Reframing Perspectives was the subject of the 1st Class I attended in my Coaching Certification. It was an online Class at ICA – International Coach Academy – in August 2014 with Scott Masciarelli and until today I remember some of the main outcomes of this hour of truly engaging discovery on Coaching. That correlates directly with what I must share with you today.
During my current Journey to get the Masterful Coaching Diploma and Certification with EpiCoaching Academy, we were challenged to present our Coaching Model and my first thought on it was that PRISM_A existed in my mind since I heard my first and experimental Coaching Class back in 2014.
But of course, PRISM_A Coaching Model was not written then… it is a construction that has been consolidated throughout these years of passion about Coaching and preparation of my mindset, heart, and agenda for this Certification.
What is PRISMA_A?
PRISM_A is a reflection that began in a starting life question I always had and still have. I believe human beings are more than what they appear to be, so I have always questioned myself if we really do See Our True Colours? Because if we do really see ourselves in the full spectrum of colours, that we are able to irradiate, then we are shining more, others will love us and these colours will be beautiful as Cindi Lauper sang it in True Colour Album, 1986.
This main idea has been the basis for me to develop PRISM_A, whose concept I first verbalized in a conversation with my dear friend Angela Gaehgtens in September 2018. We were talking about Coaching and Coaching Competencies, and I was asked by Angela if I already knew what the process was, what I would like to present to clients, for them to go from current to future state. I answered I would like to coach clients for them to see themselves in different ways or with other perspectives. To enhance my reflection, Angela asked some questions about how to materialize and bring to life the model as a symbol. When Angela’s question popped out – what would be a good image to share with the Clients? Would you like them to see themselves as if they were looking in a mirror? I immediately answered, “NO! Seeing themselves through a PRISM!”
In 2021, as a preparation for the Coaching Certification, I investigated the concept of PRISM_A and tried to materialize it in an object or symbol that could visually translate the journey I wish to present to my Coaching Clients. My PRISM_A Coaching Model is supported in the prism concept applied to Optics – Piece of glass or other transparent material with precise angles and plane faces, useful for reflecting light [1] …
PRISM_A stands for:
P – Perception
R – Reality
I – Insight
S – Self Knowledge
M – Manage Development
A – Awareness
In PRISM_A Coaching Model, Perception & Reality translate the client´s current state, where they are and why. Clients have a Perception of themselves and their behaviours. Often perception, as the quality of being aware of behaviours, maybe to be influenced by “the glasses/lenses they are using”.
To be able to fully recognize the Reality of their behaviours, Clients need to understand them as a combination of their own perceptions with others’ views and ideas on themselves.
So, PRISM_A Coaching Model will be a journey to enable Clients to uncover their own potential and awake new tools to see themselves with different colours. For this journey of discovery and transformation, Clients will use the process to uncover tools they may have but probably are not using in their full potential, such as:
- Insight– Clients will search for a deeper self, using other perspectives, seeing themselves with different colours. Clients will know better and acknowledge all their inner personas.
- Self-Knowledge– Clients will be able to arrive at a position of better awareness of their nature, character, competencies, abilities, weaknesses and Clients will see themselves through more transparent or clean lenses…
With these tools awaken or consciously present in their minds, Clients will be better prepared to make decisions and define new steps to Manage their Development Journeys. This process of discovery of all their spectrum of colours will enable Clients to be fully prepared to advance for a future state!
PRISM_A Coaching Model focus on providing Clients with a process to bring more transparency to their different angles and plane faces, in a way that is useful for reflecting their different colours. Clients will consolidate tools to better understand, prepare, and mature on their own transitions and behaviours. They will be able to anticipate behavioural impacts on personal and professional decisions, being better organized and equipped to build Awareness!
Clients will consolidate an Awareness structured around the Resources the Coaching Process may enable them to potentiate. These Resources will contribute to better clearness and lucidity on the Decisions they need to take towards their development, which will empower the Action Plan towards their Transition!
Figure 1 – PRISM_A Clients Outputs
As per my own Coaching definition, consolidated during our Masterful Coaching Diploma, Coaching is a Client Transformation Journey shared with the Coach, where the Client wants to achieve a goal and the Coach challenges the Client to find within himself the potential and tools relevant for this personal or professional change/ transition.
PRISM_A Clients Outputs such as some of the one’s identified as examples in Figure 1 above, will be part of the potential and tools Clients will find within themselves to support their transition plans.
This is the way I, as a Coach, believe PRISM_A can Inspire others´ Development Journeys, by challenging transformations with different colours! And so, I do hope PRISM_A will also be an extraordinary way to support my Life Purpose here stated.
If we all are human beings with a dream, PRISM_A Coaching Model is my personal way of dreaming to be part of the Evolutionary change of my clients, by modifying the terrain on which seeds and weeds grow[2].
Some References used to shape PRISM_A Coaching Model
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Online
- “Managing Transitions – Making the most of Change; William Bridges, PhD with Susan Bridges
- “Be Who You Want – Unlocking the Science of Personality Change”, Christian Jarret
- “Effective Coaching – Lessons from the Coach’s Coach”, Myles Downey
- “Developing Coaching Skills: A Concise Introduction”, Dietmar Sternad
- “Identity and Evolutionary Change”, Robert Dilts, Digital Online Training Workshop reproducing the 3-day Training provided by the author in Hamburg 1998
[1] https://www.britannica.com/technology/glass [2] Robert Dilts, Identity and Evolutionary Change, Digital Online Training Workshop reproducing the 3-day Training provided by the author in Hamburg 1998.
