A Leadership Guru Talks About the Value of Peer Group Coaching

“A Japanese Zen master during the Meiji era received a visitor who came to inquire about Zen. The Zen master served his guest tea. He poured his visitor’s cup full, but then kept on pouring. His visitor watched the overflow with alarm until he could no longer control himself. “The cup is overfull. No more can go in it!” he cried out. “Like this cup,” the Zen master replied, “you are full of your own opinions, beliefs, and assumptions. How can I teach you anything unless you first empty your cup?”

As this anecdote illustrates, Zen Buddhism has as its fundamental purpose the awakening of the mind and the individual attainment of spiritual enlightenment. A Zen teacher is concerned with self-help and helping others with wisdom and compassion. Given this mindset, Zen teachers can be seen as forerunners of leadership coaches. Like Zen teachers, such coaches provide learning opportunities by giving constructive and balanced feedback. They serve as sparring partners. They help their clients reflect on their own actions. As a way of clarifying and enhancing consciousness, coaching has become the Zen for executives.”

From “Leadership group coaching in action: The Zen of creating high performance teams.” By Manfred F. R. Kets de Vries