Do Coaching Models enhance or limit the calibre of our services to clients?
Cherri Forsyth
Be clever with your emotions. Navigate your way through both your professional and personal life with ease, when you increase your Emotional Intelligence.Find out more??
As Coaches, are we too stuck in using models to help our clients, when maybe a broader enquiry may serve our clients better? I trained through a company that doesn't propose any specific models at all. So when I became aware of the many models available I became quite overwhelmed and thought there was a huge part of the coaching world that I lacked training in. Over the years I have become familiar with many of the coaching models and have found them very helpful. But can we slide into a position where we fit our clients into a model, because it is familiar territory- and we lose opportunities to maybe explore other avenues?
In other words, what I am asking is this: do we become complacent because we can use models-rather than entering uncertain territory which is not governed by the certainty of the models? Do our minds become a little closed off because the use of models limits our ability to think divergently?
Alternatively does the use of models enhance our coaching because we can tap into tried and tested processes that we know work well? And we can confidently step off the foundation laid by the models into unexplored territory?
I would love to hear what you think?
Retired
2 年Great question Cherri. It is something I have been pondering, but don't have any answers as yet
Transformative Life and Confidence Coach - Empowering professionals who struggle with self-confidence to develop their skills, achieve career success, and find personal fulfillment
2 年Great question, Cherri - No, I don't think we must become complacent about the benefits of models. It should only be a tool when it can benefit the client. We still need to maintain the curiosity and dip that little bit deeper to help our clients get to where they want to go and get their own clarity and answers.
Partner at Braveheart
2 年Hi Cherri. Thanks for your thought provoking article. For me the issue with Coaching Models is that it means that the coach is thinking about their model whilst listening to the client as opposed to listening to the client. It assumes that the model is what is going to get the client where they need to go rather than the much more (in my view) liberating and client centric view that the client is perfectly intelligent enough to get themselves where they want and need to go if they are given an environment that encourages their intelligence and provides what Carl Rogers would have called "unconditional positive regard". I think Coaching Models make us "conditional" listeners - hence the overwhelm you talked about. What do you think?