As a life coach, you want to help your clients achieve their goals and overcome their challenges. But how do you design a coaching program that suits their unique needs and preferences? Here are some of the best strategies to customize your life coaching program for clients.
Before you start working with a client, you need to assess their readiness for coaching. This means finding out their motivation, expectations, and commitment level. You can use tools such as the Wheel of Life, the Coaching Readiness Index, or the GROW Model to evaluate their current situation and desired outcomes. By assessing their readiness, you can tailor your coaching approach and methods to match their readiness level and avoid resistance or frustration.
The wheel of life and the GROW model are great in seeing where your client current is ,compared to where they want to be. What action steps need to be put in place. Also looking at their resistance to change. Asking them is this the first time you have tried to achieve this goal ? If not what where the key fundamental issues you faced in not being able to achieve your goal ? What internal vs external factors played a part ? Can you pick up if there is a consistent trend and triggers that keep holding you back ? What level is your. Desire - what do you truly want ? Drive - Why do you want it ? Do- What do you need to do ,are you willing to do to achieve your goal.
This is a critical piece in ensuring a successful mentoring relationship. You will be able to create more breakthrough moments if your client is receptive. Frame works and tools like Wheel of Life, the Coaching Readiness Index, or the GROW Model can help you and your mentee discover different aspects and dimensions of their readiness and satisfaction levels, and help you connect with your mentee in a more structured and meaningful way.
I begin by asking new mentees why they are seeking a mentor now. If I'm their first mentor? If they had another mentor what they liked/disliked about their time with the previous mentor.
> begin with discovery > establishing clear objectives > assess strengths > identifying motivations > determine learning style > frameworks that resonate > coaching modalities > personalize routines > right pace > continuously adapt The more bespoke & client-centric the coaching, the greater the results as, authenticity enables transformation
Understanding the context for coaching is key to ensure we’re aligned. I often use assessments like DiSC, 12 Droving Forces, and Working Genius to better understand how my client behaves, what motivates them and the types of work that give them joy. These small pieces allow me to better communicate with clients. I personally allow the client to determine the path we take. They choose the destination and then I partner with them like a GPS. We know the destination and now we work to determine the best path to get to our destination.
Another way to customize your coaching program is to identify your client's learning style. Different people have different ways of processing and retaining information, such as visual, auditory, kinesthetic, or reading/writing. By knowing your client's learning style, you can choose the most effective ways to communicate, teach, and reinforce your coaching messages. For example, if your client is a visual learner, you can use diagrams, charts, or images to illustrate your points. If your client is a kinesthetic learner, you can use exercises, games, or simulations to engage them.
Asking them about prior learning experiences - what worked, what hasn't worked etc. helps in identifying preferences vs. just asking straight out about them (which at times can be biased). An example could be: what was the last thing that you successfully learned and implemented? How did you learn it?
Your client's personality type also influences how they respond to coaching. There are various personality frameworks that you can use to understand your client's preferences, strengths, and weaknesses, such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, the DISC Model, or the Enneagram. By adapting to your client's personality type, you can build rapport, trust, and empathy with them. You can also adjust your coaching style and techniques to suit their personality type. For example, if your client is an introvert, you can give them more time and space to reflect and share their thoughts. If your client is an extrovert, you can encourage them to brainstorm and express their ideas.
Those who are not aware Myers Briggs Type Indicator categories every person into 16 personality types like introvert, extrovert, intuitive, thinker, judger etc. These are calculated based on some questionnaire!! DISC describe for main types: Dominance, Influence, consiousness, Steadiness. Enneagram focuses your deep motivations, desires and fears.
I’m an assessment advocate because the value is so high in using them. I utilize DiSC as well as the Working Genius. Allows me to understand how my client behaves (DiSC) and what types of work brings them joy (Working Genius). You’d be surprised at how this can help you go to great depths with your clients now that you have a greater understanding of them. Walking your client through debriefs provides high value too because results in paper don’t mean much. However, providing understanding is where the value is.
As a coach, adapting to an individual's personality type through subject mirroring can indeed create a sense of familiarity and rapport. However, it's equally vital to delve deeper and understand their values. By asking open questions that engage with their values, you can effectively support their learning style. This approach ensures that coaching aligns with their core beliefs and motivations, making the learning process more meaningful and impactful. It fosters a personalised connection, enhancing receptivity to guidance and ultimately contributing to more effective coaching outcomes.
One of the most important steps in customizing your coaching program is to co-create an action plan with your client. This means involving them in setting their goals, choosing their strategies, and measuring their progress. By co-creating their action plan, you can empower them to take ownership and responsibility for their coaching journey. You can also ensure that their action plan is realistic, relevant, and aligned with their values and vision. You can use tools such as the SMART Goal Framework, the Action Priority Matrix, or the Feedback Loop to co-create their action plan.
In short, you don't customize your coaching program for each client. Sounds rigid, but...this will provide major impact and results to your clients. Which is what they are seeking. Instead have a clear, proven framework for a specific niche of people/challenges you help them solve. Of course you adapt to personalities and styles but having a clear, proven structure and process will provide your clients the strong results they came to you for.
In my experience since my background is in Project Management, I approach an action plan for my mentees as a project plan and create a work breakdown structure. By doing so we can create micro wins which helps with motivation.
Finally, you need to review and adjust your coaching program regularly based on your client's feedback and results. This means checking in with them frequently, asking them what is working and what is not, and celebrating their achievements and learning. By reviewing and adjusting your coaching program, you can keep your client motivated, engaged, and accountable. You can also identify any gaps, challenges, or opportunities for improvement and make the necessary changes to optimize your coaching program. You can use tools such as the Progress Report, the SWOT Analysis, or the After Action Review to review and adjust your coaching program.
Based on my personal experience i would like to advocate the importance of celebrating even your little goals that will create marvelous wonders so keep celebrating your little achievements with your clients as this practice fosters a culture of continuous improvement, inspiring clients to outperform their own expectations.
As per me,the life coaching program for Clients should be have the following aspects : 1) Goal setting by dividing into several steps. 2) Deadline set for goal achieving each & every step. 3) Review from time to time on the progress. 4) Little progress towards goals should be appreciated & rejoiced. 5) Finally on achieving a goal,team needs to rejoice.
Absolute respect for clients' own ways of solving situations and approaching the solutions which may seem strange to us as individuals.
At its simplest its about listening and adjusting your language and style to match your client. Then evolve as you notice what is working best
Premièrement il sera basé sur mes expériences bien s?r Deuxièmement, fixer des objectifs Troisièmement, planifier et se préparer pour commencer à atteindre les objectifs Quatrièmement, commencer la mise en ?uvre en respectant le délai imparti afin qu'il n'y ait pas de laxisme dans l'exécution des taches assignées.
Mein Life-Coaching-Programm muss nicht "an meinen Kunden angepasst" werden. Denn ich gehe mit jedem Coachee individuell um. Allerdings habe ich eine Werkzeugkiste, aus der ich die Werkzeuge aussuche und entscheide wann ich sie anwende, so dass es zum Kunden passt. Ein Programm sollte kein starres Korsett sein, eher eine Art roter Faden, der Raum für intuitiven Zugang, aktuell entstehende Herausforderungen und ihre L?sung l?sst.
Encouraging clients to self-reflect to gain a better understanding of their thoughts, behaviours, and beliefs by using reflective questioning to explore their perspective would help not only in setting goals but also in reducing self-limiting beliefs. It also goes without saying that maintaining confidentiality and providing a safe space for open dialogue is paramount.