One of the core competencies of coaching is the ability to summarize effectively. According to the International Coaching Federation (ICF) competency 6.7, coaches should “succinctly reflect or summarize what the client communicated to ensure the client’s clarity and understanding.”
A common mistake among new coaches is summarizing at length, rather than capturing the essence in a word, sentence, or a few bullet points. Yet there is power in brevity. A recent coaching call I had with a client highlights the profound impact of a one-word summary.
After listening to a client articulate their thoughts for 6–7 minutes, I simply said, “So you’re talking about authenticity.” This single word resonated deeply with the client, bringing them to tears as they acknowledged, “Yeah, that’s it.” I got to witness firsthand the benefit of summarizing something succinctly for another person.
While the client likely understood the core issue revolved around authenticity, hearing it distilled into a single word provided clarity and understanding, as per the competency marker. The coach who trained me aptly put it, “summarizing is like Windex on the window—it just cleans it up, and you can see really clearly.”
When summarizing, the goal is not to cover every detail or get it perfectly right. Instead, it’s about offering a concise statement that serves as an anchor point for further exploration. Even if the summary misses the mark initially, it can still facilitate awareness and progress the conversation.
I encourage coaches to practice distilling complex ideas into laser-focused, one-sentence summaries. Remember, you get more points for fewer words! You can bring this skill into every type of conversation. It not only demonstrates active listening, but also showcases the ability to understand and encapsulate the essence of what someone is communicating.
By mastering the ability to capture someone’s core essence in a word or sentence, coaches can provide a powerful foundation for further exploration and facilitate deeper awareness in their clients.
The Coaching After the Coaching