Coaching Model: The S H I F T

A Coaching Model Created by Gavin Kirk
(Personal Transformation Coach, SOUTH AFRICA)

1. Set the Scene

The first step is to establish an outcome for the coaching relationship:

What would you like to achieve through this coaching relationship?

This question will help us establish a SMART goal. At the beginning of each subsequent session, the question becomes:

What would be a useful outcome for today’s session?

2a. Get a Holistic View (Ecology of Goal/Outcome)

The second step is to look at the ecology of the outcome. Some questions that might be useful are:

How will your goal impact other areas of your life, especially on areas that are already working well? How will achieving it affect those closest to you? etc.

2b. Get a Holistic View (Client’s Resources)

To complete the Holistic View, we will establish what resources you already have that might contribute to the achievement of your goal e.g. strengths, beliefs, structures etc. Once these have been uncovered, the conversation turns to what knowledge and skills, if any, you might still need to acquire to achieve your goal. We also discuss what external resources you could utilize in the achievement of your goal.

3. Investigate Honestly

Once we have Set the Stage and gotten a Holistic View, we begin to Investigate Honestly. This is where the coaching happens. One of the outcomes of this stage is to increase your self-awareness and your ability to be self-decisive, and take self-directed action.

4. Focus on Action

From the space of increased awareness and clarity that has been created, you are prompted to focus on Designing Actions. All actions that you suggest are then explored: What structures can you put in place that will ensure the successful completion of that action? Are there any potential barriers?

5. Track Progress

The final stage is to Track Progress by establishing and managing accountability. This is also a meta-process which is present during the entire coaching relationship.