How can you identify the right coaching process for each client?

Assessing the Client’s readiness is perhaps the most critical step in the Coaching process. Personally I believe this is most important where the client is a corporate entity who comes to the coaching table because the sponsor has decided that he should be coached. It is critical & imperative to establish a sense of trust & transparency at the very first instance where the Coachee agrees & internalizes why the coaching was initiated. There should not be a fear that there is a hidden agenda of the sponsor. Only once this breakthrough is achieved the client will open up and start sharing their inner thoughts. It would then be the onus of the Coach to create a safe space where the Client feels comfortable enough to open up.

??Assess the client's readiness by understanding their goals, challenges, and commitment, ensuring the coaching process aligns with their current state.

By LISTENING. Ask as many questions as you need. The first discovery phase is important. Assess what the client needs consciously and unconsciously. What are his ambitions, are they professional or personal ambitions? What is his mindset? Growth or fixed mindset? Does he have biases, limited beliefs, etc? Is age a factor? Only once you have made the discovery can you find the successful method. Be flexible and adapt.

In the early conversations with a coaching client I endeavour to help understand what will work the best for them. I do this by becoming clear on the 'destination' or targets they are looking to reach, figuring out what types of coaching or mentoring they have engage with in the past and what has worked or not worked for them. I get clear on how a typical week looks for them, who they have within their support network and I directly ask them 'how can I best support you/keep you accountable/help get you back on track if I see you drifting?'

I usually check four leaders' competencies I find pivotal for their success. 1. Humility allows leaders to acknowledge their limitations and seek feedback, also essential to assess their readiness for change. 2. Courage empowers leaders to confront their weaknesses and vulnerabilities, it also fosters honest dialogue and openness during coaching. 3. Discipline ensures leaders stay committed to the coaching journey, following through on action plans and implementing feedback for growth. 4. Adaptability enables leaders to flexibly adjust their approach based on the client's readiness and evolving needs, ensuring the coaching process remains effective and impactful. When leaders have them at an appropriate level they are coachable.

The mentioned coaching models offer frameworks to guide the coaching journey, but it's crucial to consider the client's context, challenges, and learning style when choosing one. Additionally, explaining the selected model to the client and highlighting how it helps them achieve their desired outcomes is essential for clarity and alignment. It's good to note that, the rapport and chemistry between the coach and client play a significant role in the coaching process. Experienced executive coaches often tailor their approach, drawing from various models and incorporating unique tools to best support the leader's growth journey. The best way to assist a leader in their leadership growth is trust, rapport, and a collaborative partnership.

??Choose a coaching model that suits the client's needs, whether it's goal-oriented, transformational, or skill-focused, tailoring the approach for optimal impact.

I use a proven framework I've developed over the years, but it includes several coaching models and concepts within it. Every client is different and has different challenges, circumstances and requirements, so ideally a coaching programme should be tailored to the individual.

Very rarely as coaches we'll stick rigidly to a certain model. Most often, we'll favor being eclectic and integrate different coaching models and modalities - whatever can serve the client best.

It's not essential to stick to just one coaching model. Learn and use a variety of models. This can help you tailor the best approach to unique needs of each client. Different models offer diverse perspectives and techniques to address a wide range of challenges and objectives. Be flexible and adaptable in your approach. Draw from multiple models to create a customized coaching experience that best serves your client's needs. This ensures that you're able to address a variety of issues and considerations, rather than being constrained by the limitations of a single model. Ultimately, the goal is to provide effective support and guidance helping your clients achieve their goals and maximize their potential for growth and development.

Identifying the right coaching process for each client begins with understanding their needs, expectations, and desired outcomes. By conducting thorough intake assessments and engaging in open dialogue, coaches can gain insights into the client's specific challenges and aspirations. It's crucial to tailor the coaching process to align with the client's goals, emphasizing measurable, visible, and sustainable results for their leadership growth. This involves collaboratively setting realistic objectives and agreeing on the frequency, duration, and format of the coaching sessions. Coaches should outline the number of sessions foreseen for the process and work with the client to formulate a coaching contract, outlining desired outcomes.

Communicating to your client the shape of the coaching programme and content of each session is vital to maintain trust and connection. Ensure you make things as clear and as simple to understand as possible. Just because you as a coach may know this stuff inside out, doesn't mean your client does, so you may need to explain some concepts to get understanding.

