100 Posts in 100 Days
After sharing Cognitive CoachingSM as one of my seminal learning experiences, it seems like one logical next step is to share a concrete example of how I use it every day.
There are many coaching skills and dispositions I have developed over the years. But there is one that is my “go to”, the one that I rely on when all else fails me. And that is the paraphrase.
I don’t recall which trainer made the following statement about paraphrases, but it has always stayed with me. It goes something like this:
When all else fails, paraphrase and then pause.
If your paraphrase is correct, your coachee will affirm that you are correct and will likely elaborate. They will keep thinking.
If your paraphrase is incorrect, your coachee will probably correct you. They will have a chance to clarify their own thinking and you will likely have a more accurate understanding.
Either way, paraphrase and the conversation will continue.
Wise advice that I have found to be true.
And if you are interested in learning about some different kinds of paraphrases, the Thinking Collaborative’s Sustaining the Journey archive of tips is a great place to look. Here are specific links to information on different kinds of paraphrases and how they might sound.
Paraphrase to Acknowledge (2015)
Paraphrasing – Acknowledging (2017)
Paraphrase to Organize (2015)
Paraphrasing – Organizing (2017)
Paraphrasing to Abstract (2015)
Paraphrasing – Abstracting (2017)
Enjoy!
Great tip. Thank you!