Building Rapport, Empathy, and Mindfulness in Coaching

Abstract

A client, before beginning coaching with me, asked me an interesting question: ‘what if you are unable to create a rapport with me?’ In coaching, the ability of a coach stems from the method followed: it is not left to chance to allow any place for a ‘what if’ question. If a coach follows a methodical procedure then there is no question that he cannot create a rapport or build an environment of confidentiality in which the client can explore her own issues and find her own solution. Empathy is a word that is very commonly used in a coaching context, it is also easily understood by everyone, and everyone can also explain it in simple terms: ‘to be able feel how it is to be in another’s shoes’. How you generate empathy is an important question in coaching and it is possible to do it methodically. A methodology that is comprehensible and applicable by anyone for the benefit of the client is what makes coaching effective.