How often have you attended a meeting, and not known what the outcomes were? Perhaps you felt yourself less engaged as a result, and even wondered, Why am I even here in this meeting? Or at the end of the meeting, you feel it was a waste of your time as it wasn’t clear what your role was, what progress was made, or what next steps were going to happen (by whom or by when).
At some point in a meeting, you may notice the conversation has gone in a different direction, that doesn’t seem to be focused where the meeting focus began. It might seem like the meeting has taken a ‘tangent.’ Most of the people in the meeting are wondering why are we talking about ‘this’ instead of the intended agenda for the session? Yet nobody says anything to clarify.
Similarly, a coaching session can begin with the client having a clear focus and outcome for the session. Sometimes the client may not have full clarity until well in to the coaching session, and that’s okay. The whole time the coach is using their coaching skills – listening with openness and curiosity, asking clarifying questions, or offering observations – and the client is gaining valuable clarity in the process.
Some clients may want to use the session to recap what’s occurred between sessions for them, while other clients want to get to a specific focus to move them forward. It’s up to the coach to support the client to gain clarity about the focus and outcome they desire for their coaching session.
Now seems like a good time to refer to ICF Core Competency #3: Establishes and Maintains Agreements, and three sub-points:
- 3.6: “Partners with the client to identify or reconfirm what they want to accomplish in the session.”
- 3.9: “Partners with the client to manage the time and focus of the session.”
- 3.10: “Continues coaching in the direction of the client’s desired outcome unless the client indicates otherwise.”
These three sub-points are inherent in ACC, PCC and MCC skill coaching, with more expectation that a PCC and certainly an MCC skilled coach can hear when a possible shift in focus might be presenting itself, and observe to the client for how to proceed.
Attend to the client agenda while also listening if there seems to be a shift in focus by the client
Once the coach has aligned with their client on their session focus and outcome, the coach stays with the client direction. However, as the session continues, the coach might notice the conversation ‘seems‘ to be taking a different direction, what the coach might call a ‘tangent’ much like in a meeting. Except the coach doesn’t continue exploring in the ‘new’ direction, without first checking with the client.
For example, a client may say they want to become ‘better organized.’ The coach explores with the client what ‘better organized’ means to them, the importance of being ‘better organized,’ what needs to be explored for them to understand how to be ‘better organized,’ what might be preventing them from becoming ‘better organized.’ As well as inquiry about a measure of session success; how will the client know they’ve made progress on being ‘better organized?’
As the session continues, the client speaks of having so many new projects and not enough time to do really good work on each of them. They also mention their desire to work on projects they are not currently being asked to work on. The conversation shifts to speaking about the latter, about not being offered projects they desire to work on.
The coach recognizes what ‘seems’ to be a change in session focus, and checks with the client such as, “I’ve noticed what seems like a shift in focus in this session, yet want to check with you if that’s so and where to focus next. You began with a focus on becoming ‘better organized,’ and spoke about the impact of so many new projects. And then why you’re not being offered projects you desire to work on. What is the relationship between being better organized, and not being offered projects you desire to work on?”
Coach curiously listens, without attachment or judgment to what client is saying. Coach further clarifies where client feels will be the best use of their time for the rest of the coaching session. There may be further contracting around their new desired session outcome, and what the client feels they need to explore to get to their outcome. Coach then attends to the ‘new’ direction.
The coach may feel there is not enough time in the session to explore the ‘new’ focus determined in partnership with the client. However, by asking the client what would be best use of the remaining time, coach needs to trust that the amount of time left is enough. If there’s more to explore and no more time left in the session, coach can ask what client can do to continue exploring after the session (supporting the client to design actions). Client can also determine in their next coaching session what the best focus is for them, based on where they left off, and what they explored between their coaching sessions.
MCC distinctions: listen for what’s ‘deeper’
The above example represents what a PCC skilled coach might do. Perhaps an ACC skilled coach will just follow the client in the new direction, yet ideally would check with the client first on where to focus.
In addition, an MCC skilled coach hears something has changed in the client energy. The coach is sensing something deeper might be going on for the client, and inquires from a mindset of ‘not knowing’ and curiosity. An example might be, “I noticed a shift in your energy and how you used your body, when you began to speak of not being offered projects you desire to work on. Which is different than how I observed when you were speaking about being ‘better organized.’ What if anything might you want to share about what’s shifted for you?”
Once client has responded, perhaps there’s an opportunity for coach to further offer what they sensed such as, “What I sensed is something about not wanting to speak up and advocate for yourself for fear of being seen as pushy. What’s true for you though?”
Once the client has further responded, coach might then reconfirm with client on where to focus for the rest of this session, which may be around their original topic and a deeper understanding of what client means by being ‘better organized.’ Or it could be a deeper focus on client beliefs, mindset or challenges they may experience in their organization’s culture. Coach might also be attentive to the original focus, and offer questions or observations where relevant to the ‘new’ direction.
Again, coach has to trust the amount of time left is enough, and again ask client what they can do to continue to explore after the session.
While it can be valuable for a client to gain short term relief by addressing the “What” level of their topic, the more lasting value to the client is also contracting to address the deeper, source issues at the “Who” level.
In Closing…
The coach may re-contract more than once in some coaching sessions, especially if the client has a lot of things emerging for them. The ability of the coach to listen at multiple levels is always available, and the coach mindset is one of curiosity and Partnering with the client on what or where to explore next in the session, so the client achieves what they want from each coaching session.
Written by Carly Anderson, MCC
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