What if the key to transformation isn’t changing our thoughts—but changing how we think?

In this episode of PRIME SPACE, Elias Scultori, MCC [https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliasscultori/], is joined by Aaron Listhaus, ACC [https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronlisthaus/], for a thoughtful conversation exploring the distinction between individual thoughts and the patterns of thinking that shape them.

Together, they explore how clients often become trapped not by what they think, but by how they habitually think—patterns that quietly shape behavior, decision-making, and ultimately, life outcomes. Drawing from real client examples and the concept of “immunity to change,” Aaron reveals how coaches can help clients identify and shift the underlying cognitive habits that keep them stuck.

This episode moves beyond surface-level mindset work and into the deeper architecture of awareness—where lasting change actually occurs.

For professional coaches, this conversation sharpens the distinction between content and process—between what clients say and how they generate what they say. It reinforces a core truth of coaching: transformation is less about solving problems and more about evolving the system that produces them.

Chapters

02:56 – Why Thinking Patterns Matter More Than Thoughts
07:06 – Immunity to Change: Why We Stay Stuck
11:59 – Coaching the Pattern, Not the Content
14:27 – Shifting Perspective: Expanding the Client’s Lens
16:20 – The Marble Staircase: How Change Really Happens

Memorable Quotes

“It’s not the thought—it’s the thinking behind the thought.”
“Awareness gives you choice—and choice changes everything.”
“We don’t coach the problem; we coach the pattern that sustains it.”
“Lasting change isn’t a breakthrough moment—it’s a worn path, created over time.”

It's the Thinking, Not the Thought

There are some changes coming to the ICF Certification process.
What does that mean to you?
What does it say about coach training and development?

Beginning January 1, 2027, the International Coaching Federation (ICF) will eliminate performance recordings for ACC and PCC portfolio applications. In their place? A more robust, relationship-based, and developmental approach centered on mentor coaching.

In this episode of PRIME SPACE, Elias Scultori, MCC [https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliasscultori/], unpacks what this change really means—not just procedurally, but philosophically. This is more than a policy update. It’s a redefinition of how coaching mastery is cultivated, assessed, and embodied.

You’ll explore the shift from one-time performance evaluation to ongoing formative development, the introduction of the Mentor Coaching Qualification (MCQ), and why this evolution elevates—not dilutes—the integrity of ICF credentials.

More importantly, this conversation challenges a deeper question:
Are you pursuing certification… or development?

This episode invites you to reconsider your relationship with growth, standards, and what it truly means to become a great coach.

Chapters

00:00 — A Major Shift in Coaching Certification
01:39 — From Performance to Formative Development
04:39 — The Rise of Mentor Coaching (Done Right)
06:00 — Introducing the MCQ: Accountability for Mentors
10:32 — Beyond Technique: A Holistic View of Coach Development
13:06 — The Real Question: Why Certification at All?**

Quotes

“The spotlight is no longer on a moment—but on a lived developmental process.”
“Mentor coaching is not a requirement to complete. It is a process to inhabit.”
“You cannot separate skill development from the human being who is developing.”

Beyond the Recording - ICF Updates

Empathy is often named as a core coaching skill.
And yet… its depth continues to unfold the more we practice.

In this episode of PRIME SPACE, Elias Scultori, MCC [https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliasscultori/], moves beyond definitions and into the nuanced terrain where coaching excellence lives. While empathy is often cited as a foundational competency (ICF Core Competency 4.4), its definition remains vague, even among experienced coaches.

Drawing on the well-known distinction popularized by Dr. Brené Brown, this episode expands the conversation to include sympathy, emotional resonance, and compassion, revealing how each subtly but significantly impacts trust, partnership, and client agency.

Through precise language analysis and real coaching examples, Elias challenges coaches to examine not just what they say, but the internal stance from which their words emerge.

Recommended Video
• Brene Brown on Empathy vs Sympathy [https://youtu.be/KZBTYViDPlQ?si=Qrq2ZunUPJyLEVVB]

Chapters

00:00 — The Question Beneath the Competency
03:06 — Empathy in Practice: Beyond Words
06:19 — Sympathy: The Subtle Break in Partnership
08:17 — Emotional Resonance: Instrument or Interference?
11:04 — Compassion: The Hidden Urge to Fix
14:25 — Applied Distinctions: Real Client Moments

Memorable Quotes

“The moment you create distance, you weaken partnership.”
“Emotional resonance becomes powerful only when it stops being about you.”
“Compassion, unmanaged, is the gateway to fixing—and fixing breaks coaching.”
“It’s not the words you use—it’s the position you take.”

