Coaching Experiments Don’t Produce the Same Result

In a lot of ways coaching is like jazz.

Jazz has a general structure, a rule of thumb, but ultimately is defined and know for its improvisation, personality, and spontaneity.

Ted Gioia in How to Listen to Jazz says, “When the jazz experiment is repeated, it never produces the same result.”

The same can be said of coaching. There is a structure and framework but a good coach will improvise and revise based on the client.

Listen to Salt Peanuts. There are hundreds of renditions of it in jazz. Each one takes on the persona of the artist or band. Notice the nuances in each and enjoy each. Some might be more enjoyable but none of them are the same.

Left to right, top to bottom: Dizzy Gillespie (originator of Salt Peanuts), Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Philly Joe Jones, Charles Mingus. Each have their own and multiple iterations or Salt Peanuts.

Consider how you can ensure you are ready to offer variety and personality in your coaching, question asking, interactions. Don’t hesitate to use a framework or reliable resource but keep it fresh.