Mentor Coach: Joan C
10th May 2023
evoke (verb) /ɪˈvəʊk/
The 7th Core Competency in ICF’s eight competencies, “Evokes Awareness”, is:
Facilitates client insight and learning by using tools and techniques such as powerful questioning, silence, metaphor or analogy.
International Coaching Federation
Below are eleven points ICF states on its website, which I’ll expand on according to my understanding.
- Considers client experience when deciding what might be most useful: I will consider the client’s unique background, goals, and preferences when determining which coaching approaches, techniques or interventions may be most effective in evoking awareness. I will tailor my approach to meet the specific needs of the client.
- Challenges the client as a way to evoke awareness or insight: I will use gentle but thought-provoking challenges to encourage the client to examine their beliefs, assumptions, and perspectives.
- Asks questions about the client, such as their way of thinking, values, needs, wants, and beliefs: Through skilful questioning, I will explore various aspects of the client’s identity, values, and belief systems. This helps the client gain clarity about their own thoughts, motivations, and desires, fostering self-awareness and insight.
- Asks questions that help the client explore beyond current thinking: I will try to pose questions beyond surface-level thinking, encouraging the client to delve deeper into their thoughts, feelings, and assumptions. I believe this will expand the client’s perspective and open new possibilities for understanding and growth.
- Invites the client to share more about their experience in the moment: To invite deeper self-reflection and help the client gain awareness of their immediate reactions and responses. I will encourage them to be fully present and share their current experiences, thoughts, and emotions during the coaching session.
- Notices what is working to enhance client progress: I will actively observe and acknowledges the client’s strengths, progress, and achievements. By highlighting what works well, I reinforce positive patterns and behaviours, boosting the client’s confidence and motivation for continued growth.
- Adjusts the coaching approach in response to the client’s needs: I will remain flexible and adaptable, modifying my coaching approach based on the client’s feedback and evolving needs. This responsiveness ensures that the coaching process remains aligned with the client’s unique circumstances, enabling effective evocation of awareness.
- Helps the client identify factors that influence current and future patterns of behaviour, thinking, or emotion: I will assist the client in exploring and understanding the various factors, such as beliefs, past experiences, and external influences, that shape their current patterns of behaviour, thinking, and emotions.
- Invites the client to generate ideas about how they can move forward and what they are willing or able to do: I will encourage and empower them to take ownership of their growth, brainstorm and generate their own ideas, strategies, and action steps for moving forward.
- Supports the client in reframing perspectives: I will help the client examine situations from alternative viewpoints and challenges their existing interpretations or assumptions. By exploring different perspectives, the client gains fresh insights, widens their range of options, and expands their capacity for creative problem-solving.
- Shares observations, insights, and feelings, without attachment, that have the potential to create new learning for the client: I will provide feedback and share observations in a non-judgmental manner, focusing on creating opportunities for the client’s learning and growth.
In conclusion, “evoke awareness” means the process of skillfully and intentionally guiding the clients to gain deeper insights, expand their perspectives, and develop a heightened sense of self-awareness.
When coaches evoke awareness, they help clients uncover hidden patterns, beliefs, and assumptions that may influence their thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. Through the use of powerful questions, reflective practices, feedback, and observations, the coach facilitates a process of self-discovery and increased consciousness.
Eliciting awareness involves encouraging clients to explore different viewpoints, challenge their limiting beliefs, and examine the consequences of their actions and choices. It may also involve exploring and acknowledging emotions, as emotional awareness is a vital aspect of self-awareness.
