As I waited this week for the creative burst that usually comes in order to write to you, I eventually realized it wasn’t going to happen. My anxiety about the post-election drama is thwarting my creativity. I can feel how there is no room in my brain for new energy and ideas. So this post is about what I did instead.

I live for the 'ah ha' moments and new connections made in the intimacy of a one-on-one coaching conversation. I want to share a story from a session this week because I think it has broad value. Let's see if I can articulate it well, because when I'm in the moment with a client it feels so real and so important, but later it's often hard to put words to.

Last week I wrote about three important coaching skills, and mentioned it was important to know when you even should step into a coaching role with a direct report. Coaching is just one role you exercise as a manager; there are others of course.

Coaching is about facilitating a conversation that allows the client to access their best thinking, make new connections, and be empowered to take new action that will move them closer to a goal or unstuck from a problem. Coaching is a skill that managers can employ to engage their direct reports.

These are harried times. The home and work boundaries are blurred and among my clients and burnout is looming just around the corner. We hear a lot about self-care and that conjures up images of massages and treating oneself to something special. But it’s the fabric of our daily existence that needs care.

I have to admit, for the longest time, I didn't really 'get' what people meant when they talked about boundaries. It's not that I didn't have any; I just couldn't wrap my head around a clear, concise definition for the word and didn't have clarity on what, conceptually, having healthy boundaries meant.

Powerful questions have been a theme of coaching since I first got trained as a professional coach in 2007. In my coaching school there was an entire course dedicated to the skill of questioning. Powerful questions can allow the client to gain new understanding and clarity about issues around which they’ve been stuck.

My husband and I recently had a few uncomfortable days while we worked through a dispute with our contractor. He had sent us the final bill for our renovation and it included a few surprises that we were pushing back on.

Recently I coached a client and we talked about taking breaks. As I was listening “between the lines,” I sensed that this person was working too hard, keeping their head down way longer than was useful to stay focused and efficient.

I’m leading a webinar tomorrow called Mastering Great Meetings, so meetings are on my mind today. And if you know me, you know that being a professional facilitator makes me a true snob when attending other people’s meetings!