The CATALYSE

A Coaching Model By Margit Takacs, Change and Culture Coach, SWITZERLAND

The CATALYSE Model in Coaching Support

Action is the catalyst that creates accomplishments. It is the path that takes us from uncrafted hopes to realized dreams. Thomas Henry Huxley

Have you ever felt stuck with what you are aspiring to do? We might call it procrastination; we might call it “we don’t have enough time” but somehow those crucial steps towards achieving our goal are not taken and we feel flabbergasted for not seeing progress. Being ready to take action for growth and unlock your potential with energy and inspiration is what a catalyst can help you with.

Coaching is a form of collaboration that takes place between the coach and the client, on the basis of mutual trust and rapport. It means regular discussions to explore the client’s aspirations and identify ways to get closer to making these a reality, hence reaching his or her full potential. The CATALYSE model helps people find the inner energy and fuel to pursue what they are aiming to achieve.

As a change & culture professional with over 20 years of experience from around the world, I stand for catalyzing change without borders. I believe that once we manage to challenge our boundaries, stretch ourselves to what we are capable of accomplishing in life, and extend our dreams, one step at a time we can get closer to what we are looking for. As I engage in discussions with clients, colleagues, family, and friends and we explore areas to improve in life, one of my favorite questions is “what are you going to do about it?”. I believe that at times we all tend to stay with ideas and dreams, but we need to take a moment to define what steps we need to take to get started on the journey. As I have coached and mentored people from diverse cultural, professional, and personal backgrounds, I have learned that we can unlock our potential, but sometimes we just need a little “nudge” to help us move forward. This is why I have chosen to be a catalyst coach.

My coaching model is called CATALYSE because, as defined by the Cambridge Dictionary^[1], it is:

• to make a chemical reaction happen or happen more quickly, and
• to make something start happening or start being successful.

I believe that my coaching clients can take the driver’s seat to CATALYSE their journey towards success by engaging in “me time” through coaching, and I act as a catalyst who accompanies them along the way.

My target audience is 30-50-year-old middle and senior management professionals who are keen to excel and grow both personally and professionally. They are proud of what they have achieved already, they appreciate people and factors enabling them to succeed to date and they want to keep building on this success, together. They are socially conscious, aware, and always consider the emotional, mental, and business impact of their actions. They have the answers within themselves, yet in the swirl of everyday pressures, they need a little “me time” to consider how they could sustainably continue on their journey. They need a space with no judgment that allows them the chance for self-exploration, thought-provoking, and challenging conversations. They are driven, and determined and want to CATALYSE their journey to continued success.

		Possible questions
C	Clarify your aspiration	What are you aspiring to achieve? Why is it important to you? How would you know you have achieved it? What would it feel like?
A	Assess your ‘as-is’ and your ‘to-be’ reality	Where are you today? Where would you like to be/ to get to as you live that aspiration? What could come your way to slow you down or block you on your journey ahead? How will they serve you (or not)? What drives you to want to fill the gap between your ‘as-is’ and your ‘to-be’? What are the key areas to address to start filling the gap? Which one(s) would need to be first addressed?
T	Tap talents	When are you at your best? What is your “magical power” that people have acknowledged? What strengths do you want to tap on to achieve your aspiration? How will you use them to fill the gap to get to your ‘to-be’?
A	Activate	What could you do to get closer to where you want to be? What else? What else?  Which one(s) would move you forward the most?
L	Launch	What would you need to do first? How will it make you feel to have taken the first steps?
Y	Yield	What will be your quick wins? How will you leverage the energy you get from those quick wins?
S	Sustain	Who can support you along the way? How can they support you? How will you/ them keep you accountable to stay on your path?
E	Evolve	What have you learned about yourself in today’s coaching discussion? How can you apply this learning in other parts of your life? How will you celebrate your progress and keep going?

Catalyzing the client’s path to success is not about speeding but evolving gradually, in a self-initiated manner through actions that will get them to reach their aspirations.

References

[1] The Cambridge Dictionary Online. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/catalyse. Retrieved on 30 May 2022.