Coaching Model: Focused Growth

A Coaching Model Created by Heather King
(Executive Coach, INDIA)

My model represents my desire to be a “spring board” towards focused growth for my clients. The “spring” represents the coaching process and the journey that the client and the coach are a part of. The arrow represents a trajectory of forward growth and the ability of the client to keep moving in that direction. I have created a visual that represents the client starting with a coach, moving through the process with the coach, and then moving on autonomously after the coaching process comes to an end. As a coach, I support my clients in gaining the tools, skills, awareness of values, and belief shifts that they need to keep moving forward once they are focused on where and how they want to grow.

The elements of my model include:

1. Coaching Agreement: My trial session includes a discussion about expectations for the coaching sessions, and culminates in a written agreement signed by the client and the coach. This agreement, an important part of establishing clear expectations from the beginning, includes information about confidentiality, length and number of sessions, cost and payment information, and dates and times for sessions. No less important at this initial stage of coaching is to establish rapport with clients, helping them feel safe and cared for.
2. Explore Values and Beliefs: At the beginning of a coaching journey, it is very helpful to support a client in clarifying their values and beliefs. This facilitates their ability to focus their growth in core areas. As a coach, I use active listening, powerful questions, reframing perspectives, and feedback to assist the client during this process.
3. Identify Goals and Action Plan: Once a client is clear on their values and beliefs, they can concentrate on identifying goals and creating action plans to reach those goals. As a coach, in addition to active listening, powerful questions and feedback, I also provide the client tools and resources to assist them during this process.
4. Explore Barriers and Identify Structures: Once the goals have been identified and the action plan established, it is important for the client to become aware of the obstacles they may face and to establish helpful structures to successfully reach their goals. Again, as a coach I use powerful questions, active listening, and feedback to support them. I provide a safe place for clients to increase their self-awareness and learn to get rid of unhelpful structures in their lives, replacing them with those that will support them.
5. Accountability and Celebration: Throughout the coaching process, the client benefits from a coach’s encouragement and acknowledgement. I keep my clients focused on the goals they establish and encourage them to keep moving forward on them. I also enthuse them and celebrate the steps they are taking toward reaching those goals. Some of the tools I find most helpful include energizing, self-management, commitment verses trying, responsibility versus blaming, trust versus doubt, and action versus delay.
6. Focused Growth: The final element of my model is the focused growth that the client gains, and continues to experience as a result of the coaching process. When clients gain self-awareness and fully engage in the coaching process, they gain the focus and the tools to be able to continue their growth journey.