I won’t invite curiosity about that definition until I first offer curiosity about what you understand.

It’s like setting up lunch with a new friend. You ask, “Want to grab lunch?” Then you learn what each of you likes (and doesn’t), which part of town works best, and how adventurous you each are about food. 

You might swap questions like, “Have you heard of Missus Jo’s BBQ?” (I’m in South Carolina—everything is BBQ.) Sometimes the details are easy, other times they take longer. But you keep the conversation going until you land on a time and place.

The same is true when you ask someone, “What do you understand…?” Don’t stop at their first reply. Listen with curiosity. Often, there’s more waiting just beyond the surface.

That’s the heart of coaching—stepping into the sandbox together, co-discovering, co-creating, and co-building. Coaching is less about having the “right” answer and more about fostering a relationship that holds both understanding and curiosity—always growing, always learning.