Coaching: to be mindful of learning

The sage has no mind of his own.
He is aware of the needs of others.

I am good to people who are good.
I am also good to people who are not good.
Because Virtue is goodness.
I have faith in people who are faithful.
I have also faith in people who are not faithful.
Because Virtue is faithfulness.

The sage is shy and humble – to the world he is confusing.
Men look to him and listen.
He behaves like a little child.

Verse 49 Tao Te Ching

When the client cannot do the job himself and I am hired – what I do is learning and guiding the learning of others. Coaching as a consultant results in products, services, and communication of organizations that would not be there without my interventions. If the impacts are good, they are not associated anymore with my efforts. Even the clients have come to perceive it as their own doing.

What I need is to be humble, to value simplicity, to be flexible, creative and well versed in strategy. Clients learn to do the right thing, increase their self responsibility and become owner of the solutions. Although the doctor is instrumental in the process, the body is ultimately healing itself. Therefore a good consultant develops in himself the attitude of the sage from the Tao Te Ching.