Basic steps in the coaching process

I like to think of the coaching process as a six-step process: 1) explore the issue, 2) define a goal, 3) explore solutions, 4) define a path, 5) walk the path, and 6) assess results.

This first step is about understanding where the client is and comes from. What the things that really concern them are and they want to change.

The second stage is about having clarity on what the overall goal for the coaching sessions will be. The client has to be able to write down what they want to accomplish at the end of the coaching process.

The third step covers the range of possibilities in the client’s scope in order to deal with the issue. It’s about expanding the coachee’s thinking of what is possible.

The fourth stage is about narrowing down step three. The challenge here is to focus on one possible first action the client might take toward the goal.

Step fifth is about implementing actions. Following a concrete direction that was already decided in step four. While in the previous steps the client might experience defensive reasoning since their thoughts are being challenged, in this stage the client could experience fear since they will be probably stepping out of their comfort zone.

This final stage is about measuring success. There is no other way to evaluate the effectiveness of the actions implemented than to assess the desired result. For this reason, it is crucial to define the goal in a smart format.