What Is Empathy... Really?

In this episode of PRIME SPACE, Elias Scultori, MCC [https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliasscultori/?skipRedirect=true], is joined by executive coach, supervisor, and abstract artist Cecilia McKay, PCC [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cecilia-mckay-ma-pcc-aatc-cec-49085445/], for a conversation that extends beyond language into the realms of perception, intuition, and creation.

Together, they explore coaching as an art form—where presence replaces performance, and where the unexpected becomes an invitation rather than a disruption. Cecilia shares how her artistic practice informs her coaching: letting go of rigid plans, listening beyond the intellect, and responding to what is emerging in the moment.

This dialogue challenges coaches to reconsider their reliance on words and to expand their practice through other forms of expression—objects, movement, environment, and imagination. What happens when we stop trying to “get it right” and instead allow the coaching conversation to unfold like a canvas?

A reflective and provocative exploration of humanity, creativity, and the courage to meet the unknown—together.

Chapters

02:30 – Where Art Meets Coaching
06:00 – Letting Go of the “Perfect Coach”
11:40 – Beyond Words: Expanding the Coaching Space
16:30 – Reclaiming Humanity in Coaching

Memorable Quotes

“It’s a space where expression meets inquiry—and creativity becomes a pathway of self-discovery.”
“If you stay only in the intellect, what doors are you closing?”
“Everything is information—if you’re willing to notice it.”
“When we try to be the perfect coach, we miss the whole story.”
“It’s not about creating your picture or their picture—it’s what emerges between you.”

Where Coaching Becomes Art

What else is there about cultivating trust and safety?

In this episode of PRIME SPACE, Elias Scultori, MCC [https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliasscultori/], explores the role of partnership in the International Coaching Federation [https://coachingfederation.org/] competency "Cultivates Trust and Safety."

The conversation turns toward a question that often remains implicit in coaching practice:
Who holds responsibility for trust and safety in the coaching relationship?

Rather than approaching safety as something the coach creates, this episode introduces the concept of Brave Space, originally developed by Dr. Brian Arao, ACC, and Kristi Clemens. From this perspective, trust, safety, and growth are not managed by the coach alone but emerge through shared responsibility.

The episode reflects on how discomfort, accountability, vulnerability, and action show up within that shared space—and how a coach’s presence may either invite or limit the client’s willingness to engage with them.

This is not a redefinition of trust and safety, but rather a closer look at how it is practiced.

Chapters

01:27 – The Overlooked Competency: Trust & Safety Revisited
03:49 – Why We Can’t Make Clients Feel Safe
05:16 – From Safe Space to Brave Space
07:03 – Key Traits: Discomfort, Ownership, Vulnerability
10:50 – Brave Space as a Catalyst for Action & Transformation
11:56 – A Poetic Invitation to Brave Space

Memorable Quotes

 * “We cannot make anyone feel safe—safety is the other person’s choice.”
 * “Brave space welcomes discomfort because growth doesn’t happen in comfort.”
 * “Are we creating value… or taking away the client’s ownership?”
 * “Our vulnerability is an invitation for the client to be fully human.”
 * “Transformation begins the moment we stop protecting comfort and start inviting courage.”

Links to Episode 59: "The Overlooked Competency"
YouTube [https://youtu.be/8gqnLC0F2po?si=WNq_fO7_522LqGWm] | Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/episode/4MIqTmIEEe1LUCoHoOd7M8?si=dsCISEfBTSuAdhiY8ETKzA] | Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prime-space/id1745563681?i=1000730394022]

Brave Space

The most important shift isn't easy...

In this episode of PRIME SPACE: Advanced Conversations in Coaching, Elias Scultori, MCC [https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliasscultori/], explores what may be the hardest—and most essential—skill in coaching: the capacity to set aside our own perspective and truly step into our client’s world.

Drawing on a powerful personal experience visiting the ancient Mayan city of Uxmal in Mexico, Elias invites coaches to reflect on humility, curiosity, and the courage required to let go of attachment to our own beliefs, insights, and “brilliance.” Because coaching doesn’t happen when we bring more of ourselves into the space. It happens when we create space for the client to fully exist within it.

This episode challenges even the most experienced coaches to confront a subtle but critical question: Are you truly serving the client—or unconsciously centering yourself?

Memorable Quotes

 * “We live inside our minds—and mistake it for reality.”
 * “Coaching is a humbling and courageous experience.”
 * “Curiosity is the fuel of coaching.”
 * “You are not the center of the session—you are a guest in someone else’s world.”

