Powerful Requests #2

I took the second class to this course on Monday, September 17, 2007. I was moving across country during the second class and lost cell phone service. I have felt very incomplete because I like to take the classes for each course all at once and not have such a huge gap in between. After so much time elapsing I’m glad to get this course completed.

With the discussion being on Powerful Requests someone brought up what is different about a powerful request instead of just asking them to do something. Some things that came up were that they are challenged to go outside of their comfort zone and initiate change or it might uncover a fear or something that is blocking them from moving forward.

Someone on the class brought up how this can be used in group coaching. Karen shared that she has used this in group coaching both geared toward an individual or as a group. As long as the coach is clear that they can either accept it, say no or make a counter offer. First, as a coach, we should ask if everyone feels comfortable doing this thing this week and then ask if anyone would want to ‘customize’ the request for their situation.

In my coaching practice I think that I use powerful requests. I try to find the ‘action’ or ‘request’ that pushes the client to move a step beyond where they were at the beginning of the coaching call. Personally I think I need to make a powerful request of myself to work on my Research Paper. I have not done a research paper in so long that I’m almost paralyzed to know where to start. I need to figure out how I am going to move through that.