way. Information is individualized to the person, precise to his or
her situation, balanced with support, and in a way that opens up new
possibilities for the coachee.
3 Specific and Sensory Based
Giving specific information that is see-hear-feel so the coachee can
easily recognize and acknowledge it, giving it by pacing coachee's
experience, giving information that's factual, concise, succinct,
relevant, and useable for moving on toward objectives.
2 Convoluted
Giving convoluted and/or vague feedback that is not sensory based
in description, using one's own values and criteria about the
behavior rather than the coachee's criteria. "I think you ought to
really stop thinking being egocentric about that job, and develop
your skills."
1 Negative
Giving feedback quickly without much thought (impatiently),
without much consider about the state it would induce the coachee
into, criticizing, blaming, arguing, telling, making the information
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personal, rather than about behavior. "You're just not very good at
this, are you?"
0 Withholding
Withholding any response from the coachee, judging the coachee or
his or her behaviors
7) Receiving Feedback:
Hearing and asking about information that mirrors back how a
response came across, taking that in, reflecting upon it, asking
more questions about it, integrating what one finds useful in
order to improve performance toward a desired outcome.
5 Celebrating and Implementing
Actively seeking and making comments of appreciation, celebrating
the information as useful for improvement, recognizing how the
sensory information suggests patterns that call for implementing a
change in behavior, making plans for integrating it and enhancing
one's performance.
4 Questioning and Clarifying
Questioning the information by seeking clarification, asking for more
details about when, where, how, etc., reflecting upon the information
and making statements about how it fits or doesn't fit. Coachee in a
state of interest, curiosity, etc.
3 Acceptance and Exploration
Accepting the information by acknowledging it and exploring it, "Yes
I remember doing that. What did that mean to you?" "How did that
affect him?" Some exploration and clarification, but coachee
generally in a neutral state or a slightly negative one with low levels
of anger, fear, stress, etc.
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2 Silent
Silent listening to feedback, seemingly pondering some of it, but
asking no questions, not exploring its meaning, asking for
clarification.
1 Negative
Responding to the information in a negative emotional state (anger,
fear, stress, frustration, etc.) so that coachee in a reactive and
defensive state, saying things that immediately defend against the
information, arguing, deflecting, discounting, and disagreeing with
vigor.
0 Disengaged
Disengaged to the information, refusing to listen, walking away,
avoiding it and not dealing with it.
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1.4.7.5 CORE COACHING SKILLS
1. Establishing and maintaining a relationship of trust
Definition
Ensure a safe space and supportive relationship for personal
growth, discovery and transformation.
Effect
1. The client is open to sharing and receiving.
2. The client perceives the coach as a personal advocate.
3. The client sees transformation and growth as
manageable.
4. The client has realistic expectations of results and
responsibilities of coaching.
Key Elements
1. Mutual respect and acceptance.
2. Confidence and reassurance.
3. The client feels safe to share fears without judgment
from the coach.
2. Perceiving, affirming and expanding the client’s potential
Definition
Recognizes and help the client acknowledge and appreciate his
or her strengths and potential.
Effect
1. The client has greater appreciation of personal
capabilities and potential.
2. The client is more willing to take actions beyond
current paradigms or strategies.
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Key Elements
1. Being in empathy with the client.
2. Recognizing a wider range of possibilities.
3. Encouraging and empowering the client.
4. Challenging limiting beliefs.
5. Recognizing strengths of client and awareness of where
strengths support personal and organizational goals
(where appropriate).
3. Engaged listening
Definition
Give full attention to the words, nuances, and the unspoken
meaning of the client's communication; the coach is more
deeply aware of the client, his/her concerns and the source of
the issue, by listening beyond what the client is able to
articulate.
Effect
1. The client feels understood and validated – not judged.
2. The client communicates more effortlessly and
resourcefully.
Key Elements
1. The coach focuses on what the client expresses, both
verbally and nonverbally.
2. The coach listens beyond what the client articulates.
3. The coach is alert to discrepancies between what the
client is saying (words) and the client’s behavior and/or
emotions.
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4. Processing in the present
Definition
Focus full attention on the client, processing information at the
level of the mind, body, heart and/or spirit, as appropriate. The
coach expands the client’s awareness of how to experience
thoughts and issues on these various levels, when and as
appropriate. The coach utilizes what is happening in the session
itself (client’s behavior, patterns, emotions, and the relationship
between coach and client, etc.) to assist the client toward
greater self-awareness and positive, appropriate action.
Effect
1. The client is free to express and engage with present
reality.
2. The client is unencumbered by past or future
preoccupations or concerns.
3. The client benefits from coaching insight and support
on all levels.
4. The coach is highly attuned to subtle communications
from the client.
Key Elements
1. The coach is aware of the dynamics occurring within
the session, within the client, and between coach and
client, and understands how the dynamics are affecting
the client and the coaching.
2. The coach has a simultaneous and holistic awareness of
the client’s communications at all levels.
3. The coach is able to discern whether the client is
communicating from the past, present or future.
4. The coach allows the client the opportunity to process
and clarify the coach’s questions and comments.
