by Pamela Mertz, PCC, CPCC Director of Education, CCNI
Seek what is good for one another 1 Thess 5:15
This world we live in is sure full of advice and “shoulds” and many are willing to share how to do something.
What if we are called to be different? It’s true. As believers and followers of Jesus, we are to be different than the world. We carry something better than anything in the world. Jesus Himself.
These commands that Paul set up on how to live a life “ in Christ” was inclusive of others. We are created, designed, and so critical to be in community with others.
This command, to “seek what is good” is more than encouragement. It is being intentional to get to know that “other” and seek what is good in them. This is helpful to remember in any relationship. In marriages, parenting, friendship, and in our work lives as well. Seeking what is good creates a solid ground of something you know about that person. They are “for you” or “they love me, and I love them”. This orients the brain to truth from which to communicate and act from.
In coaching – we are called to believe “for” the client. We are tasked with helping through the coaching process, to be intentional about seeking what is good. This motivates clients to want more of this good. It’s how the reward centers in our brains are designed.
We do this by asking simple, powerful questions in the moments when clients are perhaps spiraling or feeling overwhelmed. They could be facing a deadline of too much to do, too much to take on, and all they can see are the hard, frustrating, even impossible things before them.
Asking things like, “What skill set have you left on the shelf?” or “Who do you know that could help you with this?” These are forward-thinking dwelling questions that help clients come up and out of the pit of chaos in stressful times. As their coach, you are helping them to tap into what they do know. What skills they do have. This is the good they possess and can be accessed through intentional questions.
Seeking the good in clients helps them move forward faster. We are in a helping profession, unique in that the client holds the answers, and we help them discover them and then deploy actionable tasks for their next steps.
How might you use “seek what is good” in your very next coaching call? Practice on those you love and do life with, and see what fruit happens there as well!
Pamela Mertz, CPCC, PCC is passionate about Christian coaching and loves sharing how God continues to show her how impactful it is for the world! She works with many Christian coaches around the globe through her roles at Promised Land Living, Professional Christian Coaching Institute and CCNI as Board Secretary. For more information about Pamela you can visit her website at www.blueprintlife.com
