Coaching: The Attitude of Curiosity

Written by Heidi Klein

Heidi is a certified coach with over ten years of experience in helping individuals achieve their professional and personal goals. She specialises in guiding clients to gain clarity, overcome obstacles, and build confidence through personalised coaching techniques. Her tailored strategies empower clients to become self-sufficient and resilient, equipping them to manage stress and adversity effectively. Whether you're aiming to advance your career or enhance personal development, Heidi offers the support and guidance needed to create a customised plan for lasting success.  

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Do you have the courage to bring forth the treasures that are hidden within you?

Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert

Many people are hesitant to admit they're being coached. This often stems from a widespread misconception about what coaching is. There’s a fear that being coached might be perceived as a sign of weakness or somehow being damaged. This bothers me because it suggests that a coach’s role is to "fix" someone. Coaching, instead, is a powerful tool for personal and professional growth. It’s not about fixing what’s broken; it’s about enhancing strengths, gaining clarity, and unlocking potential.

Embracing coaching is a sign of courage and commitment to becoming the best version of yourself. It is a path that both the coach and the coachee walk together, genuinely interested in what drives the coachee, what they are passionate about, what fuels their enthusiasm and how they find meaning in their life. For this reason, I think coaching is an attitude of curiosity that can be adopted by anyone wanting to support someone or guide them to personal and professional growth.

When we approach others with curiosity, we begin to appreciate the unique perspectives they’ve developed through their life experiences. We start to ask questions—questions that help us and them understand how they see the world, what values they hold, and what beliefs they cling to. That is why coaching is invaluable for everyone—not as a remedy, but as a process of discovery. It's about unveiling the resources you already have within you. It’s a chance to explore and experiment.

While professional coaches are trained and equipped with powerful tools, that doesn’t mean a novice can't also adopt a coaching mindset to support someone's growth by embracing this attitude of curiosity. It starts with listening and being curious about the language someone uses to make sense of their world. For instance, are they viewing things from a financial perspective, saying things like, “This seems risky,” “I’m afraid of losing out” or “That will benefit us for sure”? Perhaps they have an ethical lens, saying things like, “This doesn’t feel right” or “That would be the wrong approach”. Or maybe they’re motivated by beauty and creativity, remarking, “This solution is beautiful,” or “I’m inspired by his skill,” or “That is looking really nice”. It is about listening for their values, what matters to them and using their language to communicate more clearly.

The attitude about curiosity is, above all, about caring to understand someone’s framework and feeding it back to them in summarising statements so they can uncover their own resources and skills. By reflecting on what your coachee says and emphasizing their values, they gain clarity and fresh perspectives. It helps them better understand themselves, uncover new insights, and move forward in their personal growth journey. Ultimately, coaching isn’t about fixing; it’s about being curious about what makes matters to your coachee and being the mirror so they can see it for themselves.

For more information on our programmes and to find out how we could support your students, please visit our Programmes page.