Power Tool: Motivation Fuel Gauge – Motivation vs. Inhibition

A Coaching Power Tool created by Nikhil Benegal
(Executive Coach, INDIA)

Objective:

To gauge how the coach checks Levels of Motivation/Inspiration of the client to move him into taking action. The coach determines whether the client is motivated or inhibited to make the change they are working on…
Tool for assessing through questioning Current Level of Motivation of Client to take action, incorporate change and achieve his/her stated Goals, and fine-tune this assessment by evaluating the first assessment against a second independent source of relevant information

What is meant by Motivation?

It is manifesting the strength of energy (passion) to move away from the extreme don’t want this to moving towards what I need and what I want which is my ‘best life’, ‘best situation’ imaginable…

After the Initial phase of contracting the sessions, Developing Trust and Intimacy, Stating Issue/s to work on, check for:

1. Clarity and Specificity, Vividity and Objectivity in the description of ‘Best Life’ moved towards and the ‘Worst Life’ moved away from… Questions to probe could be:

• Could you describe for me how you see, how you experience (the end-point of the goal achievement)
• What would just not be acceptable (levels/situations/extent etc.) to you – regarding the ....(extreme position)

2. Body language and tonality and energy manifestation in the Client as he/she describes the ‘what I want and need’…

3. Quality of Objective descriptions of the object described in terms of Distance from Client (Close or Far), Size (Big or Small), Completeness (Whole or Incomplete), Brightness (Shining/Effervescent or Dull/Unclear) Close-to-the-Client, Big-in-front-of-eyes of the Client, Bright-for-the-Client

4. Whether the above object described is a Spur for immediate action/medium term action/later (not sure) action/ just-to-talk-about and maybe-never act on

The next step would be to evaluate these criteria on a five point scale as given immediately below and then do a reality-check with a similar motivation gauging tool from a different and independent source…The Coach requests the Client to take this five-minute exercise and share the results. These results could also be a spur for exploring levels of motivation in subsequent sessions and working on maximising them.