Listening as Transformation: A Deep Dive into Competency 6

As we step into a new year, many coaches focus on refining methods, expanding skills, or planning for professional growth. Yet the most powerful shift we can make in our coaching practice is also the quietest: becoming better listeners.

This month, Trio Coaching Academy focused on ICF Competency 6: Listens Actively, the competency that sits at the heart of every effective coaching conversation. Whether we are working with new coaches or seasoned practitioners, we see again and again that the depth of one’s listening determines the depth of the client’s insight.

Competency 6 extends far beyond hearing what is said. It asks us to listen for patterns, emotions, values, beliefs, and possibilities. It challenges us to bring presence and curiosity into every moment so clients feel safe enough to think boldly and differently. It invites us to treat silence not as an interruption, but as a powerful part of the coaching process.

Throughout the month, several core themes emerged in our reflections:

Listening creates space for insight.

When clients feel truly heard, their thinking expands. They slow down, go deeper, and articulate ideas they may not express anywhere else. Listening becomes the doorway through which clarity enters.

Coaches who listen reveal what is beneath the surface.

Coaches who listen actively begin to hear not only the story, but the mindset inside it — assumptions, beliefs, and internal narratives that shape behavior. Reflecting these back with skill helps clients uncover what’s been unseen.

Listening is an act of presence.

Presence is felt. When coaches are distracted or preparing the next question, the client senses it. But when coaches ground themselves and offer their full attention, clients feel supported and valued, often leading to more meaningful exploration.

Silence is golden.

Silence often carries more truth than words. Allowing space helps clients connect with inner wisdom and discover insights that rushed conversation would bury.

Bringing possibilities into view.

Behind every challenge lie strengths, wisdom, and values. Deep listening allows coaches to highlight these capacities so clients reconnect with what is already strong within them.

As we begin 2026, Competency 6 reminds us that profound coaching starts not with speaking, but with noticing. Not with answering, but with attuning. Listening is not passive — it is an active, intentional, and deeply human practice that makes transformation possible.

Reflection for You

• What shifts when you listen without trying to solve?

• How will deepening your listening elevate your coaching presence in 2026?
  

At Trio Coaching Academy, we believe that listening is the heartbeat of coaching. As you move through this new year, may your presence be grounding, your curiosity spacious, and your listening expansive enough to welcome whatever insight your clients are ready to uncover.

Wishing you a powerful start to 2026,
The Trio Coaching Academy Team