Show coaching; I want you to show me the way!

I want you to show me the way! Remember these lyrics from Peter Frampton. I wonder if he ever heard of show coaching? Let me explain:

Everyday I take all my gifts, limitations, time and talent to work. As a Permanent Deacon I do indeed have a "day" job. So I take my ministry with me too because being a Deacon is not a job and is most definetly not something to turn on and turn off. Yet off to work I must go to make a living, to provide for my family and to do the job required of my employment.

Among the many tools we employ at work to achieve our goals is something called show coaching. Basically we are talking about coaching an associate, colleague or co-worker and showing them what you mean. It's sort of like walking the walk and not just talking the talk. Done well, show coaching inspires the one being coached, in part, because the coach is willing to put themselves in the other's shoes. The coach is humbling themselves to make the experience real.

Maybe we should promote show coaching in our faith life. Recently I have had the opportunity to be involved with CCD children from the very young to those recently confirmed. I've given tours of the church to the students, answered their questions, prepared talks and engaged parents in all these processes. It seems to me; we need show coaching.

As parents, catechists, teachers, clergy, adults we need to show our youth what our faith truly means to us; how our faith truly sustains us. On the one hand we should instruct our young on the basic tenets of the faith, our prayers, Scripture, the Catechism. And on the other hand, we should show them. We can't send our kids to CCD and then not practice what they learn. We cant' explain being Catholic to our kids and not take them to Mass. We can't expect them to pray if we don't pray with them. How can they understand reconciliation if they don't see mom & dad going to reconciliation? We can't expect our children to know Scripture and learn to love the Word of God if we don't know Scripture and love the Word of God.

You get my drift by now. And the best way we can show coach our youth is by the life we live; everyday, all the time. In those exciting moments of life's great surprises and joys to the everyday mundane to even those times when life hurts, or feels empty or sad; they must see us as faith filled people.

Do our youth, by our actions, know that we love God; that He is first in our lives? Do they know that Jesus is our Lord & Savior by our words and deeds? Do we truly show them the way?

With properly implemented show coaching, as a team, we accomplish so much more at work for both our associates and our clients. We build profitable, long-lasting and deep relationships. How much more will show coaching in our lives about faith, God, the Church, lead to profitable, long-lasting and deep relationships that produce both a life well lived and the hope and promise of eternal life!

I want you to show me the way!