A Coaching Model Created by Nawal Bendefa
(Career Coach, SINGAPORE)
Uncover the Unique You, unleash your Talents and expand your Potential by Nawal Bendefa
I have always been attracted by systematic analysis. Fascinated by the systems and the way they are linked to each other. I have always wanted to see the whole process instead of pieces and details. I learned later that my most clear preference is Intuition as defined by MBTI (Myers Briggs Time Indicator) : Pepole who prefer Intuition like to take information by seeing the big picture, focusing on relationships and connections between facts. They want to grasp patterns and are especially attuned to seeing new possibilities.
When I was a teenager I read The Macroscope by Joel de Rosnay published in 1979. It was considered at that time as an excellent, easy to read introduction to cybernetics and systems thinking, with applications to living organisms, the economy and the world as a whole.
The main takeaway that sticks to my mind is that the systems should be looked at as a whole and not only as separated pieces. The big picture reveals interactions, links and influences, as well as endless possibilities.
When I started thinking about my coaching model, I asked myself a question :
Who Am I Coaching?
The answer came naturally as : I am coaching a human being with great potential and unique talents with core values, needs, shoulds, wants, conditioning, frustrations, dreams, desires and so many other hidden feelings and aspirations.
This is why my coaching model is aligned with the idea of the Macroscope. When I coach my clients I see myself as a Macroscope exploring the systems and their interactions from above.
The client might prefer a magnifier, I will support him looking into the details. In the meantime, my role as a coach is to bring the big picture, the potential, the possibilities and the wide vision to the session in order to unleash the potential and open doors and windows to various perspectives.
My experience as a coach brings another perspective to my coaching model by introducing the idea of the art. Coaching is an art, an art of unlocking the client’s potential in a unique way.
How?
The answer is in the UTP Coaching model
This model is the result of my personal experience and my readings and sharing with clients, friends and colleagues. It encompasses the essence of well-known models and theories that inspired me a lot during my journey as a client and a coach : Solution focused techniques, Positive psychology, GROW, Global Coaching and Universal Integrated Framework.
Step One: Witness
The coach open the space for the client to share what’s in his mind and to clear his thinking.
By creating a trustful and safe environment, the coach encourages him to “let it out of his chest” without urging him with questions.
The client will use his unique way of relating the story, context, interactions and feelings and the coach will be there to listen and witness with no judgment and no interferences
Skills: Creating trust, listening, being present and allowing time for silence and reflection.
Questions: how do you feel about it? What was your reaction ? Who is involved? Can you tell me more about it?
Step Two: Explore and set the goals
Time for the coach to step in and wrap-up the situation in order to mirror it to the client and encourage his comments.
Time to explore the goals, define success and set the intentions vs the expectations while identifying possible barriers and problems.
Goals could be assessed by the SMART process in order to make sure they are realistic, achievable and aligned with the client’s vision and values.
Skills: Listening with the client for possibilities, inspirations and dreams. Acknowledging the client’s achievement and his desire of making a change.
Questions: Where are you now? – Where do you want to go? – What are your biggest doubts or reservations? What holds you back?
Step Three: Discover UTP and Generate possibilities
UTP stands for Unique Talent and Potential.
It is a self-awareness moment in the client’s life when he could name his strengths and embrace them.
During this exploration, the coach enthuses the client and moves him out of the “weaknesses area” by exploring the strengths and areas of development to help him open his positive and confident thinking. He holds the space for the client in order to generate new possibilities and encourages the “out of the box thinking”.
Skills: Appreciative inquiry, reframing perspective, powerful questions
Questions: what were the strengths you called upon that helped you overcome difficulties in the past? What works well in this situation? What strengths could you use now for this situation? What are your 3 greatest strengths and how are you using them in your life? What’s possible? If you had a magic wand, how would you change the situation? What would try now if you knew you could not fail?
Step Four: Macrotise and prioritise
After exploring what’s possible, it is time for the client to identify what’s important and urgent in order clarify the priorities and put his energy in the right place.
The client could use the Macroscope to see the interactions between the 6 essential perspectives (P. Rozinski, Global Coaching) and re-assess the situation :
Spiritual, cultural, political, psychological, managerial and physical.
The Macroscope is an eye-opening tool. It gives the client the opportunity to see the environment’s interactions and helps him avoid the disillusion of the isolation.
Skills: Structuring, challenging, visualising and bringing lightness.
Questions: What’s best? Whats important? Scaling questions to gauge the importance of the actions to take, SWOT analysis. Who are the people involved in this process? How are they going to be impacted? How do you feel right now? what are the resources you need to achieve your goal?
Step five: Take action and evaluate the progress
The client takes action and the coach stands for him. He reminds him his goals and intentions.
Skills: listening, supporting, acknowledging,
Questions: How?When?Where?Who?What.
Step Six: Consolidate
The client has maintained the habits or actions for a long time (minimum 30 days) to have integrated them into his daily life.
The coach asks him to trace the steps back to his first coaching session: You came from stage A to a desired stage B, how could you get back to stage A?
By answering the question, the client consolidates the coaching process. He remembers the steps, the efforts and energy he puts in the actions.
Time for celebration and termination (or maybe the beginning of another coaching topic)
References:
The Macroscope, Joel de Rosnay
Solution Focused coaching, Geene & Grant, 2003
Becoming a professional Life Coach, Patrick Williams & Diane S. Menendez
Global Coaching, Philippe Rozinski
Universal Integrated Framework. Law, Ireland and Hussein, 2007
Pictures Credit
Stanford University
I Witness and the rings of Saturn
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