Integral coaching can change your life and enable you to be fully alive!

The Promise of Integral Coaching®

by James Flaherty and Amiel Handelsman, www.newventureswest.com

What becomes possible in coaching when we treat clients as marvelously complex beings who live in language and moods, inhabit bodies and physical environments, and possess both wisdom and blind spots? What opens up when we coach them at the appropriate depth and can appreciate multiple streams of their competence? In short, what would it be like if our coaching included everything and everyone? And who would we need to become to fulfill this audacious aspiration? These questions can serve as an entry point to studying Integral Coaching, and they model the type of inquiry that is at the heart of New Ventures West’s Professional Coaching Course.

Every so often in life we pause and make note of the person we have become and the one we are becoming. Sometimes this reflection is prompted by professional circumstances, like a promotion, performance review, job change, or firing. Just as often it emerges from the “rest of life” – as through an illness, death, or the beginning or ending of a relationship. Whatever the origin, these experiences can feel like an opportunity or a burden, a chance to develop or a painful lesson…and often both. How we make sense of these experiences often determines what actions we take, and this, of course, influences our competence and fulfillment in life. Wouldn’t it be wonderful, in these moments, to have someone by our side to ask skillful questions, listen deeply, be fully present with who we are and what we say, point out our blind spots, and custom-design practices to help us move forward? And wouldn’t it be marvelous, too, to be this person for others?

New Ventures West exists in large part due to the primacy of these questions for ourselves and the people we serve. Both our founding in 1987 and the creation of our Professional Coaching Course (PCC) in 1994 happened because these questions moved us (James, in particular) to action. We are honored by this opportunity to share what it is we do, how we do it, and why we think it is powerful.

As the designer of the PCC (James) and one of its graduates (Amiel), we are naturally biased. In addition, this article represents the first time we have articulated most of these ideas in published form. Thus our excitement – and even pride – about what we do may shine through the page. Such is the consequence of loving what you do and writing about it infrequently!

Who is New Ventures West?

Founded in 1987, New Ventures West offers public training programs in Integral Coaching, customized coach training for organizations, executive coaching, advanced courses for experienced coaches, and a referral network to certified Integral Coaches. Our Professional Coaching Course has over 2000 graduates, and we currently offer it in San Francisco, Washington DC, and internationally.

What is Integral Coaching?

Integral Coaching is what arrives when two people develop a professional relationship that is grounded in mutual trust and respect, directed toward a set of clear outcomes, guided by presence, and informed by broad models about what it means to be a human being. It is a methodology. It is an integration project. It is a moment when you feel deeply connected to yourself and others, with a deep acceptance of everything, and you take practical steps to move forward in life. It is both simpler and more complex than it sounds. And, at heart, Integral Coaching is not just an “it” we can see and hear from the outside but also the “I” that lives in our thoughts and emotions and the “we” that connects us to each other in language and culture.

What are the outcomes of Integral Coaching?

Every Integral Coaching purpose statement includes a list of three to five outcomes stated as improvements in competence; for example, “Manage difficult conversations more skillfully,” “Speak in a way that moves people to action,” or “Develop a sense of calm amid life’s turbulence.” The statement provides a clear focus and sense of direction. It also creates a standard by which the coach and client (and, in some cases, the client’s organization) can assess the effectiveness of the work. You may notice that the first two of these outcome examples are competencies and the third evokes a feeling of fulfillment. This is not accidental. Two major outcomes of Integral Coaching are greater competence and fulfillment. What do we mean by these terms?

• Competence is distinct from a goal. A goal is something you achieve, like getting a promotion or losing ten pounds. Competence is a capacity that endures. It helps us achieve particular goals and stays with us afterwards. For example, speaking in a way that moves people to action can contribute to a promotion. It can also open up new possibilities for our friendships, family life, and health. §
• Fulfillment is a deeply felt experience that what we are doing, how we are living, and who we are becoming are meaningful and worthwhile. We are fulfilled when we are held deeply by life, when what once burdened us has lifted. From an individual perspective, the value of fulfillment is self-evident. For organizations, it makes a difference when people are fulfilled because they stay longer and generate better results.

When we speak of the outcomes of Integral Coaching, two additional terms are important: self-correcting and self-generating. What do these words mean?

• When we are self-correcting, we have the capacity to observe discrepancies between what we intend and the actual outcomes, between our espoused values and our actual actions, and then bridge the gap. When clients are self-correcting, they are not dependent upon a coach.
• When self-generating, we have the ability to continuously renew ourselves by drawing upon resources from without and within. When clients are self-generating, the development of competence becomes not a final end state but a continuous process.

These competencies are essential when our life takes a new direction or when we are thwarted in our intentions.

What makes Integral Coaching powerful?

In reflecting upon our work and comments made by clients and colleagues, we have observed that there are several specific features of Integral Coaching that give it power: (1) including everything and everyone; (2) customized distinctions, practices, and self-observation exercises; (3) creative and elegant design; (4) blending inquiry and advocacy within the cauldron of relationship; (5) the power of presence and mindfulness; (6) assessing what will be useful for this person now; and (7) the two tracks of Integral Coaching. We now explore these attributes in more depth.

About the authors

James Flaherty is the founder of New Ventures West and author of Coaching: Evoking Excellence in Others, a foundational text in the field of coach education. He designed the Professional Coaching Course in 1994 and has been coaching and training others in the Integral Coaching methodology for over 30 years. James is a voracious reader and a longtime practitioner of Zen and qigong. He delights in helping people know themselves more fully and uncover meaning and value in all parts of life. You can contact him through integralengage.com.

Amiel Handelsman is a seasoned executive coach with 20+ years of experience helping leaders and teams navigate complexity. His clients have included college presidents, C-level business executives, and teams at every level. He is passionate about climate solutions and specializes in helping people deliver what they promise and build highly engaged workforces. Amiel is the author of four books and is a frequent guest on podcasts. He holds a B.A. in Public Policy Studies from Duke University and an M.B.A. from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. Amiel lives with his wife and two children in Ann Arbor, Michigan. To learn about his services and writings, go to amielhandelsman.com.