What is meant by a coach maintaining presence during sessions?

Maintaining presence during coaching sessions is centered on being fully engaged and attentive to the client. This involves being responsive and focused on the client's needs, ensuring that the coach's attention is directed toward the client's experiences, emotions, and insights. By doing so, the coach creates a supportive environment that fosters trust and openness, allowing the client to explore their thoughts and feelings in depth.

When a coach maintains presence, they also demonstrate active listening, which is crucial for understanding and empathizing with the client’s situation. This attentiveness helps to establish a strong coaching relationship and enables the coach to respond appropriately to the client’s needs, thereby facilitating a more impactful coaching experience.

This approach contrasts with behaviors such as being distracted by personal thoughts, allowing the client to steer without guidance, or regularly interrupting the client, which can undermine the effectiveness of the coaching process. By maintaining presence, a coach not only supports the client better but also models the kind of engagement and self-awareness that can inspire clients to further develop their own presence and focus.