Before the Debrief: Where Real Coaching Growth Begins

In a world that often rushes forward, taking a moment to reflect can be transformative. A few months ago, I facilitated a continuing education session for 52 coaches, focusing on the simple yet profound act of reflection

The session began with a question: "What are you most proud of in 2024, both personally and professionally?"

With just a few minutes to ponder, the coaches were then grouped into small breakout rooms to share their thoughts.

This was followed by peer feedback on the strengths they heard, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation among the participants

What unfolded was remarkable. The coaches loved the conversations, the insights, and the chance to share and receive feedback. This experience underscored the importance of creating spaces where individuals can pause, reflect, and connect more deeply with their experiences and strengths. And as the session continued I realized that even the debrief had limited value - it was the reflection and feedback that was working the magic! This echoes Donald Schön’s insight in The Reflective Practitioner, that it's not just structured analysis (like a debrief) that deepens learning, but the act of noticing while acting (reflection-in-action) and after (reflection-on-action).

In coaching, creating such reflective space is crucial. It allows clients to delve deeper into their achievements, understand their strengths, and make connections they might otherwise miss. This aligns with Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle, which highlights reflection as a core phase of learning, bridging experience with understanding. Without it, insights often remain superficial. Reflection transforms moments into meaning.

As coaches, our role is to hold this space, allowing clients to explore and grow.

How to Create Reflective Space in Coaching

• Start with a grounding question. Try: “What are you most proud of this month?” or “What strength helped you most recently?”

• Use peer or self-reflection prompts. Ask: “What strengths are you hearing?” or “What surprised you as you said that out loud?”

• Hold silence generously. Let clients sit with the question. Insight often arises after the pause.

• Wrap with a small integration question. Try: “What might you carry forward from this insight?”

This experience reaffirmed that sometimes, less is more. By providing a simple structure and allowing space for reflection, we can facilitate powerful moments of growth and connection. It's a reminder that, in coaching, the true magic often happens in the quiet moments of reflection.