A Coaching Model created by Leni Mathews
(Executive Coaching, INDIA)
My Coaching Model – EMPOWERS is based on a few essentials, that I believe, lays the foundation and threshold to optimize the outcomes of the coaching process. As we are all a work in progress, coaching in my view is more a journey in life where the destination is always being arrived at.
The essentials of my model is based on preparing the self as a coach and engaging the client; being present to the clients purpose; exploring and understanding the client ; discovering clients dreams and potentials; reframing the clients perspectives and emotions to facilitate self awareness for the client; and energizing clients commitment to enable sustained desired results or outcomes.
This is addressed in the following model as:
Please find attached the visual of this model in the form of an eight sided star that engages all the colors of the rainbow. I believe that the coaching threshold draws from all of life’s experiences and colors. It also enables the coach to dance with all of his/her natural colours to facilitate the best coaching outcomes for the client. The star in the model moves in a clockwise direction, suggesting a constant journey which at any given time could be the destination.
E3 – Engage, Enthuse, Elicit
1. Engage:
Be your centered, calm self – Initiate yourself to engage.
As life happens to all of us, we need to be aware that in order to stop interference of any kind, we may need to engage with rituals or structures that help us be centered so that we enable ourselves to be 100% present as a coach.
2. Engage:
Connect to your coaching purpose – To facilitate the highest coaching outcome.
Personally I have found, if there is any nervous tension or physical / logistical discomfort, asking oneself “why I am doing what I am doing, as a coach, can bring to being an inner focus and intent that is like a compass pointing north inside. It will facilitate the deep intuitive insight that every coach hopes for to facilitate value for the client.
3. Engage:
client’s context – Hold the client’s context – world – the space within which he/she exists and create rapport.
This means that some homework needs to be done, before starting the coaching sessions, finding out about the clients profile and background especially if one is engaged with Executive Coaching. Also in the corporate context there needs to be transparency and alignment agreed between all stakeholders on the desired outcomes for the client and the sponsor. For all coaching, as a foundational aspect for creating a non threatening space, this is also where the intent of confidentiality has to be expressed and established.
4. Enthuse:
the client with positive energy from his/her profile and also from the here and now celebration of the space.
Self disclosure of one’s own brief background and profile could also add to the comfort and enthusiasm of engagement in the coaching process. Commonality, humour, similar motivations and cultural contexts can all build on and celebrate rapport with client. Enthusing rapport in a coaching context is extremely essential to facilitate trust. Trust is the threshold within which coaching works. Hence enthusiasm, empathy and rapport should actually be an ongoing coaching climate and culture to always work with.
5. Elicit
the dialogue / concern / issue the client wants to engage with.
Get the client to elaborate the what, why, how, when where, whom etc questions about the issue at hand that the client brings forth. Let the client share all of this with no interruptions from you. Just ensure that all key aspects are mentally or if need be physically taken note of.