My Coaching Model

I have been working on the design and refinement of my coaching model, see below for the backbone of my coaching process and some more explanation:

I believe that the journey to who you really are and the discovery of what you really want is the hart of the coaching process. Through your personal experiences in life and the way you interact with the people that surround you, chances are that you have forgotten how it feels when your motivation and your drivers come from inside you. Only when you know what drives you are you able to define and achieve the goals that suit you personally.

During the coaching process you will reflect continuously on the steps you take, the goals you set for yourself, the things you achieve, your drivers and values that become stronger and make you grow.

To achieve your goals you will identify a path to close the gap between where you are now and where you want to be. This could be a plan with certain steps that you want to take or an overview where you break down your main goal in smaller and more achievable goals. And to be able to follow the path you've identified you will need to put in place some necessary structures; this could be the establishment of a certain support structure that works for you or the removal of obstacles that prevent you from achieving your goals.

All together it means that you are ready to take action, and that you are committed to change those things in your life that you decided needed to be changed in order to have a fulfilling personal and professional life. Along the way I will encourage you to celebrate your growth; it takes courage to start a coaching process and to undergo the journey to discover what you really want. You are taking responsibility for you own life and decisions, which is something to be very proud of.

The art of coaching

Coaching is not about having the right questions. It is about giving your client 1 hour of your life. Listening unconditionally without judgment. The coach's main concern should be the clients performance, not her own. Don't start to act as a consultant, don't come up with solutions. Give the client an hour of silence that they can fill themselves; as a coach you are totally there for your client.

Coaching Model (3)

Again, a coaching model is there to offer structure to the coach. But a coach shouldn't stick to a coaching model too much. If a client wants to achieve a certain goal and is working on that with his coach, it could very well be that halfway the coaching process a shift takes place towards a slightly different goal. Goals are forever changing, therefore the coach must be flexible with goals and the way her coaching model deals with goal-setting and goal-achieving.
A very powerful question for a client who want to reach a specific goal is: 'what is stopping you from achieving your goal?'

A coach has to let go of the idea of 'the coaching has to come from me', 'I have to be good this session', 'I have to plan the whole coaching session, I have to be prepared'. The source of these thoughts are fear of lack of control and lack of faith in her own abilities. Coaches must be able to just let go. A coaching model can undermine natural and just in time coaching by giving too much structure.
Also clients don't always come to the session and tell their coach where to go today. So it is important to do what is right at the time; it is not necessary to have a pre-defined model and coaching process.

Coaching Model (2)

In search for a suitable coaching model for a coach it is important that it is their natural model. A coach must do what comes naturally to her and she shouldn't stick too much to the model - that shouldn't be the focus.

To find a good coaching model the coach can start with thinking of how she wants to set up the coaching session, and what is absolutely necessary for her to happen in every session. Central in a session could be:

• clarity
• getting the story
• listen a lot
• silence
• action
• goal setting
• etc.

Coaching Model

Most coaches work with their own or an existing coaching model. Quite often the coach will choose a model that suits the client, which makes the model different every time.
A clear coaching model is a good instrument for the coach to market herself, as coaches usually work very intuitively and the model helps to explain to the client what the coach is doing.
The model works on the other hand beneficial for the coach as well: it provides her with a structure and creates a framework for the sessions. It builds confidence. But for the client the coaching style is much more important than the coaching model.

An example of a very simple coaching model (the simpler the better!):

• Where are we now?
• What do you (client) want to achieve?
• What is getting in the way?

There are literally hundreds and hundreds of coaching models available - as it is quite difficult to interpret someone else's model most coaches prefer to develop their own. But there are also training organisations that believe in and teach just 1 model. Those coaches will become one with their coaching model and will use their model to market themselves: 'Solution Focussed Therapy/Coaching', Transformative-developmental coach', etc.

One of the graduation requirements for me is the development of my own coaching model.