Impact on Coaching
A familiarity with project management tools and processes can help a coach understand the processes necessary to successfully achieve a goal. It provides a readily understandable and familiar model for business clients, and can quickly illuminate goal setting and achieving processes to clients with no business experience. Many of the standardized project management tools can be useful with a client who may be “stuck” or losing focus.
At the same time, project management’s emphasis on rigid structure to create repeatability makes it unsuitable for more than a rough guideline. Tight scheduling, creating budgets to the exact cent, and graphing progress are activities that are detrimental to a client’s success.
Utilizing methods that have been proven effective in other disciplines lends credibility to the fledgling coaching industry. Using models and techniques with already familiar language can expand a coach’s prospective customer base and can help our clients be more at ease with the process.
Project Management As A Model
A brief caveat to the reader: this model is not appropriate for all clients. It is suggested for clients who have a specific goal or need in mind and are looking to a coach for clarity and accountability.
Initiating
At this phase, the coach and client will delve deeply into the client’s values, dreams, and goals. The client will develop a “scope statement” – a one or two sentence statement of what they want to focus on during at least part of the coaching relationship.
Planning
Once the scope statement has been developed, the coach and client will work together to determine action steps and evaluate any costs involved to achieve the scope.
Execution and Controlling & Monitoring
When the client is ready to move into action, the coach simply provides accountability and encouragement. Should the coach feel the client is stuck, the coach should work with the client to uncover the root cause(s) and possibly revise the action plan or scope statement.
Closure
Congratulations! The client may choose to end the coaching relationship here, or they may choose to move forward with a different scope.
References
“Detailed Overview of the Transtheoretical Model”, Transtheoretical Model Cancer Prevention Research Center. Accessed 28 January 2013
“History of Coaching” Coaching Knowledge, International Coach Academy. Accessed 28 January 2013
ICF: International Coach Federation International Coach Federation Accessed 28 January 2013 http://www.coachfederation.org/
Kerzner, Harold. Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling 9th ed. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2006
Kimsey-House, Henry, Karen Kimsey-House, and Phillip Sandahl. Co-Active Coaching: Changing Business Transforming Lives 3rd ed.Boston: Nicholas Brealey Publishing, 2011
Project Management Institute., Inc A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) 5th ed. Newtown Square, Pennsylvania: Project Management Institute, Inc., 2013
“Transtheoretical Model”, Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia Accessed 28 January 2013 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transtheoretical_model
Williams, Patrick and Diane S. Menendez. Becoming a Professional Life Coach: Lessons from The Institute for Life Coach Training. New York, New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2007