It stimulates thinking and awakens self-awareness. Coaches employ techniques such as empathy, active listening, interpretation, bottomlining, and challenging, guiding the coachee to let go of their defenses and disrupt their ingrained beliefs and mindset. This makes it possible to reconstruct perspectives, leading to moments of enlightenment.
The coaching process shares a similarity with the creative process: neither has a predetermined outcome for the coachee, even though they have a goal in mind. Moreover, the methods to reach the goal are open and subject to creativity. It is through the collision of thoughts during dialogue that prompts the coach's questions. These questions are not preconceived; they erupt in the final moment or even after it. Therefore, the occasional silence of the coach anticipates the arrival of creatively inspired questions.
It's important to understand that no two coachees have the exact same goal, even if they are similar goals. Coaches must believe that creativity is constantly combining, splitting, and categorizing at the subconscious level. Creative questions will always arise, so coaches need to have 200% trust in their own creativity.
Coaches need patience, unwavering beliefs, curiosity, and presence when working with coachees. Coaching is a collaborative process where one leads and the other is guided, enabling the fullest expression of their potential.
I believe that the enlightenment gained through experiencing one's own creativity is unforgettable. During the coaching process, emotions are stirred, and one may even experience moments of ecstatic enlightenment, where time stands still and breath is held. These moments lay a solid foundation for subsequent actions, leading to a well-established path forward.
根据国际教练联合会（ICF）的定义，我们相信教练通过引发深思和创造性的过程来激励被教练者充分发挥个人和职业潜力。
教练确实是一个充满创造力的过程，需要比我之前从事的设计工作更多的创意。为什么呢？正如李小龙曾经说过：“肉掌破砖和打人是两回事。无论你打哪里，砖头都不会躲避，但人会躲闪，因此也分散了攻击的力量。” 这意味着教练过程中的创造目标是随时变化的，是双向的，与单向的设计对象不同，它们都不会静止不动。
教练过程就像是设计过程中的头脑风暴，通过双方或多方的思想碰撞激发思考和唤起自我意识。教练运用同理心、积极聆听、释义、总结和挑战等技巧，引导被教练者放下防卫意识，扰乱他们固有的观念和心态。这使得重构观念成为可能，也是他们开悟的时刻。
教练过程与创作过程有相似之处，它们都没有对被教练者有预设的结果，尽管它们都有一个目标。即使说，通往目标的方法是开放的，可以通过创造力来创造。它是通过对话中的思维碰撞引发教练的提问。这些提问没有预设，都是在最后一刻或甚至最后一刻之后迸发出来的思路，因此教练偶尔的沉默是期待创意提问的到来。
要知道，没有一个被教练者的目标是完全相同的，即使它们是相似的目标。教练必须相信创造力在潜意识层面上不断地组合、分裂、归类...创意的提问总会出现，所以对自身的创造力要有百分之两百的信任。
教练需要有耐心、坚定的信念以及对被教练者表现出好奇心和临在。教练是一个共同创造的过程，一方引导，另一方被引导，以发挥创造力的极致。
我相信通过经历自身的创造力而获得的开悟是难以忘怀的，因为在教练过程中，情绪会被唤起，甚至会经历开悟时刻的狂喜、时间停顿，屏息静气。这些引导的后续行动将奠定稳固的基础。
Love. David
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