Coaching

Point and Call

Japanese train operators and other railway workers speak aloud and demonstrate their actions during work.

This method is called Shisa Kanko or Pointing and Calling.

From a neurophysiological perspective, pointing to an object and naming it is much more effective than simply looking at it and thinking about the action you're about to take. On the surface, this might seem strange or unnecessary and could resemble a robot’s mechanics.

However, given how many actions we perform automatically and how often we go through events on autopilot — sometimes without fully realizing what is happening — it makes sense to incorporate this Japanese approach into our practice.

When I shared this with my mom, who worked as a security operator for 20 years, a position where attention is critically important, she confirmed that, intuitively, she had also adopted this habit of verbalizing her actions out loud. Especially during night shifts, when fatigue is higher.

The regular coaching sessions I had last year helped me realize WHERE I am, HOW I feel, and WHERE I want to go next. It’s very similar to the Japanese practice of railway workers.

This journey led me to a wonderful company, radically new approaches to work, and an abundance of multicultural communication.

Professional coaching isn’t just about magical questions, models, and algorithms.

It’s about increasing awareness through recognizing oneself in the patterns of one’s life.

January 11, 2022.