🌿 Weekend Edition | From the Desk of Dr. J An Invitation Into My Learning World: Coaching, Curiosity, and the Power of a Well-Stocked Go-To Bag

An Invitation Into My Learning World:

Coaching, Curiosity, and the Power of a Well-Stocked Go-To Bag

S. L. Jordan, Sr., Ph.D., Ed.D., PCCExecutive Leadership Strategist | ICF-Professional Certified Coach (PCC)Former CEO, University Dean & Academic LeaderOrganizational Transformation Expert | Maxwell Leadership Certified Trainer & Coach

This weekend, I want to invite you into a quieter, more personal corner of my world—not as Dr. J the coach, consultant, or leader—but as Dr. J the learner.

As many of you know, I am currently working toward my Master Certified Coach (MCC) credential through the International Coaching Federation (ICF). At this level, refinement matters. Precision matters. Presence matters.

And perhaps most humbling of all:

Less matters more.

Learning to Say Less—and Mean More

Coming from a strong academic orientation, I’ll say this honestly:I have a natural tendency to use more words than necessary.

At the MCC level, however, the standard is not how much you say—it’s the quality of what you say, and whether what you offer truly creates space for the client’s thinking, awareness, and transformation.

This has required me to slow down.To listen differently.To trust silence.To value brevity with depth.

That realization alone has been transformative.

Returning to the Masters

As part of my current training, I’ve been revisiting Marcia Reynolds’ Coach the Person, Not the Problem—a foundational work on reflective inquiry. Her wisdom continues to sharpen my understanding of how powerful questions—when asked with restraint, curiosity, and humility—can unlock awareness without directing or fixing.

I find myself naturally integrating her approach with both my CARE Method™ and my evolving NeuroCARE™ framework, which forms the foundation of my forthcoming book:

NeuroCARE™: Transformational Coaching for Every Generation(Releasing soon)

What continues to surprise me is this:The more authentic I am about my own learning edges, the more growth becomes possible.

Humility as the Doorway to Growth

I’ve learned that humility is not a Pandora’s box unleashing chaos.Rather, it is a paradoxical doorway—one that opens into clarity, creativity, and development.

This insight deepened further as I revisited Nancy Kline’s Time to Think, a timeless reminder that listening itself ignites the human mind. Her work continues to shape how I create space—space where thinking can flourish without interruption, judgment, or urgency.

The Mind, Metaphor, and Meaning

My fascination with the mind—and how questions illuminate different neural pathways—has also been shaped by Gary R. Collins’ Your Magnificent Mind. His integration of psychology, meaning, and intentional thinking continues to influence how I frame awareness-based coaching conversations.

Another profound influence has been Lisa DeHart’s Light Up the Science of Coaching with Metaphors. I’ll say this plainly: I am not a natural metaphor expert.

Yet as I’ve studied her work—during my ACC and PCC preparation, and now again at the MCC level—something has truly lit up. Her approach has expanded my capacity to work within my clients’ metaphors rather than around them, deepening safety, insight, and embodied understanding.

Classics That Still Shape My Practice

Some books never leave your shelf—or your go-to bag. For me, those include:

• Gary Patterson, MCC – The Primer Coach | The Competent Coach
• Marion Franklin – Laser-Focused Coaching | What Would a Wise Person Do?
• Stephen R. Covey – The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People | Living the 7 Habits
• John C. Maxwell – Failing Forward | Thinking for a Change | The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork
• Peter Hawkins – Leadership Team Coaching
• Gary R. Collins – Christian Counseling: A Comprehensive Guide

These are not just books I’ve read—they are books I use.

What’s in Your Go-To Bag?

Having spent over 30 years in the military, I know the value of a go-to bag.But here’s the truth:

If you don’t know how to use what’s in it,you might as well not have it at all.

So here’s the reflective inquiry I’ll leave you with:

• What’s in your coaching and leadership go-to bag?
• Which tools help you stay laser-focused under pressure?
• What resources support you when questions outnumber answers?
• How comfortable are you in the discomfort zone of not knowing?

As Marcia Reynolds reminds us:That’s often where the deepest insight lives.

A Final Thought

Books are not expenses.They are investments.And the return is priceless.

Thank you for stepping into this learning space with me. May it serve as a gift—and perhaps a quiet invitation—to reflect on your own journey of mastery.

What’s one book that has permanently shaped how you lead or coach—and why?

Join the Conversation🔹 Dr J’s Leadership Insight: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14268658🔹 Transformative Coaching and Leadership: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14504134

📧 Email: [email protected]🌐 Website: https://www.drjconsultingllc.com✨ Transformational Coaching & Executive Coaching Contact: https://cardiast.app/MHH96222

I hope you have a super fantastic day, Dr. J.