A Coaching Model Created by Frederick West III
(Spiritual Coach, UNITED STATES)
How different would your life be if there was a tool that helped you clearly define want you wanted…if this tool could help you determine how to get what you wanted with the greatest likelihood of success, and least amount of effort…while designed to incorporate full implementation and a new foundation for further growth anywhere in your life or business that you wanted it?
History of the I.D.E.A.S. Coaching Model:
I have been a fan of the continuous improvement philosophy since I first was exposed to it. It is hard to pinpoint the exact moment where it first entered my life, but I can remember it was deeply rooted from the Kaizen “good change” model facilitated after World War II, most notably by Dr. W. Edwards Deming. Even before I knew what coaching was, I adapted the continuous improvement models like the D.M.A.I.C Improvement Process in everything I did: sales, studies, and production. Tools like the Pareto Principle, the 5 Whys, and Charters became a crucial element in every project decision I made professionally, and I was never satisfied with taking action without clarified actions and intentions. Once I was finally exposed to the coaching world, however, my life literally changed. I cannot put in to words how excited I was to see that one of the core principles of coaching was not that there had to be something “wrong” with you, but instead, coaching was a vehicle to enhance life on all levels… sometimes bad to good, others good to excellent.
The reason I decided to develop the I.D.E.A.S. Coaching Model, is because I always felt that continuous improvement models like D.M.A.I.C, P.D.C.A, etc… lacked the most crucial element: provoking constant improvement. By their nature they were static, but based on their theory they should have been dynamic with constant evaluation and improvement. In addition, the majority of models dedicated most of their application to the clarity and planning stage, but very little (or none at all) to longevity and consistency.
Structure of I.D.E.A.S. Coaching Model
The I.D.E.A.S. model is made up of five phases, grouped into three different stages. The first stage is the “Clarity” stage that includes the “Intention” and “Decision” phases. The second stage is “Implementation”, which includes the phases “Enhancement” and “Anchor”. Our final stage is “Assessment” where we “Scrutinize” the anchored solution through continual data collection, evaluation, and probing for other opportunities of improvement. The reason for the coupling of the phases and stages is that during period of discernment, you can work within a stage between two phases, but should not transition to the next stage until the previous stage has been completed.
During the “Clarity” stage a client may move from “Intention” to “Decision”. However after some more clarity of the decision, the client may find themselves changing the “Intention” to something more reflective of their true wants or needs. With the change in “Intention” the client can make a more informed “Decision” on how to proceed to their result, and is ready to move to the “Implementation” stage. Without this space for discernment, a client may attempt to implement a psychology or strategy that is not reflective of their true intentions and may waste valuable time, money, and other resources.
During the ”Implementation” stage, a client has developed a plan they are confident will produce the result they want and is ready to put it into action. Any hesitation to take immediate action should have been handled in the previous stage, and should not be showing itself at this stage. During “Implementation” the client is focusing on “Enhancement” and “Anchoring”. The key at this stage is ensuring there are structures in place to cement the enhancements to get a true representation of whether it delivers the intention they want, but also that it provides the solid foundation from which to build on in the future.
The final stage is “Assessment”. During this stage, we move to the “Scrutinize” phase of our model, in which we assess the effectiveness of the implemented solutions, and explore other opportunities for enhancement. The key to this phase is the client asking themselves this question: “Has my intention been met to the point where I feel confidant and compelled to enhance it even further?” A “yes” answer is a go-ahead sign to proceed to the next level, or a different intention all together. A “no” answer will expose a previously unconsidered challenge or an unanchored enhancement. The reason for the placement of this step is the transitional properties of its intention. When a clock strikes midnight, something very deliberate and profound happens. 12:00.00 pm or 0:00.00 hours in military time, represents not only the end of one day, but also the beginning of another. It is at that moment closure –and at the same time curiosity– starts for the new day. So with this tool, “Scrutinize” plays the same role. Partially, this phase is to bring closure to the current intent, and reflect back on its successful completion. However, it also serves as the beginning of the next step to identify the next intent that will have the biggest gains for a client’s chosen life. It is a specific representation of a life of continuous improvement, because it provokes the new questions once the old ones are answered.