Listening Now Blog

Here is an  innovative way of using the I’m Listening Now downloadable video series.   

Go Anywhere Peer Coaching Program.  I’m Listening Now can be used as a home study program, where two people create an informal peer coaching program for themselves.  Each of the five chapters is worked through on a weekly basis, in a ‘turn about’ way where one person acts as the coach and the other is the coachee; the following week, the roles swap. 

The three benefits of this approach are that

1. it solves the inherent challenge of I’m Listening Now being a static set of questions… yes, they are powerful questions but they do not change no matter how many times you play the video downloads!  To act as one another’s coach is a fantastic way of overcoming that problem – it allows you to ask follow-up questions where they are necessary during the session
2.  you don’t have to reinvent the wheel – the structure is already there in the form of the five downloadable video chapters, and the questions are already there in each chapter.  You’re all set to go!
3. it’s very inexpensive, especially compared to the cost of a professional coaching program.  Professional coaching programs are more often than not sensational, and if you can afford a professional coach, go for it.  But if budget is a consideration, a peer coaching program is one way of getting some of the advantages of coaching without the price tag

Example of Peer-Group Coaching Program.  There’s a lot of support for the idea of a peer coaching approach – this Harvard Business Review post gives a high level outline of the why’s and wherefore’s of peer coaching.  If you are serious about undertaking a peer coaching program, here’s an outline I’ve put together for you of how the program could be undertaken:

Week One: 

• Gather resources needed – (a) buy the I’m Listening Now video downloads (or DVD) + Companion Guide E-Book (one copy per couple is all that is necessary, although you may want your own copy for future use).  – (b) buy dedicated journals for use during the program.  There is power of seeing your responses in writing – check out these benefits of journalling
• Agree on your individual goals out of the 12 week program.  Mindmap, list, draw – use whatever you need to create a boundless vision for what you want to achieve
• Explore how you will support one another, particularly the role of informal coach each of you will play week about.  You might review some of the basic coaching skills that you already have by checking out this web resource
• Agree on format – face to face, Skype/phone, mix of both as required – how will you be meeting?

Week Two:

• Hold first session: work through I’m Listening Now Chapter One (Scene Setting)
• Focus is on Person A – they are the coachee, as it were.  They respond to the questions in Chapter One by answering out loud and/or journalling  
• Person B acts as their coach – asking follow-up questions where necessary, providing support and encouragement

Week Three:

• Continue I’m Listening Now Chapter One (Scene Setting) with focus on Person B – answering out loud and/or journalling responses to questions in Chapter One
• Person A acts as coach
• Wrap up Chapter One – additional insights, observations, learnings from either of you?

Week Four:

• Hold second session: work through I’m Listening Now Chapter Two (Perspective Shifting)
• Focus is on Person B – they are the coachee (they get to go first as coachee this time) and respond to the questions in Chapter Two – answering out loud and/or journalling responses
• Person A is coach – asking follow-up questions, providing support and encouragement

Week Five:

• Continue of I’m Listening Now Chapter Two (Perspective Shifting) with focus on Person A – answering out loud and/or journalling
• Person B acts as coach
• Wrap up Chapter Two- additional insights, observations, learnings from either of you?

 Week Six:

• Hold third session: work through I’m Listening Now Chapter Three (Life Review)
• Focus is on Person A – they respond to the questions (out loud/journalling) in Chapter Three and Person B is coach

Week Seven:

• Continue I’m Listening Now Chapter Three (Life Review) with focus on Person B – answering out loud and/or journalling.  Person A acts as coach
• Wrap up Chapter Three – additional insights,learnings or actions from either of you?

Week Eight:

• Hold fourth session: work through I’m Listening Now Chapter Four (Action Identification) – more time may be required as this video chapter contains more questions than the other chapters
• Focus is on Person B – they respond to the questions in Chapter Four by answering out loud and journalling and Person A is coach

Week Nine:

• Continue I’m Listening Now Chapter Four (Action Identification) with focus on Person A – answering out loud and journalling.  Person B acts as coach
• More time may be required as this video chapter contains more questions than the others
• Wrap up Chapter Four- additional insights, learnings or actions from either of you?

Week Ten:

• Hold fifth session:  work through I’m Listening Now Chapter Five (Summary and Integration) with focus on Person A responding to the questions by answering out loud and journalling, and Person B acting as coach

Week Eleven:

• Continue I’m Listening Now Chapter Five (Summary and Integration) with focus shifting to Person B responding to the questions by answering out loud and journalling, and Person A acting as coach
• Wrap up Chapter Five – additional learnings or actions from either of you?

Week Twelve:

• Wrap up.  Review goals set at beginning of the program and how they were/not met, what unexpected things were discovered and achieved, how you can continue the journey, what ongoing support and inspiration you may need, where you go from here
• Celebrate and acknowledge the journey you have just completed

If you like this idea, please go ahead and turn “I like it!” into “I’m going to do this!” by taking action today.  Find a partner to join you in the journey and get moving!  And let me know how you go – I’m interested and I am sure listening.