A Coaching Model Created by Marika Gillis
(Executive Coach, BELGIUM)
The sticky-note as metaphor
The sticky-note has been chosen as a metaphor because it is:
- Transferrable: you can easily switch the different steps and follow a different order. The coaching process is not a linear structure. The steps aren’t sequential.
- Eye-catching: they are made to catch your attention, to remind you to stay on track, to keep you focused, motivated and alert. They can support you and help you being committed. Writing catchwords, reminders on them may trigger motivation and action.
- For office & private use: they are flexible throughout space as well. You can put them where you need them: in your work-life and private-life. On your computer, fridge, mobile, handbag, mirror in bathroom, baby stroller, dashboard, gym bag, laptop, locker, bedside table…
- Stick-able: you will discover new insights and tools that will enhance your life. My coaching is based on independency. The newly learned tools will become part of your life and will stick. You will have the skills to take it from there.
- Flexible: like a post-it, you will be able to use and adjust the newly learned tools to different situations
- Integrated: a post-it is part of our daily lives, an object most of us are familiar with. My intention is for you to be able to use the newly learned skills as being a part of your routine. The effects of coaching will still be there even after the coaching relationship has ended.
- Brain stimulating: post-its provide much needed visual anchors.
- Great for making action plans: you can add on “things to do”, remove things done…
- Fun: come in different sizes, shapes and colors. Great for brainstorming, wide idea-generating and sparking your creativity! Coaching is fun!
The 6 essentials to a transformed you: POSTIT/OSITTP/POSITT
Positive Psychology
The “Making It Stick” model is infused with traits, findings and assessments of Positive Psychology and Strengths-based coaching.
This means that the coaching process will evolve around positive interventions. We will investigate what goes well and what skills you use when you are at your best. The purpose is to find out what your innate strengths are and to leverage them. This approach does not mean that we ignore weaknesses or advocate only looking at strengths.
We recognize negative emotions, problems and other setbacks as natural and important aspects of life and we will address weaknesses – a boat with a hole will sink. However, we will shine our spotlight on your strengths. A boat without a sail will not move efficiently.
A strengths-based approach is based on the scientific foundation of positive psychology. A science rooted in statistical tests, validated questionnaires and thorough research.
The 6 essential elements of my model are: personal, objectives, situation, traction, insight and transformed. These phases do not need to be followed in that order. It is clearly a non-linear coaching process. An element will be investigated depending on where you are in the coaching process. Going back and forth between these phases is part of the process.
P – Personal
The coaching process evolves around you. I take you seriously! YOU TRULY MATTER. You are not looked at as “the client” in a transactional way.
Each person is unique and so is each coaching session. A “custom-made” approach in coaching means that the process is co-created by you and me whereby you are driving the process and the coach is navigating alongside you.
This is why I offer a 30-minute discovery session to you. Rapport, trust and connection are important to move forward. Here we can find out if there is a foundation for connectedness.
Our coaching sessions offer a personal space for you. Openness and trust are key elements in my practice. There is no room for judgment. You can speak freely and let your thoughts and ideas flow. You can be assured that what is said during the sessions is kept in complete confidentiality. You can count on me for support, guidance, honest feedback, …
For you to move forwards, we will look into what motivates you, drives you, how you like to be supported. It is all about you!
O – Objective(s)
This is a fun, deep-digging and enlightening phase.
We will look into your objective(s). What do you want? What is it you would like to achieve? How do you perceive success? What does the finishing-line look like? Think wide!
We will look at the behavior you want to change and structure this as a goal.
Then, your goals will be looked at more closely. We will check them against criteria regarding its specificity, attainability and relevancy to your life in general. Will reaching this goal be serving YOU? Is the goal extrinsic, challenging enough, avoidance-driven? How can we make sure it is a goal of value to you? Is what you want to do next in life truly you? Here you will gain insight into the ecology of your goal and eventually re-set your objective to an approach-driven, intrinsic, challenging one.
Goals will be then be defined in such a way that you will know when you have reached them.
S – Situation
Once your goal(s) have been set, we will determine where you are in respect to your goal(s). We will look into your current situation.
Who are you? What are you doing? What are the circumstances you are dealing with? Important is that we have clarity on your whole self. You come to the coaching with all of your skills and strengths. They are important for you to reach your objectives. Questions asked may be: When are you at your best? What makes you feel strong? What do you love to do? What are you good at? What engages your attention?
We will also unearth the gaps you may have and see what you still need to learn or what issues need to be addressed. What are the obstacles you are having right now? What is not do-able?
You do have a lot of resources and knowledge. We will examine what resources will be helping you.
Having an idea on how you see yourself achieve your goal, what your beliefs are, how you perceive the situation, what your values and beliefs are, is what is worked on in this stage. What do you think is necessary? How do you see yourself? What is working for you? What is going well?
Since learning is involved in the coaching process, we will find out what learning styles and techniques are effective for you. How do you communicate? What is working for you? What makes you feel strong? What do you love to do?
T – Traction
Anything that needs being done or needs change requires some sort of action. This step will take you into the action-zone. You are finally starting to get traction and move into action.
Your wheels are getting hold of the surface and you get going. From using up your energy without reaching your goal to using your energy effectively.
Here we will co-create a structure and design an action plan. Larger goals will be narrowed down into smaller steps. We will set up a work-able plan.
To keep having traction and remain in action, it is important to look into obstacles along the way. Mistakes, unhelpful beliefs, not being focused…could be potential hurdles. Just because we hit an obstacle doesn’t mean that the game is over. How can we overcome them? What are your fears? What is holding you back? And foremost, what have you learned form these obstacles? What new ideas can you create in order to overcome the obstacles?
You will also need the energy and the right motivation to keep moving. We will brainstorm what makes you going and how I can best support and motivate you in the long run. We will celebrate your wins, overcome hurdles and have fun! Balancing out effort and pleasure!
I – Insights
This stage is where positive insights are gained. You may have beliefs that are not serving you and are limiting and not serving you in your life. These situations are mostly perceived as negative experiences.
Here’s where working with a coach can help. Why? Because it’s hard to have an outside, or even different perspective of where you stand in regards to your goals.
I will inspire you to you see things differently through powerful coaching. You will start seeing situations in a different light. You will get insights into matters that were opaque and blurred before. You will see new possibilities that contribute to the achievements of your goals.
You reframe. In doing so, you can find alternative ways of getting where you want.
Being at this turning point will help launch you in a positive direction. Oftentimes, this is called an “AHA”-moment. Learning is what happens in this stage. The obstacle has been taken away and the road to your goal is open.
T – Transformed
You did it! You have reached your goal! We will celebrate this feat as we will celebrate every small step along the way!
You have gone through an enriching learning and change-process and feel energized, uplifted and fulfilled.
You have learned to be accountable for yourself, to reframe limiting beliefs, to act according to your strengths and values, to think more positively…
You have gained traction and taken action. You have learned to overcome doubt, fear and in the process have become more confident. You have learned from obstacles along the way and have reached your goal!
You will have made the tools you learned stick! Well done!!!