Recently I was struck with an amazing parallel between interior design and coaching. My wife and I purchased a new home outside of Redding, California. We have been looking for a place like this for quite a few years and had our paintings and home decorations boxed up in storage, waiting for us to find this more permanent home. We enlisted the aid of a friend who is an interior decorator to help us with the set up. When we walked in to see her work we were surprised and blessed by the arrangement and décor, all using our own stuff but in a new and fresh design. She introduced nothing of her own choosing but solely used our own treasured items in patterns that created an inviting sense of warmth. In coaching we partner with the Holy Spirit to bring out the unique and wonderful treasures hidden in people.
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. One day a man found the treasure, and then he hid it in the field again. He was so happy that he went and sold everything he owned to buy that field.
Matthew 13:44 NKJV
As we coach, we sometimes face with our clients some issues that are painfully enwrapped with attitudes that are less than what our clients want for their lives. Or we face with them situations where they are stuck perhaps with unhealthy perspectives. We have to commit to helping them discover the treasure and confidence that they have within. (Buy the field.) Perhaps they too, as it were, have their treasures hidden away for years for various reasons. With discovery questions, powerful encouragement and a heart armed to believe the best, their treasures and identity truly can be revealed in the light of the Lord . This verse in Matthew speaks to us as coaches that we are to be fully committed to finding and buying-in to the gold in others. We become “coaching treasure hunters”. I love to facilitate uncovering fresh hope, new confidence and dormant giftings in people. The most rewarding moments are when the ones we are coaching can recognize their own treasure and worth within. Then as a coach, our job is like our interior decorator, to facilitate getting it out on display beautifully, right where we live. Sometimes we have to help them dig deep to find their veiled self-worth or the hidden faith that they really can do what is before them. So in short our job as coaches in this metaphor is to “Find the treasure!” Hiding it again speaks of protecting the location of the treasure for the discoverer. And buying the field in this application speaks of being fully committed to them (the person) with their treasure.
One of the greatest joys of coaching is to see your client have an “aha moment” where they begin to really believe in their treasure, thus ending the debate of their own self-worth. They begin to believe in their unique value. It is truly an honor to partner with the Lord and see this kind of break-through.
Find the treasure! And buy the whole field!!