A Coaching Model Created by Nicole Scott
(Business Coach & Career Transition Coach, UNITED STATES)
For People Development –Gain the AGILE edge!
- ALIGN WITH MINDFULNESS TO DISCOVER THE CURRENT STATE AND DESIRED FUTURE STATE
- GENERATE AWARENESS AND REMOVE OBSTACLES TO THE DESIRED FUTURE STATE
- ILLUMINATE OPTIONS
- LEVERAGE STRENGTHS TO SUPPORT ACTION
- EVALUATE PROGRESS
ALIGN
ALIGN WITH MINDFULNESS TO DISCOVER THE CURRENT STATE AND DESIRED FUTURE STATE
Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way –on purpose, in the present moment and without judgement. Coaches must align their focus with their client’s focus and goal. Being present and in the moment with the clients provides structured, safe space for the client to discover the true current state. Once the current state, the underlying issue and outcome for the session (goal) has been identified, only then can coach and client move forward to generate awareness and clarify the desired future state.
People cannot truly discover the current state without being in the moment. Aligning with the current state through mindfulness helps ensure the coach and the client are focused on the client’s true goal for the coaching engagement.
To ensure alignment, a few questions must be answered:
- What is the topic?
- How does the client feel when s/he reflect on this topic?
- What would the client like to accomplish by the end of the session?
- What would be different about the client’s life when s/he has accomplished this?**See Evaluate Progress for more on defining success
GENERATE AWARENESS
GENERATE AWARENESS AND REMOVE OBSTACLES TO THE DESIRED FUTURE STATE
Now that the coach is aligned with the client, understands the client’s current state and goals, the coach and client can focus on partnering to generate knowledge around the reality and perceptions that exist in the current state. In order to create the space for this exploration, the coach must remain curious.
From this heightened awareness, the client can now move more freely, picturing clearly in the mind and in the heart the desired future state of being.
In order to maximize awareness and envision the future desired state, a few questions must be answered:
- How does the client feel when s/he reflects on this topic
- What does the client believe about him-or herself, in relation to this situation?
- What is the child voice, parent voice and adult voice all telling the client? (Awareness is evident when the Adult Voice is the one the client is listening to.)
- The Child Voice is defensive, victimized, emotional and strongly negative (especially non verbally).
The Parent Voice is authoritative, judgmental, win-loose/black-white language and punitive.
The Adult Voice is non-judgmental, free of negativity, factual, often exploring through consideration and uses win-win language.
ILLUMINATE OPTIONS
Illuminating options is just what it sounds like –allowing the new awareness to cast light on alternate paths to the desired future state that, otherwise, would have remained hidden in the darkness.
The coach now follows the client as s/he explores all of the opportunities the client now has available to him/her that will lead to the Desired Future State. Additional discussion on the design of the chosen actions is also part of this process.
In order to design client-centered action plans, a few questions must be answered:
- What does the client believe s/he has control of that will serve their journey to the Desired Future State?
- What actions (thinking, creating, doing) does the client commit to?
- What is the client’s goal for timing?
- What does success look like for the client?
LEVERAGE STRENGTHS TO SUPPORT ACTION
When we leverage strengths, we set ourselves up for greater success because we are using internal resources that are already honed and practiced. We can solve problems and take actions in a much more fluent way.
The conversations are oriented around learning and growth with a focus on applying strengths in order to maximize potential and, consequentially, performance towards the goal.Focusing in on what internal resources are already available and what new growth and learning opportunities there are to look forward to can help an individual identify their next steps and feel a deeper sense of ability to commit to their own success. The locus of control is internal; it honors the client as a whole and capable person.
In order to leverage strengths to support actions, a few questions must be answered:
- Because of your unique strengths, what will be easy about this for you?
- What strengths or talents do you have right now that can help support your success?
- What does using your strengths look/feel like in respect to your success?
- What learning and growth opportunities are you excited about?
- What are you thinking might be a good first step and when to you envision this first step being complete?
EVALUATE PROGRESS
That which is measured is important.
The ability to successful evaluate progress began with the setting of goals.
By asking the client to imagine success and then to define how to measure it, we can better evaluate progress moving forward. Evaluation should happen periodically, not just when we think the goal has been met.
When setting the goal, ask:
- How would you like to define success?
- What does it look/feel like?
- How will you know you are making progress that serves your Future Desired State?
In order to evaluate progress, a few questions must be answered:
- How is your progress?
- Have you reached your goal?If so, how do you know?
- If not, what is holding you back?
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