Coaching Model: The 5 Stepping Stone

A Coaching Model Created by Nadine Abdel Khalek
(Life Coach, LEBANON)

I choose the 5 stepping stone because you feel as if you are jumping from one stone to another, you are lighter, you are more aware. It will mirror back my whole coaching process that I am intending to use in my coaching sessions. This model is a general process that will be customized based on the client willingness and need. I would first like to talk about the role of the coach and the client in the coaching session; as there are two components in the coaching session: the process and the content.

The coach is in charge of the process and the client is in charge of the content. The process relates to areas such as creating safe space and supportive environment, asking specific questions, timekeeping, ensuring the client sets clear goals, strategies and actions, holding the client accountable and keeping the client focused. The content relates to choosing the area of focus for the coaching session, creating specific goals, strategies and actions as well as deciding the time frame.

The 5 coaching steps

Before starting any coaching session I find it very important to set some basics with your client. This will help you creating clarity and comfort to flow in your session. First I start by clearing the environment before starting the session; if it was a first session of coaching I will ask the client what he want to know about me. By initiating this conversation, the client will have a more concrete idea about the person behind the process. Then I will help the client to center by asking the client to share his wins or go through breathing exercise and some silent moments. Finally I create a safe space and establish trust (ICF competency).

1. Present in the moment:

The client current situation and his present moment. The first step varies from client to client depending on his awareness. If the client wanted to tackle a specific defined subject /incident or he is reflecting a more profound issue related to his values, beliefs and underlying beliefs.

Coach questions:

1. What do you want to focus today?
2. What is the challenge/issue, specifically
3. How do you know this is the case?
4. How does this impact yourself and others?
5. What is currently consuming most of your energy?
6. What was your inner dialogue in that situation?
7. What is holding you back?

2. Outcome & goal setting:

This stage will determine the client goal and is desired outcome. This is the most tangible part of the process. The client will articulate his goal, vision and purpose. It is the starting point of drawing the line that will allow the change to occur. Once stating the outcome the client will have a concrete example to reach his target.

Coach questions:

1. What do you want to achieve in this session?
2. What would make your time really valuable?
3. What support will you need?
4. What are the resources that you need?
5. How will you know when you have achieved your goal?
6. What will you see, hear, and feel?
7. How will this affect your life, family, business or job, friends?
8. What obstacles may prevent you from achieving your goal?
9. How would the perfect future look for you?
10. What would be most helpful for you to take away?

3. Recognize your feelings and intentions:

Explore and Investigate. This will unveil the client layers. It will help the client to reach a more profound understanding of the core issue. Diving into the client realm and digging into more depth. This step will give more insight if the client is aligned with his goal. It will reframe the client perspective.

Coach questions:

1. What are your feelings and intentions related to your goal?
2. What do you feel when you articulate this word?
3. What are you assuming that is stopping you achieving your goal?
4. What are the positive opposite words/phrases of your assumptions? (The coach will ask the client to make a sentence 
using the positive assumptions – new empowering language)
5. Using the new sentence, what ideas do you have to move forward? (Continue to ask the client for more until the list is 
exhausted… what else?)
6. Which ideas are the most relevant in achieving your goal?
7. How do you see your self once achieving this goal?
8. Where do you want to be?

4. Action and commitment:

Supporting the client to make choice from the possibilities to move ahead and deciding the next step. Helping the client to determine what action they will take. This is the stage where the client is aware of his actual state and the required effort to move forward, and his action will be aligned with his goals.

Coach questions:

1. What are you going to do?
2. When are you going to do it?
3. Rate on a scale of 1-10 how willing you are to move forward on 
action – what prevents if from being a 10?
4. What steps could you take immediately that could make a difference to your future?
5. Which obstacles may occur?
6. How will you resolve them?
7. What else you will do?

5. Sustainability & maintenance:

This is the final stage .The coach will review the awareness, choice made, action taken and focus on the progress. This will reinforce the steps taken and the added value. It is the format that the client will follow to sustain his progress.

Coach questions:

1. Which steps are already put into place?
2. What did you do that made change successful?
3. How do you feel with this new “you” / situation?
4. What is your daily routine now?
5. What is different now from before we started our coaching journey?
6. How will you maintain your actions / the changed situation?
7. What structures did you change / will you change to hold things in place?
8. What do you think will change next?

During the process the client is acknowledge and empowered for his awareness and decision making, as well I will encourage feedback from the client on what was helpful in the coaching process, what was difficult and what would like to be different in future coaching session.