Liberatory Coaching: Reflections from our Fast Pitch Coaches
Each year, our Fast Pitch coaches act as key partners in amplifying the stories of our Accelerator leaders and embodying the values we wish to see in the world. Recently, we held a reflection session with our Fast Pitch coaches to build community and explore coaching norms to consider ways to take a more liberatory approach.
During this session, we heard insightful observations from our coaches, and we're excited to share them with you.
Our stories are essential.
We have a learned tendency to value data, facts, and objective measures over personal narratives. But, while data and facts play a role, stories are essential in understanding and communicating meaning. Personal stories sharing lived experience is vital to dismantling systemic injustice.
Be curious.
Our coaches challenge traditional coaching norms by noticing when they feel the urge to make suggestions and instead pause to ask questions. The answers reside in the presenter, who is resourceful, creative, and whole. The coach's job is to listen deeply, offer undivided attention, and ask open-ended questions so the presenter can see and hear the story they'd like to tell.
Release feeling responsible for the outcome.
As partners in the pitch development process, coaches carefully draw the boundary between their responsibility to support the presenters and their investment in the outcome. The presenter owns the pitch, and the coach's role is to partner in exploring what the presenter wants to convey.
We are so proud to be in community with our coaches and presenters, and we look forward to learning alongside them over the next couple of months. We can’t wait for you to see the fruits of everyone’s work together on this as we meet again at Fast Pitch on April 25th!