Coaches can help clients connect their actions to the greater community and environmental systems, reframing the scope of accountability and impact

For a collaborative future, coaches can help clients rethink accountability

Coaching approaches and competencies often focus on individual client needs and goals without addressing broader systems and contexts that impact client success. By reframing accountability and promoting collective well-being, coaches can empower clients to navigate complex challenges and contribute positively to their communities and broader systems.

Challenge:

Neglecting systemic and contextual influences can hinder client success

Opportunity:

Coaches can reveal the link between individual client success and the surrounding community and systems

Impact:

A systemic approach to coaching fosters both individual and collective growth, laying a foundation for future impact

Wisdom Weavers

Collective well-being highlights the significance of accountability and responsibility

Individual well-being is deeply intertwined with community and systemic health. Climate emergencies, inequality, and a host of issues facing any given community impact individuals in a profound way. Traditional coaching approaches often focus narrowly on individual clients’ goals and needs, overlooking the broader systems and contexts that impact their success. Addressing only individual disruptions is insufficient in the face of complex global challenges. Future coaching approaches can embrace the interconnectedness of an individual along with the well-being of the communities and larger systems they inhabit, laying a foundation for long-term success.

Well-being encompasses not just personal flourishing but also the health of communities and the systems within which people operate. As a global health professional, Wisdom Weaver Sam Brakarsh emphasizes the urgent need for a holistic approach to well-being that acknowledges interconnectedness. He observes, “We are moving to a point where there is more morbidity, extraction, and global warming, and humans are going to be strained physically, mentally, and socially on an increasing level.” Addressing the challenges of interconnectedness can also leverage these connections to prioritize collective thriving.

When considering how to help individuals thrive, a communal approach is necessary to address the many social systems impacting a person’s well-being. Sam suggests that “well-being needs to be approached from both individual reflective grounding work as well as community, engaging with how to relate to those around you and what well-being at a community level looks like.” Highlighting the often-neglected aspect of systemic well-being, Sam notes, “There are some incredibly sick systems in this world” that can profoundly impact individual and collective well-being. Rather, collective well-being aims to cultivate an environment where every individual has the resources to thrive.

Systemic coaching can enhance traditional coaching models

By reframing accountability within a broader context, coaches can empower clients to navigate and contribute positively to their communities and systems. Instead of viewing accountability solely as a means of achieving individual goals, coaches can help clients understand their accountability to the well-being of the collective. This shift not only enhances the impact of coaching on individual clients but also strengthens social well-being. Fostering a sense of responsibility and connection within communities leads to systemic models that support the building of shared growth for current and future generations.

At its core, systemic coaching addresses systems and contexts to broaden the scope of understanding a client’s personal and professional growth needs. Considering the impact of broader systems, systemic coaching fosters both individual and collective communal growth within and between groups, including future generations. Dr. Peter Hawkins, professor of leadership at Henley Business School, taps into the power of systemic coaching, emphasizing diversity of thought and action to achieve wider-ranging coaching results. Taking a future-focused approach to impact, systemic coaching helps teams to be resilient and adaptive to new eras, considering the legacy impact of personal, professional, and communal goals.

Volunteerism promotes social accountability

Volunteer service goes beyond individual acts of kindness – it embodies social accountability rooted in the desire to uplift others and contribute to the well-being of communities. Wisdom Weaver and social scientist Byron Johnson emphasizes the transformative power of volunteerism, noting that individuals who have reached a state of flourishing are often compelled to serve others. He states, “When people reach a state of flourishing, they want to serve other people.” This sentiment illustrates the intrinsic connection between personal well-being and the impulse to contribute positively to society.

Moreover, volunteerism is not solely about giving; it is also about receiving. This reciprocal relationship between serving and being served reinforces the notion that social accountability is a dynamic interplay between individuals and their broader social contexts. Importantly, volunteerism goes beyond the boundaries of specific contexts, offering solace and support to individuals facing loneliness and isolation. Byron observes, “The best thing that you can do for yourself is to help someone else who is lonely and isolated.” This sentiment underscores the healing power of altruism in fostering personal growth and connection, particularly for individuals returning from war zones or experiencing other forms of adversity.

Volunteer service serves as a tangible action for social accountability, bridging the gap between individual well-being and collective flourishing. By actively engaging in acts of service, individuals not only contribute to the betterment of their communities but also experience personal growth and fulfillment. This reciprocal relationship emphasizes the transformative potential of volunteerism in fostering a more compassionate and interconnected society. Coaching can empower individuals to take meaningful action and contribute positively to the world around them, thus shaping a brighter future through their actions.

