How do you navigate conflicting coaching goals and outcomes?

Alignment, is a must! My approach involves helping the coachee discover their 'North Star', their ultimate source of joy and fulfillment. Clients often realize their held beliefs may not truly be theirs, opening space for understanding their origin and discovering their authentic beliefs. Many remain unaware of the impediments holding them back. I specialize in revealing and addressing these blockages. It's exhilarating to witness the transformation, some clients have had breakthroughs in just 40 minutes, solving puzzles they've wrestled with for over many years. Once addressed I’m able to quickly remove them and send them off to concur the world!??

Assessing the conflict thoroughly is crucial in coaching. Understanding its root causes, involved parties, and impacts helps you tailor your approach. Identifying differing priorities, values, or perspectives aids in formulating effective strategies for resolution. By being well-informed, you can provide valuable guidance, enhance your coaching relationship, and foster positive outcomes for your client's performance, growth, and well-being.

Without alignment on goals, there is no engagement. Spend as much time as needed to assess and find out everything you need to coach the other person. I use the SMART(ER) acronym all the time and for good reason, it works. There's no need to overcomplicate the model. The real work comes as you the coach doing your due diligence to ensure it's a good fit and that there's a real possibility of your coaching services supporting this individual. Without the goals established, you will be hard-pressed to cultivate any sustainable trust or consistent measurable forward action.

As a coach, I believe in empowering my clients to explore various avenues for conflict resolution. Together, we assess the potential scenarios and outcomes of each option, carefully considering the implications on their values and goals. We weigh the pros and cons, risks and benefits, ensuring the chosen path aligns with their needs. Engaging in this process not only enhances their decision-making abilities but also fosters a positive coaching environment, promoting growth and mutual understanding among all parties involved. By encouraging open dialogue and critical thinking, I support my clients in taking confident and well-informed actions to resolve conflicts effectively.

In my coaching practice, effective communication is paramount. I emphasize the importance of respectful and honest expression while offering constructive feedback to my clients and other involved parties. Active listening, coupled with empathy, allows me to understand their concerns and perspectives without judgment. I encourage my clients to manage emotions, assumptions, and biases, fostering a positive atmosphere for negotiation, compromise, and collaboration. By instilling these skills, we pave the way for win-win solutions, building rapport, understanding, and trust to prevent and resolve conflicts effectively.

Supporting your clients throughout the coaching process should be coaches a top priority. You should always focus on helping them build their skills, knowledge, and confidence, guiding them towards their goals. Providing encouragement, feedback, and accountability along the process empowers them to stay committed to their journey. Personally, I challenge them to push beyond their limits, unlocking their true potential. Celebrating their successes and learning from failures fosters their resilience and growth. Through unwavering support a coach has the opportunity to foster a positive and productive coaching relationship, ensuring their motivation, engagement, and satisfaction are at their peak. Now who wouldn't want that?

Not all coaching engagements will go as planned so plan for that. In the end, assuming you have already aligned on goals, milestones and measurements for the journey, you should have the info to support guiding you through your reflection. That said, there is one key skill t that all coaches should do and that is taking session notes. I often hear of coaches struggling to remember what happened on a call. There's no reason for this to happen. With technology today, you can record, voice-to-text or some other way to record your sessions. Just make sure you get your coachees permission and alignment first.

Are the goals really conflicting? What if they are connected below the surface? It works to go below the goals and see if there is a connection there and if the connection is the ‘real’ goal. Checking assumptions around goals adds value to the client

As an executive coach, I recognize the complexities of navigating conflicting coaching goals. My priority is to uphold professional integrity and ethical standards while supporting my client's growth. Open communication is vital, in discussing misalignments with transparency and respect. I strive to understand all perspectives, seeking common ground for resolution. Tailoring coaching plans to address both client and organizational needs ensures progress without compromising values. By applying these strategies, I maintain a strong coaching relationship while helping clients achieve their objectives in a manner that benefits all parties involved.