For coaches and their clients, it’s important to understand worldview—because it impacts everything from our daily decision-making to our relationships and emotions. In this article, we’ll explore the concept of “worldview”—and why it matters in coaching.
As a coach, it’s important to be aware of your own worldview and understand how it affects your coaching practice. It’s also essential to help your clients to explore their own worldview and identify any areas where they may need adjustment or growth.
While it’s easy to say that everyone sees things their own way, it is often hard to transcend our limited view of the world and fully recognize that other people have different points-of-view.
We can find ourselves perceiving the world around us as if gazing through a telescope—where everything outside our view doesn’t exist to us.
In a way, it’s as if we are all stuck on one tiny little planet, among countless worlds.
Learning about our own perspective and how we process information is an incredible experience that can have a profound impact on all aspects of life.
The world looks different when you see it through someone else’s eyes, so learning this skill will allow us to better connect with people who are unlike ourselves—and in some cases, even to change their minds!
By first acknowledging and, ultimately, understanding the concept of worldview, coaches can help their clients see life in a new light and make positive changes in their lives.
What Does ‘Worldview’ Really Mean?
Whether you’re looking to become a coach or just want to better understand your own worldview, it’s important to first understand what this term actually means.
A worldview is basically a person’s orientation or perspective on life, including their beliefs, values, and assumptions.
In short, your worldview is the lens through which you see the world.
It shapes how you think about life, God, the universe, others, and yourself. It influences everything we do, from the smallest daily decisions and micro-interactions, to how we interact with others on a mass scale.
In this 2011 article from the journal International Psychiatry, Alison J. Gray, MA MB BChir MRCPsych MMedSci proposes: “If you think you do not have a worldview then probably your view is the default one of your society.”
In other words, everyone has a worldview, whether they realize it or not.
Your worldview is often shaped by your family, friends, culture, as well as media you consume (again—whether you’re aware of it or not).
It’s also influenced by your own personal experiences. As you grow and learn, your worldview may change.
As a coach, your worldview matters because it affects how you see your clients and their challenges. It also, naturally, plays a role in the advice and guidance you give them.
If you’re not aware of your own worldview, you’re far more likely to inadvertently project your own biases onto your clients in a negative way. This can prevent them from seeing other potential solutions to their challenges—solutions which may be easier for your client to put into place, or may work better for them overall.
In contrast, if you’re aware of your own worldview—and can effectively coach from that perspective—you can help your clients gain a new perspective on their challenges.
This can lead to breakthroughs in their thinking and help them move forward in their lives.
The combination of two open-minded worldviews between a coach and a client can be greater than the sum of their parts, so to speak.
Thus, the goal for a coach shouldn’t be to diminish or eliminate their own personal world view—which is impossible, anyway—but to expand it.
How Worldview Impacts Relationships
Your worldview also impacts your relationships with others.
If you have a closed or limited worldview, you may be quick to judge others who don’t think or believe the same things as you do. You may also find it difficult to understand or empathize with people who have different perspectives.
On the other hand, if you have a broader worldview, you’re more likely to see the value in things, even if you don’t agree with them.
You’re also more likely to be able to build successful relationships with people from all walks of life.
When it comes to relationships, it’s important to be aware of your own worldview and how it may be impacting your interactions with others.
If you find yourself judging or feeling disconnected from someone, try to understand where they’re coming from—and see if there’s a way to bridge the gap and connect.
Broadening the Scope of Our Worldview
As you explore and expand your own worldview, it’s important to be open-minded and curious. Be willing to challenge your own beliefs and consider other points of view. It’s also helpful to talk to people who have a very different worldview than your own. This can help you both to gain a better understanding of their perspective and to learn more about your own.
From the Four Streams perspective, acknowledging the importance of Worldview is the biggest game-changer for our coaches and clients. It’s one of the main things that set us apart in the coaching world as we strive to first recognize our Worldview, then work to broaden our lens.
Worldview expansion is an incredible journey that can have a lifelong impact.
Learning about ourselves and how we process information will help improve our relationships and bring personal growth opportunities. as well as help us to maintain the learner’s mindset throughout it all.