5. The coach allows the client the opportunity to process
his or her own thoughts and responses.
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5. Expressing
Definition
Attention and awareness to how the coach communicates
commitment, direction, intent, and ideas – and the effectiveness
of this communication.
Effect
1. The coaching interaction is enhanced with the client
being at ease and trusting.
2. The client is open to understanding and/or questioning
any communication from the coach.
Key Elements
1. Respect.
2. Attentiveness.
3. Client-focused.
4. Clarity.
5. Appropriateness.
6. Clarifying
Definition
Reduce/eliminate
confusion
or
uncertainty;
increase
understanding and the confidence of the client.
Effect
1. The client and the coach move forward in a more
directed way.
2. Increased possibilities.
3. Decreased uncertainty.
4. Uncovering the unknown.
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Key Elements
1. Identify the most important issue while respecting
client’s preferences and limitations.
2. No judgment by the coach, no leading toward a
particular destination.
3. Identify key values and needs.
4. Facilitate alignment of purpose, vision and mission.
5. Identify blocks to progress.
7. Helping the client set and keep clear intentions
Definition
Helps the client become or remain focused and working towards
intended goals.
Effect
1. The client feels capable.
2. The client is clear about what he or she wants to
accomplish or transform.
3. The client is inspired by the possibilities.
4. The client moves forward purposefully.
Key Elements
1. Inquiring into the client’s intentions and goals.
2. Time spent on what is most important.
3. Clarifying direction of progress.
4. Periodically reviewing, revising and/or celebrating the
process and intentions.
8. Inviting possibility
Definition
Creating an environment that allows ideas, options and
opportunities to emerge.
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Effect
1. The coach enables expansion of thoughts and actions.
2. The client’s awareness is expanded.
3. The coach helps client transcend barriers.
4. The client is willing to leave his/her comfort zone.
5. The client has more options.
Key Elements
1. Trust, openness, curiosity, courage, and recognition of
potential.
2. The coach and the client communicate through
exploration and discovery.
3. Identify “internal” possibilities (e.g., personal greatness,
higher purpose) and “external” possibilities (e.g.,
resources, memes).
4. Possibilities are generated by the coach, the client or a
collaboration of the two.
9. Helping the client create and use supportive systems and
structures
Definition
Helping the client identify and build the relationships, tools,
systems and structures he or she needs to advance and sustain
progress.
Effect
The client is confident and secure in moving forward, knowing
that resources are available or can be created.
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Key Elements
1. The coach suggests possible support systems and
structures appropriate to the client’s needs.
2. The coach prompts the client to identify support
systems and structures the client has but is not utilizing
effectively.
3. The coach assists the client to identify areas in which
the client feels a need for support and structure.
4. The client understands the value of appropriate
support systems.
5. The client’s progress toward their goals or intentions is
more sustainable.
© 2007- 2011 International Association of Coaching.
All use, reproduction, distribution and modification of these
materials is subject to the terms and conditions of the license.
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1.5 MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING
1.5.1 PRINCIPLE:
Motivational interviewing aims at helping coachees to explore
their reasons to change.
1.5.2
ELEMENTS
OF
MOTIVATIONAL
INTERVIEWING
Motivational interviewing involves (Miller & Rollnick, 1991):
- Expressing empathy
Motivational interviewing consists of more listening and less
‘telling’.
- Developing discrepancy
Focus the patient’s attention on discrepancy:
‘I like my present situation and way of living, but I know I will
need a job to sustain myself and I hate the hassles with my
family.’
- Raising awareness:
‘How do you see the connection between your present situation
and the tensions inside the family?
- Avoidingargumentation
The coachee, and not the coach, is encouraged to argue for
change.
- Rolling with resistance
Try not to provide solutions. Provide opportunity for the
coachee to identify solutions - sometimes with your help).
If the coach resists, this may be an indication that you are taking
a wrong approach.
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- Helping the coachee consider issues from other perspectives.
For example:
- ask the coachee’s view of your findings.
- Ask them what they think the view of a significant other
might be etc.
- Supporting self-efficacy
The coachee’s confidence in their ability to implement and
sustain changed behaviour will influence whether or not they
attempt and persist with efforts to change.
1.5.3 GUIDELINES FOR MOTIVATIONAL
INTERVIEWING
Explore positive and negative consequences
Provide opportunity to explore the coachee’s specific
concerns
Use reflective listening and summaries to understand and
communicate understanding
Elicit self-motivational statements:
‘What are the things you like and don’t like about your …?’
‘What have other people said about your …?’
‘What makes you think you might need to change?’
Help the coachee decide whether to change:
‘Where does this leave you now?’
‘What does this mean for your …?’
Avoid:
o
arguing
o
imposing a label on them
o
telling them what they must do
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o
trying to break down denial with confrontation
It should never feel as though you are confronting the
coachee. Instead, it should feel the both of you are
confronting the problem(s) together.
1.5.4 BRIEF MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING
Brief motivational interviewing and opportunistic interventions
are well researched (Rollnick et al., 1999).