Chapters

01:28 – A Lesson from the Mayan World
03:28 – The Illusion of Our Own Perspective
06:03 – When the Coach Takes Over
08:32 – Cultivating Humility and Curiosity
11:02 – Letting the Client Take Center Stage

Why This Episode Matters

In a world increasingly driven by opinion, identity, and certainty, coaching calls for something radically different: the discipline to listen beyond ourselves. This episode is a deep invitation to refine your presence, expand your awareness, and elevate your impact as a coach.

Subscribe for more advanced conversations in coaching that challenge assumptions, deepen your craft, and expand what’s possible in the coaching space.

#Coaching #LifeCoaching #ExecutiveCoaching #CoachingSkills #ICFCoaching #LeadershipDevelopment #CoachingMindset #Curiosity #SelfAwareness #PRIMESPACE

The Hardest Skill

Is ICF Coaching real coaching?

In this episode of PRIME SPACE: Advanced Conversations in Coaching, Elias Scultori, MCC, [https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliasscultori/]explores a common tension in professional coaching today: the "rules" of coaching and the reality of our practices.

Many coaches feel overwhelmed by the structure of professional coaching—session agreements, open questions, avoiding advice, demonstrating competencies, preparing for certification. At times, it can feel like coaching requires carrying a mental checklist that conflicts with supporting the client.

But what if that understanding misses the deeper purpose?

Elias challenges the following rules myth and invites coaches to see competencies for what they truly are: best practices designed to serve the client, not constrain the coach. Using a powerful analogy from surgery, he explores how mastery enables coaches to move beyond rigid technique to thoughtful, moment-by-moment decision-making.

This episode is an invitation to move from legalism to discernment, from performing coaching to embodying it, and from rules to freedom in the coaching conversation.

If you’ve ever wondered whether ICF coaching is “real coaching,” this conversation goes straight to the heart of the question.

Memorable Quotes

 * “You cannot coach in a straitjacket.”
 * “The goal of the competencies is not rules for rules’ sake. The goal is the client.”
 * “Mastery is not using every tool. Mastery is knowing when to use the right one.”
 * “ICF coaching is real coaching—if we dare to understand it fully.”

Chapters

00:00 — The Weight of Coaching Rules
Why many coaches feel overwhelmed by competencies, certification requirements, and the pressure to “do coaching right.”

04:10 — There Are No Rules
Why the ICF Core Competencies are not rules, but best practices developed through research and collective professional experience.

07:49 — Finding Freedom
Why some coaches struggle with the rules and ways to find freedom in their practices.

12:01 — The Surgeon Analogy
How true excellence comes from understanding every tool deeply—and then making the best decision for the client in the moment.

#Coaching #ICFCoaching #CoachTraining #ProfessionalCoaching #CoachingMindset #CoachDevelopment #LeadershipCoaching

Competencies, Not Rules

In this thought-provoking solo episode of PRIME SPACE, host Elias Scultori, MCC [https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliasscultori/], explores how the human brain processes information, and why our natural tendency to label and categorize the world can quietly interfere with powerful coaching.

Scientists estimate that the brain processes around 11 million bits of information per second, yet we can consciously hold only 40–50 bits at a time. To cope with this overload, the brain relies on shortcuts: labels, assumptions, and categories.

But what happens when those shortcuts shape how we listen to our clients?

Through a playful reference to the Netflix show Is It Cake?, Elias invites coaches to question the certainty of what seems obvious. Just like a hyper-realistic cake disguised as an everyday object, the stories and labels we attach to situations—and people—can easily fool us.

This episode explores a central tension in coaching: the balance between knowledge and curiosity. While training, frameworks, and experience are essential, the real power of coaching lies in the willingness to question what appears clear and remain open to what has not yet been seen.

What assumptions are shaping how we hear our clients?
What labels are quietly narrowing our perception?
And how can coaches cultivate the humility and courage required to move beyond them?

For professional coaches who want to deepen their presence, expand their listening, and challenge their own certainty, this episode is an invitation to look again.

Because sometimes the question isn’t what is happening.
It’s what are we missing?

Memorable Quotes

“Labels help us navigate the world—but they can also quietly limit what we are able to see.”
"Knowledge is cheap these days. If I am too attached to my own knowing, I cannot fully support my client’s exploration.”
“Sometimes the most powerful coaching question is simply: What else might be here?”

Chapters

00:13 — 11 Million Bits vs. 40 Bits
How the brain filters overwhelming information and why we rely on labels.

02:42 — “Is It Cake?” and the Illusion of Certainty
A playful example of how easily perception can be fooled.

