Coaching at its highest level is the journey into the unknown for the coach as well as the client. Any journey into the unknown generates fear. Paraphrasing Marianne Moore,”Our greatest fear is not about what we do not know but what we may discover deep within.”
In this book Leon addresses the inner experience that is waiting to arise within us, an experience that can transform us at the being level. This inner experience elevates the conversation from a transactional level to a transformational level.
John Whitmore said in an interview, “Almost all I coached started with transactional goals related to power and wealth. As they explored within, they realized almost always, that there was a far deeper and broader purpose for them to journey to.” This led to Whitmore’s exploration of transpersonal coaching, a spiritual partnership journey between coach and client.
Leon talks in detail about the process of this Deep Transformational Coaching in his book, ‘A Shift in Being’. I know many coaches who have worked with Leon in this journey. They all have great things to say about how much they gained from the program. Much of the content of that program is now available in this book.
Leon describes 9 practices that support deep coaching, each laying a foundation for the one that follows.
- Slow it all down and sync with the rhythm of life and spirit
- Release your agendas; Live your spiritual values
- Nurture a healing space
- Let there be silence
- Coach more from the heart, less from the head
- Attune to your client’s deeper sense of Self and let that lead
- Expand your capacity to be with pain and allow healing moments
- Foster the emergence of what wants to happen
- Cultivate trust in the mystery and magic of transformation
In this book, Leon touches upon and relates his practices with powerful models and theories including Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, Maslow’s Hierarchy, Otto Scharmer’s levels of listening and several others. He also includes under each practice application exercises and in the end a structure to follow.
Several years ago, Leon was my mentor in my coaching journey. He introduced me to practices such as Ho Opono Pono that aided my transformation. Leon has been an inspiration to me and many other coaches. This book provides an opportunity for a much larger audience to experience Leon’s wisdom.
For coaches intending to deepen your learning on transformational coaching, we recommend Leon’s book, ‘A Shift in Being: The Art and Practices of Deep Transformational Coaching‘