Two factors are central:
- Importance — e.g. some think it is important to change, but are
not clear how they can do it
- Confidence — e.g. some are confident they can change, but it is
not important to them
Brief motivational interviewing consists of the following eight
components:
1. Scaling questions
Ask questions such as:
‘On a scale of 0–5 how important is it for you to achieve this
goal?’
‘On a scale of 0–5 how confident are you about reaching this
goal?’
You can use scaling to help quickly identify the most important
areas to work on.
You can then use this information:
‘Why is it so high?’ (Even if a ‘1’: ‘Why isn’t it a zero?’)
‘What will help keep you at this level?’
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‘What will help you move higher?’
‘How high does it have to be before you make an attempt to
change?’
‘What can I do to help?’
2. Exploring importance
‘What are the benefits of your present situation?’
‘What are some of the less good things?’
3. Summarise
‘Where does that leave you now?’
4. Building confidence
‘In the past, what has been helpful when you have tried to …?’
‘Is there anything you can learn from these past attempts?’
‘Is there anything you can learn from other people’s attempts to
change?’
5. Exchanging information
How you share information and your expertise is important.
‘How much do you already know about …?’
‘Some people find that …how about you?’
‘How do you see the connection between …. and your
problems?’
‘Is there anything more you’d like to know about …?’
6. Reducing resistance
Understand what causes the resistane that the coachee is
feeling:
The coachee may be holding on to an existing situation, no
matter how bad it is, because at least, they are familiar with it
and they are afraid of how changing to a new situation will
affect their lives.
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Or they may have the feeling that you are pushing them and are
taking over control over their life.
Whenever the coachee seems to get nowhere , hesitates to make
decisions or take action:
Slow down and express empathy, especially about the
difficulty of changing.
Emphasise personal choice and control.
Don’t try to provide solutions — invite the coachee to re-
confirm his goals and to collaborate in providing a solution.
The onus is then on him, not you, to make a decision to
change.
Build up confidence by encouraging him take small steps
and achieve small successes.
Challenge any irrational fears, beliefs and convictions that
you discover : Use the ABCDE Coaching model (2.5.1),
Practise the questions about confronting fear (3.2)
Learn about dealing with obstacles and resistance (4.2)
Redefine fear (4.34)
Examples of coachees expressing feelings of resistance:
I don’t know why I did it. Looks like I just keep repeating the
same mistakes all over. I guess that’s how I am, I just can't help
it!
What exactly stopped you from using the correct approach?
How did doing this make you feel?
I know it’s wrong to …., but I just can’t decide to …
It sounds as though something is blocking you from …
What is the worst thing that could happen if ….
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Ahh, never mind: I guess I was born stupid, never learned a
thing and probably will die stupid!
Maybe, but do you remember what exactly kept you from …
That's a hard one.
You don't have to go into all the details, but can you give me
the gist of it?
What do I care?
It sounds as though you've lost interest all of a sudden.
I really don't know what happened back then.
It must be hard, having to remember those things.
I am confused and don’t know what to do anymore: one person
says one thing, another something else and whatever I try,
things seem to always turn out wrong for me.
It's always good to get advice from other people, but it
doesn't make it any easier to choose a solution that really
suits you.
Serious problem? Oh well, I don’t really see this as a problem. I
have learned to live with it, you know.
If that is what you want, then that is good. But I do
remember there is a reason why you came to see me.
The world is such a mess, there's not much I can do.
That's true, but how about starting with your own
situation?
Oh no, don't start all that again. Why can't we give it a rest?
It sounds like something is still troubling you.
I didn't do the homework, just didn't get round to it.
Looks like it is hard to do the tasks we agreed to. What is
really stopping you from doing them?
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7. Motivating
In spite of the fact that the coachee knows he is in trouble and
has come to see you about it, he isn't always motivated to really
work on his problems.
He can also get discouraged in the course of the sessions.
It is up to you then to motivate him again by encouraging him to
look at it from different angles.
Here are some motivating sentences that you could use,
followed by some examples:
What would encourage you?
What would swing you into action?
What inner resources could possibly strengthen your will
to succeed?
How could you speed things up?
How much time do you allocate yourself?
The sooner you start, the quicker you can reach your goal.
We could go over everything again, but how about 'starting'
today?
Every journey starts with the first step.
Sometimes you need to just grin and bear it, and go on.
Examples:
Despite all this coaching, I give up. I just can't make it through
the month.
I think you've come a long way, hold on. Let's look at what
we can come up with to make it through the coming week.
What do you think you need for that?
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Nice plans we've made, but I just don't seem to be able to carry
them out.
What's holding you back?
I keep forgetting!
How can you stop yourself from forgetting?
Write things on a piece of paper and put it on the back of the
door, so I see it before I leave the house.
That's a good idea. Here's a piece of paper...
I want to quit school because I don't think I will ever graduate.
Maybe, but you've studied hard for four years. You only
have a few more months to go. Actually you are virtually
there and now you want to throw away four years, just like
that?
Bit of a waste, eh?
It's your choice to throw away four years of effort.
I'm scared to death I will flunk.
So it's very important to you that you make it.
Yes, I didn't put in four years f