04:17 — What This Means for Coaching
How assumptions and labels influence the coaching relationship.

05:47 — The Power of Labels
How identity markers and categories instantly shape perception.

09:40 — The True Mindset of Coaching
Why humility, openness, and courage matter more than technique.

⭐ Subscribe to PRIME SPACE for more advanced conversations on the craft and mindset of professional coaching.

Is It Cake?

What if listening in coaching isn’t just a skill… but a system?

In this episode of PRIME SPACE, host Elias Scultori, MCC [https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliasscultori/], explores the multidimensional nature of listening in professional coaching. While most coach training programs introduce listening as the first skill, Elias shares why at PRIME Coaching Academy [http://www.primecoachingacademy.com/] it comes later—after covering coaching mindset, distinctions, and even framework.

Why? Because skills without foundation stay mechanical. True listening emerges from identity, awareness, and discernment.

This episode challenges coaches to move beyond capturing details. It introduces the idea that a coaching conversation is a *system*—one that includes the client, their story, what’s beneath the story… and the coach.

You’ll explore:

 * The difference between hearing details and listening for identity
 * Why self-awareness is the gateway to masterful listening
 * How your own values, fears, and biases inevitably enter the coaching space
 * The evolution from ACC-level listening to PCC/MCC-level systemic listening

If you're a coach committed to mastery—or simply someone who wants to listen more deeply in your relationships—this episode will shift how you think about presence and partnership.

Chapters

00:14 – The need for foundational learning before listening
04:33 – Capturing details vs. understanding context
06:01 – Listening to what the client says vs. who the client is
08:45 – Coaching as a living system
10:14 – When your story interferes with listening
11:41 – Self-awareness as advanced listening (PCC/MCC level)

Memorable Quotes

“In coaching, we don’t only listen to what the client is saying — we listen to who the client is.”
“Details are data. Identity is the bottom line.”
“I enter the room, and everything that I am comes with me.”
“The question is not how to eliminate who you are — but how aware you are of who you are.”

This Episode Is For You If:

 * You’re working toward ACC, PCC, or MCC credentials
 * You want to deepen your coaching presence
 * You’re curious about systemic and reflective practice
 * You value evidence-based coaching *and* inner development

If this conversation resonates with you:

 * Follow the show on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
 * Leave a 5-star review
 * Share this episode with a colleague
 * Subscribe on YouTube for more conversations on coaching mastery

Listening System

What does *partnership* really mean in coaching?

In this episode of PRIME SPACE, Elias Scultori, MCC [https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliasscultori/] explores one of the most foundational ideas in coaching – the assumption of equal partnership between coach and client.

Using the official ICF definition of coaching as a starting point, this episode challenges a core belief in our profession:

Is coaching truly a meeting of equals?

Elias unpacks:

 * Why “partnering” is everywhere in coaching—and why that matters
 * The hidden power dynamics created by labels like coach and client
 * How hierarchy can subtly enter the room despite our best intentions
 * What becomes possible when we strip away roles and meet as human beings
 * How language shapes mindset, presence, and ethical practice

This episode is especially relevant for ICF ACC, PCC, and MCC coaches, mentor coaches, and anyone committed to embodying the coaching mindset with depth, humility, and integrity.

Chapters
00:12 – Partnering is everywhere
04:00 – Is equal partnership realistic?
05:24 – Labels, roles, and power dynamics
06:38 – Challenging the partnership assumption
08:12 – Beyond masks: two human beings in conversation
09:52 – Redefining partnership in practice

Subscribe for weekly reflections on coaching mindset, presence, and mastery

Partnership Illusion

PRIME SPACE | Advanced Conversations in Coaching is a podcast for professional coaches who are committed to deepening their coaching mindset, coaching presence, and coaching mastery. Hosted by Elias Scultori, MCC [https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliasscultori/], each episode explores the deeper layers of the coaching craft—where mindset, skill, presence, and humanity meet in real client conversations. PRIME SPACE brings together working professional coaches—from ACC to MCC—and thoughtful voices from across the coaching profession to explore what mastery in coaching truly looks like in practice. Through honest, reflective, and sometimes provocative dialogue, the show examines topics such as the true coaching mindset, the evolution of coaching skills beyond the ICF competencies, coach presence, and the ongoing development of professional coaches. If you are a trained coach, leadership coach, or coaching professional looking to stretch your thinking, refine your craft, and engage with the deeper questions shaping the future of coaching, welcome to PRIME SPACE.

PRIME SPACE

Disruptive Thinker and advocate of the coaching mindset and framework.

Elias Scultori, MCC

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