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On heightened sensitivities 2

It is a pleasure to see a master at work. Years ago, I was in my coaching program and there was a master coach who was there to train us.

I was the coach who was practicing. My 'client' came with an innocuous question - which I attempted to wrestle into a coaching style conversation. And in a few questions, I was lost. I had tied up myself in knots and raised my hands to ask the master coach to come in.

The master coach started talking. She asked 2 questions and by the 4th question, my 'client' was in tears. I learnt Transactional Analysis with this master coach for 2 years and I saw her in action many a time during our sessions. Her ability to connect with people is just incredible.

And some months later, I was in conversation with a senior executive with another person who I respect for such skills and as we walked outside, he was able to flip the conversation in a different frame  - only because he was alert to the possibility.

As coaches, as learning professionals, and even as HR practitioners, this is our skill. The ability to go beyond what is stated, go beyond narrative fallacies and go into the critical crux of conversations. And we can do it, it just takes practice.

Epilogue: The son was playing a game. Geometry Dash. He said a friend referred him to the game and that it was a good game with some great UX. But what caught his attention was the music. Hear the music, he said - it does something different. He said that the music changes pace, volume, reverses and god knows what. I dont have heightened sensitivities to music - so I was only able to discern something after a few attempts - but he was able to sense this while thinking of the game - only because his mind was alert to this possibility. 

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