Coaching Tips

In one of the recent coaching sessions client wanted to improve planning and personal efficiency (as an important project role-out is planned for upcoming period). In his words, ‘by improving personal efficiency and planning he would reduce tension related to the situation‘.

There are couple of things we should be careful in this situation.

Expand & Explore

Trained client might bring contract for the session before session starts. This is a common situation, as after a while client will learn that at some point (in the beginning of a session) you will ask contracting question: “What is your best possible result of today’s session?” My suggestion is that instead of immediately accept clients first contracting idea, invite client to expand thinking and explore future as well as connection with all relevant life or business areas and stakeholders.

There is always more than one way to deal with the situation

In this example client brought issue and solution… by planning and improving personal efficiency client plans to reduce tension related to the situation. This is a common approach for a base Thinker (Process Communication Model), however this common way usually gives limited results as there are many different ways to manage work-related stress. Besides the idea that client already brought – prioritize and organize – here are a few other examples to approach the situation (and some of them might be even more efficient for base Thinker):

• Set boundaries: Establish clear boundaries between work and personal time. Avoid checking work-related emails or messages outside of work hours, and try to separate work-related thoughts from your personal life.
• Take breaks: Take regular breaks throughout the day, even if it’s just a few minutes to step away from your desk, stretch or take a walk. This can help you refocus and reduce stress.
• Practice relaxation techniques: Try practicing relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation. These techniques can help reduce stress and promote relaxation.
• Build a support system: Reach out to colleagues, friends, or family members for support. Talking about your stressors with others can help reduce stress and provide a fresh perspective.
• Seek professional help: If stress is affecting your daily life or you’re struggling to cope, consider talking to a mental health professional. They can provide additional strategies and support to manage your stress.

Our job is to help client to explore different ways and then to choose one (or combination) that is most relevant and applicable in a given situation.

Tell me a little bit more … or not?

“Tell me a little bit more” is a great coaching question but if it is asked in a wrong moment it might waist a lots of time, or even more open Pandora’s Box. In particular example “tell me a little bit more about the project” is a content based and coach focused question. Client already knows everything about the project and sharing the details would be coach centered communication. The same question phrased in a different way would trigger completely different thinking, for example:

Tell me a little bit more about the success? How would successfully implemented project look like?