Ontological coaching is a discipline of coaching that accompanies you to find the answer to the meaning of your life. More and more professionals, and people in general, are looking for consistency in what they do and questioning that which does not nurture their purpose.
The “Great Resignation of 2020 and 2021” in the United States and Europe meant that millions of people decided to leave their jobs in search of a change, greater job satisfaction and a better quality of life that would give meaning to their lives. Since then, Ontological coaching has become a key method for the resolution of such existential dilemmas.
What is Ontological Coaching?
Ontological coaching allows you to look at reality from a different angle which opens a field of unlimited possibilities. It allows to unblock limiting beliefs and fears.
In ontological coaching, we give meaning to the words of the Polish-American scientist and philosopher, Alfred Korzybski, ” the map is not the territory” . What does it mean? The interpretation of reality does not mean that it is reality, and the ontological coach accompanies you to discover new realities that allow you to move forward.
Far from spirituality, therapy or consulting. We speak, in Robert Dilts’ model at its logical levels, everything that refers to the self.
Ontological coaching helps you to find your life’s purpose, what place you want the personal aspect to occupy. Many clients are looking for the keys to identify what is emotionally toxic and then find a way to get away from it.
It is a very useful tool for those professionals in the process of designing their second career or in transition.
The method consists of accompanying the client tobroaden his vision of reality through an open questioning of the self. As a consequence, a habit of observation of reality is exercised, which opens possibilities of transforming entity and boosts human creativity.
How can ontological coaching help me?
Ontological coaching helps you to identify new realities, without judging you. It is also an empowerment tool, as it helps you to differentiate the BEING (who you are) from the DOING (what you do), which increases self-confidence levels.
The fact of opening the interpretation of reality makes it easier to connect, either with ourselves or with others, which is always enriching.
The mastery of the self opens the way to the awareness of your mechanisms and reactions to others, which frees capacities, until then dormant.
It allows, finally, to get out of the traditional answers, to release qualities such as creativity, proactivity, or eloquence.
In the professional environment it is very common to trigger improvements in leadership and teamwork by understanding the impact of emotional intelligence on others.
How can I find a good ontological coach?
The ontological coach will accompany you to discover your decision-making mechanisms, what you filter in your observation of reality and what values you weigh when you prioritize or reject something.
When it comes to finding a good professional, be wary of those who talk about “advising”, “training”. It is not a conversation full of advice from people with a lot of experience (mentoring) or a therapeutic session.
The ontological coach pursues your transformation from BEING, not DOING, and encourages you to find the best version of yourself that responds to your ultimate existential purpose.
Also, remember that simple training is not enough to accompany as a coach. At least 125 hours of coaching are required to ensure a quality process. At Sibega, our professionals have more than 500 hours of ontological coaching or other modalities and all of them are accredited at the PCC level (Professional Certified Coach) in ICF.
What is NOT ontological coaching?
Anything that takes you away from discovering your life purpose, who you are and how you transcend what you are today, is not ontological coaching.
Nor is it a question of advising, a technique that is left to mentoring and which requires no more than a deep expertise in a specific sector or function.
Coaching processes that stimulate changes in behavior, habits or awareness of fundamental values are cooaching, but do not reach the level required in ontological coaching.
Ontological coaching deals with aspects related to the transcendence of being, mission and ultimate contribution to one’s own or a common goal.
What is Ontology?
Ontology is a branch of philosophy that deals with the study of being, existence and reality. It focuses on fundamental questions about the nature of reality and the basic categories of what exists. Ontology seeks to answer questions such as: What things exist? What are the essential characteristics of these things? How do they relate to each other?
Stoicism laid the foundations of ontological thought by focusing on the observation of the here and now and centering the definition of reality on the present moment. The texts of Marcus Aurelius are highly recommended to deepen in this sense. Therapeutic currents such as Gestalt designed by Fritz Pearls are a good reflection of this.
In more general terms, an ontology can be understood as an ontological formal representation of a specific domain of knowledge. The latest practical applications of his doctrine can be observed in the field of artificial intelligence for the sake of the knowledge organization from pillars common to all cultures and civilizations.
Ontological Coaching according to Rafael Echeverría
Dr. Rafael Echeverría, a Chilean born in 1941, has developed his career in Latin America and the United States. He pioneered the development of high performance team building and development programs at the beginning of the 21st century.
He is a Sociologist from the Catholic University of Chile and holds a PhD in Philosophy from the University of London.
Dr. Echeverría is the author of multiple publications including “El Búho de Minerva: Introducción a la Filosofía Moderna”, his most widely published book “Ontología del Lenguaje” and his work “La Empresa Emergente, la Confianza y los Desafíos de la Transformación”.
In “Ontology of Language” he focuses on the relationship between language and reality, and argues thatlanguage not only describes reality, but also constructs and shapes it.
According to Echeverría, our experience and understanding of the world are determined by the language we use. Language is not only a means to communicate, but also an interpretative framework that influences how we perceive, interpret and act in the world. Reality is not something given and objective, but is shaped and constructed through language. In the same way, language has a generative power, that is, it allows us to create new realities and possibilities through our conversations and speeches, and together with emotions and moods, it influences the way we interpret the world.
