23 April 2025
Interrupting. Cutting someone off. Talking over another person.
These are all behaviours most people avoid.
Yet in coaching, these same behaviours can sometimes be essential, and there are moments when not interrupting is a missed opportunity.
As coaches, many of us have internalised the social belief that interruption is rude. But coaching isn’t a polite conversation—it’s a purposeful one. ICF PCC Marker 6.6 reminds us:
“Coach allows the client to complete speaking without interrupting unless there is a stated coaching purpose to do so.”
Interrupting with intent is a skill —one that calls for awareness, courage, and clarity of purpose. That’s why, ReciproCoach is once again offering, The Art of Effective Interruption with MCC Joanna Davis. This90-minute group mentoring session is focused on building confidence and capability around one of coaching’s most nuanced and underutilised skills, as you explore:
- The purpose of interrupting
- Good reasons to interrupt
- Why we mistakenly interrupt
- How to interrupt effectively
- Signs when to interrupt
- Signs when not to interrupt
- When we don’t interrupt, but should
Participants are invited to submit recording excerpts showing both successful and unsuccessful interruption attempts (or lack thereof), and the group will discuss and learn from these in relation to the ICF Core Competencies. Time permitting, the session will also include opportunities for live practice and exploration of when and how interruption serves the coaching process—or hinders it. Registrations close June 17.
This session is limited to 10 participants, is suitable for coaches of any experience level, and counts for 1.5 MCC (or lower credential) group mentoring hours. Alternatively, participants may claim 1.5 ICF CCEs in Core Competencies towards credential renewal.
If you can’t attend live, observer-only access to the recording is also available. More info here.
Supporting coaches to unlock the power of interruption,
Kerryn Griffiths, PhD, PCC
Global ReciproCoach Coordinator
Recent Posts
Most coaches recognise the catalytic role metaphors play in deepening client insight. Yet too often, authentic metaphor opportunities are missed. Coaches may try to work with metaphors artificially by suggesting them or directly asking clients to think of one, or they become so blind-sided by the complexity of the client’s story that they forget to […]
In the spirit of International Coaching Week (ICW) and in recognition of the potential for “the profound impact of professional coaching” (ICF), this month’s issue of Coaching Research in Practice explores the role of coaching in advancing climate action. While many organizations struggle to turn sustainability intentions into actual change, this issue highlights current research showing how inner […]
What should a coach do when a client shows signs of psychological distress? While the coaching profession agrees that we do not diagnose or treat mental health conditions, we are increasingly being called upon to recognise and respond to possible signs—particularly when many clients come to coaching because of their reluctance to engage in therapy. […]
Need more information?
We're here to help.
