Coaching Best Practice

Revisiting our historic roots in the Socratic method

In our desire to help our community be up to date on the latest thinking we will be sending you one article a month that helps BRIDGE theory and research to the practice of coaching. 

This month we would like to introduce you to an interesting article published inCoaching: An International Journal of Theory, Research, and Practice:  Life coach as midwife: reflections on a Socratic metaphor, by Joel Steinmet, 2012 March, 5(1) 43-54 

Why did we pick this article? 

Many of us are asked - where does coaching come from? 

Usually the answer is it emerged from the self-help movement, or psychology, or organizational consultation.  While all true, the kind of thinking and dialogue coaches engage in has much deeper intellectual roots. 

Did you know that much of what we do everyday has much in common with the Socratic method? Coaching has been described as a way to help people learn, a way for them to truly appreciate that each individual is an expert with valuable things to share.

Here is what our profession shares with the philosophical tradition. 

Philosophy and coaching have many commonalities, including: both highlighting the importance of leading a life that is full and satisfying; pursuit wisdom through questioning what a good life is; and asking questions as opposed to proving answers.

In Joel N. Steinmet article, he suggests four specific commonalities between Socrates' philosophy and coaching:

• Like Socrates suggested, coaches do not hold the specific solution or the best path for their clients;
• While we do not claim to have knowledge about others, we have an understanding of ourselves, even if that is simply the knowledge of ignorance;
• While we do not hold the specific path for our clients, Socrates suggests we are sensitive to the lack of interest or outright resistance to change;
• And lastly, a coach must understand whether a client has found their false or true self through means that are sometimes bold and overt and at other times merely a subtle suggestion. 

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