Coaching And Woke And Going Woke For Broke?
It might be easy, convenient, and comfortable for a person like me to dive into woke.
I mean I have the background, experience, and many of the beliefs and values that could easily be aligned to the movement.
Here's the kicker though, for me woke is a superficial level of desired change that conveniently ignores deeper or wider issues and the mechanics of how lasting change - transformational change - actually works.
Woke, for me, is a shallow virtual signalling attempt to help people feel better about themselves by - appearing to stand up for issues - that they do not properly or deeply understand enough to stand up for.
For me woke lacks substance. It lacks credibility. It seeks headlines without having real skin in the game.
Woke for most, is an easy tick of a box, a social media comment, the wearing of a garment, a flag, the bending of a knee, a slogan for a company, a safe way to navigate change, a pathetic no credibility, no substance way to control people.
Woke can also be a vehicle to express and externalise inner issues and frustrations upon others.
That is, where is that passion and anger really coming from?
A love for what you are doing?
Or a disdain or discomfort for what you are doing?
In other words, is there a level of angst or consciousness that calls 'woke' into action that may not be aligned to the issue at hand?
Society has always found ways to express frustration and distract people.
The Romans did it pretty well, and any observation of most Australian AFL footy games will clearly demonstrate how many 'fans' vent their frustrations at the umpires or the opposition team or supporters.
It's them and us at work basically.
LIFE COACHING VS WOKE
As I see it, as I practice it, coaching is about building relationships - not tearing them apart.
Coaching is about deep transformational change - woke is superficial shallow surface based approaches that seek a headline.
Coaching understands that real change emerges and builds with awareness of yourself.
Woke points the finger 'away from' yourself and at others.
Coaching assumes responsibility, accountability and integrity.
Woke seeks outcome focused change that is contrived, forced and often short lived.
I could go on...
CHANGE
It's not so much that the woke call for action or change does not have merit.
It's HOW woke goes about effecting that change.
Bending a knee may signal support, or soladarity, or acceptance for example, but in effect, it is nothing much more than a biomechanical action done in a moment to conform to a forced or coerced ideal.
It fails to acknowledge the time, the values, the beliefs, the contradictions, the complexities, and the all of the things unseen and unknown, that contribute to the situation at hand.
Flying a flag might get a headline, but remember, a flag just blows in the wind.
Signing a petition - or writing on Facebook - may have some value on some level, but where is the intent, the consciousness, the understanding, the commitment behind that action?
And how many 'anons', 'bots', and 'frustrated keyboard warriors' locked away in basements, pushed an issue that they really had not a lot of commitment to anyway?
We need to be mindful of our - level of presence - in anything we choose to do if we seek real transformational change in life.
Anything else?
Mostly 'noise'... without too much substance or understanding of 'how' to effect real change.