Accountability fosters interconnected well-being

Accountability in well-being requires collective engagement to address both the psycho-social and physical needs of a community. While Western approaches to well-being often separate these two domains, Sam highlights the role of embodied practice in Eastern contexts as a holistic approach to well-being. Drawing on his participatory community work, Sam emphasizes the importance of exploring various avenues for engagement, stating, “Accountability in well-being requires engagement that is embodied, participatory, and collective.” This perspective illustrates the need to move beyond rigid or superficial conversations and instead cultivate a well-being that honors individuals, communities, and systems, integrating elements of intervention and change.

Drawing attention to the integration of Buddhist practices in Western wellness culture, Sam notes, “Buddhism is the big example now that has been taken and become so intimately tied to conversations around wellness.” He points out the danger of stripping these practices from their broader systems and teachings, eliminating the inherent accountability structures that traditionally accompany them. This individualized and efficient approach, while seemingly convenient, may lead to a sense of complacency and superficial engagement, lacking the challenges and growth opportunities found in a communal setting.

When seeking communal interconnectedness, coaches can help clients avoid potential pitfalls of surface-level mindfulness practices that do not integrate accountability. Sam explains, “When used without a framework of accountability, some of the well-being mindfulness rhetoric starts to become dangerous because people think they are listening to intuition when, in fact, it is a manifestation of ungrounded biases.” He emphasizes the need for individuals to engage in critical self-reflection and confront their own biases rather than using wellness practices to avoid difficult questions. True growth, Sam suggests, requires a willingness to examine one’s own ego and to sit with discomfort rather than seeking easy answers or shortcuts. Through coaching, individuals can cultivate the self-awareness and accountability necessary for authentic growth, paving the way for a future where mindfulness practices are integrated with ethical responsibility and guiding individuals toward deeper understanding and societal harmony.

Communities come together in crisis to promote connection and accountability

Communities have demonstrated resilience in times of crisis, coming together, supporting one another, and reshaping values and priorities in the process. Wisdom Weaver Charly Cox reflects on the profound shift spurred by the pandemic, noting, “The big win from the pandemic was the imaginative leap that it created.” This transformative period prompted a reevaluation of societal priorities, with a newfound recognition of the importance of essential workers and human connection over material wealth. Another positive outcome of the pandemic is a shift to the presence of micro-communities, where people live in intentional relationships with their neighbors. In times of crisis, people have the support of their immediate family plus a greater community of care. This shift in perspective emphasizes the resilience of communities in times of adversity as individuals rally together to navigate uncertainty and find hope amid challenges.

“The future will be all about how we support one another, including the ability to pull together as communities, protect each other’s mental well-being, and overcome difference.”

Charly Cox

Charly highlights the consequences of climate-related disasters, which present pressing challenges demanding collective action and resilience. The staggering financial and mental health toll of extreme weather events, coupled with widening inequalities, accentuates the urgency of community collaboration in addressing systemic issues. Charly draws attention to the escalating costs of inaction, emphasizing that investing in preventative measures decades ago could have mitigated the current crisis. The burden now falls on communities to bear the costs of fixing these problems, exacerbating existing disparities and widening gaps between socioeconomic groups. This reality highlights the imperative for communities to unite in protecting each other’s well-being, fostering empathy, and skillfully navigating difficult conversations to address systemic challenges collaboratively. Coaching plays an important role in empowering individuals and communities to navigate these challenges with resilience and foresight, shaping a future where collective action and accountability drive positive change.

A Call to Action for Coaches

When envisioning a collaborative future, the coaching industry has the opportunity to broaden its scope from a client’s individual sphere to encompass broader contexts and surrounding systems. Moving beyond an individualistic approach to coaching practice and impact, coaches can strengthen social well-being by engaging clients within their communities and systems and reimagining accountability to encompass community impact. The International Coaching Federation’s (ICF) Core Competencies primarily focus on individual goals and growth, as opposed to creating goals for the health of broader systems and communities. Coaching can shift from promoting individual goals to acknowledging the responsibility to give back to communities and hold clients accountable for the extended impact of their decisions.

By embracing a more holistic view of accountability — one that encompasses both individual and collective growth — coaches can play a vital role in fostering a collaborative future where well-being is not just a personal pursuit but a shared endeavor. Coaches can adopt systemic approaches and partner with clients to navigate the complexities of an interconnected world and shape a future where decisions reflect a commitment to the greater good.

Transformational questions:

  1. What role can coaching play in promoting social well-being?
  2. What role do social connections and group contexts play in growth?
  3. What are some examples of benchmarks that include accountability for community impact?
  4. How can coaches support clients in considering how their contexts impact growth strategies?
  5. What does a coaching approach for social accountability look like?
  6. How can coaches take a systemic approach to client growth, goals, and achievement that gives back to wider systems?

Learn more about the impact of coaching and social accountability:

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