A Coaching Model Created by Bogdan Vizitiu
(Leadership & Youth Coach, ROMANIA)
Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. – Viktor Frankl.
Introduction
Coaching is “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential (ICF, n.a.)”.
The keyword in the definition is partnering. Coaches do not act like experts – even when they have experience or education in that regard, but as thinking partners focused on helping clients use their creativity and resources to see beyond their blocking points and solve their own problems.
People need to feel seen, valued, and heard to have the desire to grow. In this space, their creativity is activated, and they are safe to explore the blocks feeling empowered.
If we are trying to be someone else, we won’t be happy with the results we get. But when we fine-tune our lives and navigate through the debris, we can recognize who we are with ease to it: like the perfect pair of jeans, or shirt, or somewhere you always wanted to live. And if we pay attention to our emotions and our body, we will recognize it when we find it.
The LIVES Coaching Model was designed like a journey to find purpose and the motivation to search for the true-self and our inner light.LIVES is a 5-step coaching process that helps the clients look and work towards their objective and reconnecting with themselves.
Lifeline:
In the first step, we look at the objective or the challenge. The client explores what is that they like to do, what is fun and meaningful for them, or what they liked the most in a situation or life in general. What did they learn from those situations and from milestones or landmarks they remember clearly that are associated with strong feelings and further in the next steps of the journey we can explore how can they use that learning in the present situation. Wheel of Life is a great tool to use here and to pair it with the results of the interest areas from the lifeline.
Introspection:
Starting with the client desired outcome, invite them to explore what new actions or perspective shifts might be needed to discover possible solutions. How can new awareness help learn new things about yourself?
Values:
In this step, the coach explores the values of the client and their importance. Coaching is used to achieve any goal or change any behavior. The goals that bring them closer to their purpose will be the most satisfying. What is the foundation that the client can build upon and how are the client values connected to the objective of the session? What are his or her values and where do we start? We can start by inviting the client to engage in a value exercise, (value game, dinner exercise, DeMartini value model, VIA Strengths, etc) breathe naturally, and meditate on their purpose or visualizing it.
Emotions:
In this step, the coach shares observations for the client to consider where the gap is between the current situation and the desired one. How can emotions help the client reconnect with the true self, and how can I use them as beacons or signals in the body. (when a value impinges, or the gut is trying to tell the client something.).We know that we do not respond to the present moment; we respond to what happened to us in the past.
Shine:
After understanding what kept them from moving forward, the client should be able to look at the situation from a different perspective. The client can reframe and give life to the opposite of what happened. When reframing we become the source of creation and we cease to be a victim becoming empowered and unafraid.
We may not be responsible for the world that created our minds, but we can take responsibility for the mind with which we create our world. Dr. Gabor Mate
Resources:
Gabor Mate – Compassionate Inquiry
Marcia Reynolds – Coach the person, not the problem
Viktor Frankl – Man search for meaning
ICA – Values and Life Purpose
Wheel of life, de Martini, Values game, Visualization, meditation, VIA Strengths