Moves coachee from wanting to change to making a decision to change.
Client is encouraged to talk about their goals, dreams and plans for their life
Alignment – You and the client in clear agreement then you’re aligned. There is no hidden agenda; a clear vision; clear expectations; being transparent – don’t overpromise.
Avoid an underlying perspective for selling. The perspective should be ‘what will be the best support for the prospective client.
Choice: Big picture vs one issue
Preliminary questions begin the enthusing process. “What do you want to achieve or leave from this session?”
Reflections
Finding perspective clients:
* Peer coaches
* Use contacts in another industry
* Send an email to give a complimentary session. Be excited!
We need clarity and transparency
Questions to enthuse
* Are you happy with where you are?
* Is there anything you would have done different in your life?
* Can you imagine an hour where we can talk just about you?
* What plans do you have?
* If you had an extra day in the week what would you spend it on?
Pretend you’re the first coach on the planet and don’t have a perspective of trying to get it right. Write 1 – 4 objectives for your trials session. What do you want to achieve by the end of the session? What is an outcome you want? What is an outcome your prospective client might want?
Objectives:
* Established a rapport and a solid professional relationship
* Establish a picture of where the client is at – I have a basic outline of his/her story
* I am beginning to understand some key client priorities; dreams ; goals we may explore further
* The client clearly understands my expectations and standards
My Trial Session:
How would it work?
1. We would meet face to face with an email to follow up. (The email would recap the key issues, lesson learnt and the steps forward, short and long term).
2. We’ll meet for an hour. My objective is to give you the very best. There’ll be no obligations. If, I’m not suitable then I’ll recommend another coach.
4. We’ll begin by discovering who you are, what’s important to you and your real priorities. This will be, to some extent, introspective and will most likely take the whole trial session.
What would it look like?
1. I smell coffee and a delicious cake! We’ve found space to do life without phone calls; job commitments; family commitments. We’re chilled out, relaxed and ready to have some fun!
2. I explain, in more detail, what coaching is about and the overall process involved. I outline to you the objective of the trial session: For me to understand your story and to identify areas in your life that are important to you.
3. Me and you are having a conversation (not a questions and answers session!) but I’m doing most of the listening. I am absolutely intent on listening to your whole story – your perspective on your life.
4. I am identifying opportunities to ask questions linked to your response. It is conversational, in style.
5. I offer alternative perspectives and ask challenging questions to help you reflect on who you are and what’s important to you, now.
6. You construct a ‘wheel of life’ (or some other tool). You identify 6 – 8 areas in your life that are important to you. I do not offer you any list to choose from – it’s up to you! Of course, I may give you a couple of examples to begin the process. eg's Purpose / Spirituality / Job / Health / Self Care / Finances / Relationships / Lifestyle The wheel of life is likle a pie chart with each segment representing the most important pillars of your life.
7. You will have the first attempt at prioritising your ‘wheel of life’ with my support, if necessary.
8. At the end of the trial session, I ask you for feedback.
9. I ask you if you have found the process enlightening, insightful and / or helpful. If a positive response, I ask you if you’d like to schedule a month of coaching sessions. Homework (fieldwork): Consider 3 goals for the top 3 areas of your life.
10. I am not pushy nor do I say anything that in any way sounds like a sales pitch.
In the follow up sessions:
11. Confirm the areas of importance and confirm the priority of their importance to you.
12. We confirm the goals to achieve in 1 to 3 primary areas of your life. We’ll discuss generally, how some may be short and some long term goals.
13. We begin to break down broad goals into smaller realistic achievable (S.M.A.R.T.) steps
14. Once you make a decision to take action, I support it 110% and enthuse you to actually take the necessary steps.
15. At the start of each session, I always ask you which area of your life you’d like to be coached. You are always in control of the process.
16. I affirm your successes, and offer accountability; I am a partner travelling the journey with you.
Comments on the suggested Course outline:
1. Set a perspective, by asking questions to help the client understand what they can get out of the trial session. eg what do you want to achieve in this session?
I have to confess that I am not entirely convinced of this first step. How can you ask a client what they want from coaching when they know very little about the process in the trial session? Certainly, this question could be used in subsequent sessions. Rather, I would prefer a coach led introduction describing the objectives and general processes to be used in the trial session.
