Who would have ever thought that the lessons of using positive intent – one of our essential coaching skills – would be reinforced for me as I was being wheeled back to my room after a recent surgery?  Certainly not me, but there it was!  With my morphine pump held tightly in my hand I listened as the hospital orderly explained how he was going to transfer me from the gurney to my bed.  I would have to move over to the edge of the gurney and lift myself up to get unto the bed.  All I could think was “pain – lots of pain” and before I knew it I was telling the orderly “This sounds like its really going to hurt and I don’t think I can do it.”  The orderly would not have any of that and replied with the following:

“Here’s what I want you to think and say – this man is very experienced and skillful.  He knows what he’s doing and will move me very carefully without causing me undo pain.  And I can do whatever he asks me to do.  I CAN DO IT!  I WILL DO IT! If you think that way you will be able to do what I ask you to do.”

I immediately changed my “can’t” to “I can” and the move from gurney to bed was easy and as painless as possible.

Imagine if teachers routinely helped their students change “I can’t” to “I can and I will”.  What a jump in achievement we would see – not to mention a generation of empowered students!

Imagine if school leaders framed each of their messages to teachers, support staff and parents in the language of “can and will” instead of dwelling on obstacles and describing challenges as if they were facts.

Positive intent – a relatively simple change in our thinking and language – that produces anything but simple results.

by Riva Korashan
Coaching For Results Global

Riva Korashan is a founding member of Coaching For Results Global, Inc. and passionately believes that coaching educators is the key to student achievement. She has been coaching educators for over 20 years and has seen first-hand the difference it makes for individuals and school organizations.