The B-E-A-T System: A Case Study In Transformation

The following is a transcript of a client session where we use the B-E-A-T Coaching system for change. This is taken from our book "The BEAT Coaching System" by Sarah Carson and Shawn Carson.

Coach: what would you like to work through today?

Client: I have to give a presentation next week and I would like to feel a lot more confident about it.

Coach: great, where is the presentation?

Client: it’s in the office, I'll be giving it in the boardroom.

Coach: great, and what you want to achieve in the presentation?

Client: I want to convince them to go ahead with my project.

Coach: and when you get to the end of the presentation, how will you know if you have achieved that? What will you see that will let you know that they are in favor of your project? I know that at some stage they will tell you, but what will you see right there and then that will let you know your presentation has been a success?

Client: I guess I would see them smiling and nodding.

Coach: Okay great. Today we are going to do a system called the BEAT System. This system is going to provide you with a great sense of confidence, and much much more than that. Are you ready to try it?

Client: Sure!

Coach: Okay so stand there. Take a look at the floor in front of you and pick out four spots, these will be the stepping stones to your success. Make them so that you can easily step from one to the other, perhaps around there, there, there, and there [pointing to the ground], but you can pick whichever spots feel good now to you.

Client: okay that sounds good.

Coach: now I would like you to take your right hand, can you spell BEAT? B-E-A-T? That's right now squeeze your thumb against each of your fingers in turn as you spell BEAT, B-E-A-T. As you step forward you will be using each of those anchors, B for that first steppingstone, E for that second steppingstone, A for that third steppingstone, and T for that final steppingstone.

Client: okay got it.

Coach: Great so as you take a look at that first stepping stone, I would like to imagine that you could see yourself standing there. As you see yourself standing that you see your ideal self, the you who will be able to give a great presentation, feeling totally confident, so that at the end they will be smiling and nodding. Do you see that?

Client begins to straighten their posture, and his breath deepens.

Client: yes I can see that!

Coach: great, what exactly do you see?

Client: I see myself there, I'm sort of… I'm leaning forward a little. I have a look of intensity…

Coach: that's right! You'll lean forward a little and you have a look of intensity, now when you're ready step forward into that ‘you’, really feel what it feels like to have that sense of intensity, to know that you can do it, to be your best!

[Client steps forward and his posture improves even more. A smile comes to his face].

Coach: how does that feel?

Client: that feels great!

Coach: great! And as you’re feeling that now, squeeze your thumb and forefinger together. That's B for body and breathing. Feel how great that feels. Now as your feeling great, I'd like you to step forward onto the second steppingstone. 

[Client steps forward.]

Coach: Now I’d like you to check inside and notice how good you're feeling.

Client: I feel great. I really feel confident.

Coach: where do you feel that?

Client: in my chest.

Coach: Great! Now I would like you to squeeze your thumb and middle finger together, that's E for emotions… Do you remember learning the stop the world state?

Client: yes, that’s the peripheral vision right?

Coach: right…okay when you step forward onto the third steppingstone, you're going to go into the stop the world state. Got it?

Client: yes I got it

[Client steps forward onto the third steppingstone. The focus of the client's eyes changes.]

Coach: that's right! Now squeeze your thumb and ring finger together. That's A for awareness. And now as you step forward onto the fourth and final steppingstone I want you to make a picture in your mind of your audience in the presentation smiling and nodding as you talk about your project. Step forward now.

[Client steps forward onto the fourth steppingstone.]

Coach: what's happening now?

Client: wow. I feel great.

Coach: okay let's do that again. Come back to the start, see your ideal self on the first stepping stone. Step into that and feel how good it feels to stand in that way, to breathe in that way. As you do squeeze your thumb and forefinger together. B. Now step forward onto the second steppingstone. How does that feel?

Client: that feels awesome!

Coach: that's right it does feel awesome! And now squeeze your thumb and middle finger together. That's E for emotions. Now step forward onto the third steppingstone, Stop the world! Squeeze that thumb and ring finger together. A. And now step forward on the fourth steppingstone, and see the audience smiling and nodding as you talk about your proposal.

[The system is repeated several more times.]

Coach: now I would like you to imagine being in the boardroom next week. It's time for you to step up and give your presentation. As you step forward you feel yourself stepping over those steppingstones. As you do you begin to fire off those anchors B-E-A-T. Try it now.

Client closes his eyes and runs through the instructions. He fires the anchors with his right hand.

Coach: how's that?

Client: that felt great!

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