The client should know how he/she is going to travel on this journey. Without that skeleton, it is going to be a challenge. Yes, there would be some minor modifications during the journey but the coaching plan should be there. By this the client will be mentally ready to go on this journey with trust & integrity

Delivering an Impactful coaching involves helping the client move from his current reality to his desired reality by using some powerful skills such as- 1)Discovery Questioning-Use the 20-80 rule,as a coach ask 20 percent powerful questions and get 80 percent responses from the client 2) Empathetic Listening -Listen to understand and help client discover their solutions 3) Acknowledge the current reality-Create a safe environment for the client where they can share,feel trusted and most importantly not feel judged when they explore their issues with you.

??Deliver sessions with flexibility and responsiveness, adapting to the client's evolving needs for a dynamic and engaging coaching journey that maximizes impact.

I would strongly recommend that the coach nudge or direct the client to a certain type of thought process if the client is not able to figure it out or articulate it from the cues provided. While some may be skeptical that this stands the risk of leading the client, I think a certain amount of direction needs to be effected without hoping that people all have the intellect to get there and uncover the ‘obvious’ things

Delivering coaching sessions requires a focused approach, with attention to the main coaching outcome expected by the client from the entire coaching process. Each session serves as a building block towards achieving this overarching goal. Active listening, powerful questioning, effective communication, rapport building, feedback giving, and goal setting guide clients through exploration, solution discovery, and action planning. By focusing on the main coaching outcome, coaches ensure each session contributes meaningfully to client progress. They tailor their approach to address specific needs, empowering clients to identify strengths, gaps, and improvement opportunities.

Active listening, powerful questioning, rapport building, etc. - begin right at the beginning, the very first minute we meet the coachee for the first time.

To review coaching outcomes effectively, the coach should focus on delivering measurable, visible results through self-assessment by the client and involving their stakeholders in the process as feedback givers by the leader. By engaging stakeholders who can confirm the leader's real and objective transformation, the coach help ensure the credibility and impact of the assessment. Coaches can use various methods and tools such as surveys, interviews, tests, or portfolios to review outcomes. They also should help the client compare their situation before and after coaching to identify changes, benefits, and challenges experienced and acknowledge their efforts and progress while providing support and resources for their future development.

I give my clients a brief questionnaire before the coaching programme starts and the same questionnaire upon completion. We compare the answers and assess the effectiveness of the coaching. How far have we come? Did we get the outcomes we set out to achieve? It's also very useful for me when collating metadata for my practise.

Two things i started following meticulously which are 1. Pre & Post Assessment sheet 2. CLJ (Coaching Learning Journal) 3. Progress Check Assessment These two help in the journey very effectively. The pre & post test will be the same & during this phase, there will be a progress check. These tools help me to navigate the session in a better way.

Well, the right coaching process for the client is that is created by the coach by dancing with the client in the moment, by paying attention to different elements that is being presented by the client: **Linguistic Patterns **Behavioural Patterns **Thinking Patterns **Emotional Patterns **Beliefs **Values misalignment **Meta programs, etc A good coach will customize the process on the go for each client by keeping in mind the presupposition, *Each person is unique*, and hence a custom approach would be required by paying attention to the nuances mentioned above.

There are many models and frameworks that bring value to a coaching process. The "right" coaching process for the client is where the coach is able to - connect with the client at a deep level, allowing for true transformation - be fully present with the client so that no matter what framework is being used, the coach is flexible to let go of that framework and go to the heart of the matter for the client - stays connected to his/her intuition

From my experience, I've found it best to meet the client where they are. To not force a specific model or agenda, rather allow these coaching sessions to happen organically. It's ok to ask open ended questions and probe, while suggesting & making recommendations, however keeping yourself in check, taking note of biases you may be bringing to the session(s). Having the right approach, each session, and remaining consistent with whatever model you choose, such as positivity, constructive feedback, agenda, discussion points, depth, recommendation for resources, tools, etc... During each session, it's practical to ensure you conduct a pulse check before you start, clearly define the goals/objectives, and finish with a review.

I integrate mindfulness practices at the beginning (2 minutes) and schedule sessions for 90 minutes, even though the actual coaching portion is an hour. This allows clients a few minutes to empty their minds, set intentions, and transition from their busy schedules before and after the session. People often jump from meeting to meeting, so creating space for reflection and processing is crucial. I encourage clients to stay hydrated and take a short break after the session (their brain just worked really hard). They can also jot down notes, schedule meetings, or simply take a break. This holistic approach ensures clients can fully engage with the coaching process, maximize focus, and effectively implement insights gained from the session.

To ensure coaching success: ?? Align strategies with client's core values ?? Tailor techniques to their traits and preferences ?? Establish a collaborative feedback loop ?? Integrate technology for added support ?? Consider holistic well-being for a comprehensive approach