About
Somatic Business Coaching
Somatic business coaching unites the power of
traditional business coaching with the wisdom of somatics, or the wisdom of
the entire body, mind and spirit.
Business coaching has long been recognized as a powerful catalyst for
developing the skills of successful leadership. The ability to mobilize and
motivate others, attract talented followers, be politically astute, and
think strategically are a few of the traits necessary for the consummate
leader.
Somatic coaching helps build effective leadership by creating a foundation
for a fully embodied person. The importance of somatics to business
coaching is evident in the basic realities all people --and hence all
leaders -- share:
The body is where we experience life. It is where
we live our relationships, express moods and emotions, learn, imagine the
future, redeem our past, build commitments with others, protect our loved
ones, and assert our dignity.
Without the body there would be no possibility for tasting, hearing,
smelling, feeling. There would be no thoughts, reflection, or awareness.
There would be no presence to interact with itself or others, no basis for
experience.
Most business training and coaching neglect the body and
its enormous capacity for wisdom and energy. When somatic intelligence and
practices are incorporated into proven traditional coaching practices,
powerful results can ensue. Here are some typical results achieved by
Suzanne Zeman's somatic business coaching clients:
- One way I used to limit
success was by unconsciously maintaining a fear-based stance -- arms
crossed over my chest protecting myself. Now I stand and work more
professionally with my head up and arms open, ready to receive
opportunities and handle challenges.
- Somatic coaching helped me
be more centered, more grounded, more connected to spirit. I even walk
differently! Rather than fall into depression, I stand my ground and
walk more confidently. I am more purposeful and relaxed.
- My voice used to get caught
in my throat when I was dealing with a difficult situation. Now I can
remain calm and speak from my center. My voice is stronger, and I have
seen positive reactions from my team when I speak in this new manner.
The "body" or
"soma" of somatic business coaching is very different from the
mechanical body often portrayed by traditional western thinking. This view
emphasizes techniques, procedures and methods. It assumes there are right
and wrong ways of leadership, and it often treats followers as
"objects" or means for accomplishing a specific end.
"Embodying" this kind of leadership requires fitting ourselves
into an externally designed, pre-determined model that tells us how to
dress and what attitudes to have towards others and the world.
Somatic
business coaching works with the living body in its wholeness. It
recognizes that our actions are produced in our physical structure, and
that our actions reflect our whole Self. This Self is not what we think or
say about ourselves, but how we act, and how others assess these actions.
Somatics
recognizes that we open or close our possibilities in the world by how we
open or close our physical structures. For example, when I am hunched and
coiled inward, I am predisposed to resignation. I limit possibilities by
limiting my ability to see them and by diminishing my faith in my own
resources. Not only do I overlook the resources outside myself, but I also
discourage others from engaging with me.
If I wish to be open to more possibilities, I can practice feeling my feet
firmly on the ground, allow my knees to be unlocked and flexible, expand my
breathing and hold my head comfortably with my neck straight yet relaxed.
In this stance, I am naturally more confident and more approachable. I have
all "my wits about me," and I am better able to engage with
others in productive relationships.
One of the most powerful somatic business coaching practices is simply to
notice what is happening in the body at any given moment. "When I pay
attention to body reactions," says one executive, "it's
relatively easy to shift an automatic (often unconscious) reaction to an
intended one. This has helped me be much more effective at work and in
dialogue with my daughter - two areas I care about."
Increased
personal awareness leads to increased interpersonal awareness.
"Because I am more aware of my own energy and mood," says another
executive, "I am also aware of the energy and mood in staff meetings
and other business contexts. It's so much easier to be connected with other
people at work, even people I used to consider difficult."
In many ways, somatic business coaching practices enhance traditional
business wisdom. Leaders have long been expected to observe and produce
ambitious moods and trust in their teams. Reading a book on trust may
promote intellectual understanding, but if I do not embody this
understanding, I cannot act on it. I may be sincere and value trust. But if
my breath is high and rapid in my tight chest, if I'm squeezing my eyes and
freezing a smile on my face, I will have difficulty trusting, and it will
be difficult for others to trust me.
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