A Coaching Model Created by Oleksandr Zeleniuk
(Executive and Leadership Coach, UKRAINE)
The only true voyage of discovery, the only fountain of Eternal Youth, would be not to visit strange lands but to possess other eyes, to behold the universe through the eyes of another, of a hundred others, to behold the hundred universes that each of them beholds, that each of them is. Marcel Proust, a French novelist
I am approaching the creation of my coaching model using design thinking. It means I, elaborate model, mindfully rather than simply compilate what will fit a nice looking acronym. It is important that my model, as soon as it is personal, reflect my experience, my values, and my way of perceiving the world in general and coaching process in particular.
I came to coaching has made a deliberate and conscious choice, leaving a well-paid corporate job. That was a kind of transition I had not experienced in my more than thirty-year career and sometimes it looked and felt a bit frightening provided unsolicited judgment from my entourage. However, choosing for coaching was my inner call to step into the unknown, the choice and decision I am in harmony with. Therefore, this decision inspires me to become a coach I want and share with my potential clients the essence of myself via my coaching model.
The model I dream of should fit into key requirements (as a frame): be systemic and conceptual; reflect my personality, my work, and life experience; and bring tangible value to my potential clients. All that means the model should be simple enough, actionable, and meaningful.
On the other hand, my model should focus on the needs of my clients. Based on trust, it should invite their learning, encourage them to be bold, enabling change current perspective. It should too lead to actions through their mindful and sustainable efforts towards desired outcomes that last beyond coaching interaction. I aspire that my model enables my coaching clients to become a better version of themselves, remain the masters of their own life, and unleash their immense potential.
I believe that every client is a hero of his own life and possesses the potential to implement any desired pursuit.
I would like to share that part of my identity is kept with my Navy background. It is especially attributed to one of my favorite maritime skills that is navigation. Reflecting on my life and career, I feel that it is possible to depict metaphorically all my roles in different establishments as a navigator. For me, that implicates the ability to lead, partner with peers and mates, take responsibility, withstand hardships, demonstrate different traits as a naval officer. Besides, it means constant learning and self-development. All of that means the integrity, the immanent feature to maintain and develop together many other skills and competencies, forge all strengths to cope with an unpredictable environment, i.e. the VUCA world.
Having that in mind I have come to a model called “PILOT” (as a maritime pilot).
Promoting myself as the executive and leadership coach, I have chosen this metaphor as both a structured framework and a process. Moreover, it contains lots of meanings.
One of the key implications of the PILOT model as a framework that it is alive and reflects human to human connection.
The PILOT model also implies that the coach-client interaction is based on trust, high professional standards, and experience.
The following analogy between piloting and coaching demonstrates another link to coaching foundation concerning responsibility. While a maritime pilot renders the piloting services to a captain, the responsibility for the vessel rests on the latter. The same principle applies to coach a client. When helping clients moving from one point of their life to another (defined by the clients) or coping with the situation brought to the session, the full responsibility for the destination and/or outcome lies within clients, not the coach.
It presumes too that formal relations both during rendering coaching service and piloting one are temporal, letting the clients lead and navigate their own lives successfully beyond coaching interventions.
For me as a coach the notion of PILOT also signifies the conscious choice for life-long learning, constant skills update, being attentive, and fully present monitoring the context while working with clients.
How does the PILOT coaching model work?
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CLIENT’s framework |
COACH’s process |
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Purpose |
Partnering with the Client in the coaching process for Purpose through the presence |
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Imagination |
Invite to Imagine |
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Liberate and Learning |
Listen to Liberate |
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Organize and Originate |
Observe to share feedback |
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Take-Off with Takeaways |
Trust to Take-Off |
P – This means a purpose that guides the client from the current moment of his/her life. It manifests more than the situation the client brings but rather the holistic view of his/her personality and aspirations.
I – implies imagination, the client’s ability to see, and design his/her future. The ability to change his/her perspective and to make emotional connections to new possibilities that might open up, as actions are inspired by emotional commitment.
L – translates into the liberation of the client’s energy towards the desired goal. The liberated energy links the client’s new vision with the pass (road, way) that leads to the desired outcome. At this stage, the first action (step) is designed and seen. It also means learning that the client experiences on the way to his/her new vision from the first steps he/she makes.
O – signifies organization of client’s resources, knowledge, and experience to make the changes happen; implement new structures and practices to secure the progress and keep it sustainable. It may also mean overcome possible obstacles on the way and/or optimize his/her routine, i.e. outgrow the previous ineffective scenarios.
T – means take-off, the client’s readiness to live the best and fullest expression of himself/herself beyond coaching partnership with gained awareness, insights, and other takeaways. It signifies as well that cycle of the coaching trip together is over.