Life coaching education pops up all around us when we listen for it.  It’s in movies, on the radio and television, even, as I recently found out, at the opera.  Now granted, these snippets of coaching are not usually life changing, like on-going coaching is, but they can be educational and a spring-board– inspiring, thought provoking, and worthy of your notice.

In the last two weeks, several life coaching education snippets have caught my attention, and I want to share them with you.

Accountability Coaching from the Opera

Recently, the Los Angeles opera presented Wagner’s Ring Cycle–an epic mythology of gods, dwarfs, heroes and men.  In the story, Wotan, the king of all the gods, has established and agreed to rules of conduct, including the sanctity of marriage and absolute obedience to his commands.  When he later wants to make exceptions to the rules to suit his own purposes, his wife provides him with some very effective accountability coaching.   She takes it all very personally and is furious with him, which is something you would be taught not to do in your life coaching education.   But, she catches him every time he tries to justify his actions, points out where he is lying to himself and to her, and reminds him that the consequences of breaking his commitments will be severe.  She will only be shamed, but he will suffer derision from his subjects, and ultimately, his downfall as a god.   Powerful stuff.

Life Coaching Education on Cable Television

HBO cable television has a documentary series called Masterclass, which features young artists working with a famous mentor in the creative or performing arts.  Today I watched choreographer Bill T Jones work with two high school students putting together a dance and spoken word performance.  What I heard was some inspired coaching.  At one point, when Bill felt the dancers were playing it too safe, not pushing their own boundaries enough, he said “Be the hero.  Let your strength overcome whatever is negative for you.”   Later, he said “Work harder, make more difficult choices to develop your artistry.”   With his words he implies that his “clients” have heroism, strength, the ability to put more of themselves into what they are doing, and the ability to overcome whatever difficulties they find.  Great coaching, right? Wouldn’t you work hard with a coach who has such faith in you?

Keep an ear out for those snippets of life coaching education that come your way.   If you’re paying attention, you’ll find examples of inspired coaching popping out at you, to provide an extra dimension to appreciate in your favorite performing arts.  Too bad for me, I don’t think my opera tickets are a tax deductible expense!

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Dorine G. Kramer
JTS Strategy and Accountability Coach