2. Get a vision: What would you like to have, achieve, see or feel? By when? Prioritise goals
The vision is obviously key to the whole process in the trial – What are the clients dreams. This may take the whole trial session! The goals, at this point, will most likely need much refining in the immediate sessions that follow. Also, the timeframe may only be very general (short / long) in the trial session.
3. Help them see a path: Identify some of the key necessary steps
In my view, steps will need to be for one specific area of the coachees life as an example.
4. Highlight why a coach is needed by asking questions like:
- What’s missing in your life?
- People use coaching for different things: for support, accountability, direction, focus, validation, challenge and motivation. How do you think coaching could help you.
5. Uncover any hidden objections (doubts)
- is there anything missing that you need to know about me. How I coach or who I am, for you to decide if it makes sense for us to work together?
6. Commitment to ongoing coaching by using pre-commitment questions such as:
- How important is this goal to you?
- How far are you willing to go to achieve this goal
Do not leave the session without extending an invitation to regular coaching unless you’re sure they’re unsuitable.
7, Working with new clients – admin needs to be taken care of such as contact information; the suitable time slot; welcome pack emailed or posted; payment instructions; fun fieldwork (homework)
Yes, important though not always top of mind to do!
8. Feedback from the client
- how do you feel about us working together?
- Are there any concerns at all you might have about coaching that you would like to talk about right now?
Yes, a good idea
Why should I invest my time and money in this?
You’ll:
* discover things about yourself you didn’t already know that sometimes can be an obstacle to your growth
* establish a bigger vision for your life
* appreciate yourself better as well as others
* be excited about life and it’s opportunities
* avoid being a “when …. then I will….” person
* have fun and enjoy your life’s journey
* you’ll walk down paths understanding obstacles will happen but are an opportunity to learn
* develop strategies to be an overcomer of life’s obstacles
* have more fulfilling relationships
* want to be with dynamic people like you!
* grow / change
* make better decisions
* achieve your goals
* take more, smarter and better actions
* have a balanced life – material vs spiritual vs physical health vs lifestyle vs career vs family life etc
* have more energy in your life
What are two advantages for inviting someone to do a month of coaching versus a trial session? What are the disadvantages?
advantages:
* Demonstrates commitment through investment of $’s and time
* Better able to demonstrate beneficial results of coaching
disadvantages
*Disincentive for people who are in the ‘curious’ stage. They want to find out some more about coaching without having to make any significant commitment
*Commitment is made before both coach and client can determine whether they are compatible.
ten probing questions used when searching for the goal, or dream, that excites and inspires the client. ( “What is one thing you would love to change in your life?”)
1. What is the goal or outcome you want to achieve? Or as an alternate: If you could wave a magic wand and this issue would be settled to your satisfaction, what would that look like?
2. What will happen/what are the consequences if you don't do this?
3. What are the obstacles in your way right now?
4. How will you feel once this is complete?
5. What structures do you need to put in place to enable you to achieve your goal?
6. Make a list of 5 people that you most admire and describe why you like them. What are the attributes that you want to make your own?
7. Imagine you have 12 months to live! What would you do with your life?
8. Let’s play ‘when, then’ – write down a list of ambitions you have on hold until ‘such and such’ happens. eg When I’m rich, I’ll establish my own business.
9. If you had an extra hour in the day what would you do with it?
10. What are you tolerating/putting up with? If you knew there was absolutely no way you could fail what would you go do right now?
List five major concerns or objections you expect people may have about setting up ongoing coaching. Create an honest response which will Enthuse your prospective client.
1. They may not always have the time
2. It cost too much
3. They don’t feel comfortable with the coach
4. They believe they already know everything and are doing everything they could possibly do now.
5. Vulnerability / confidential / gossip
6. Fear of a sales pitch
My honest response could be that they will not be as successful in achieving their goals and many areas of their life may remain stagnant without the structures eg accountability; enthusing and direction a coach can offer. I’d ask if they were prepared to not achieve their goals in life. However, I would have promised that this would be a no obligations session. Therefore, I would be very careful not to push the ‘Amway’ guilt trip.
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