My premise is that methods I have seen used in Technology, and Software development life-cycle can be the basis of a new coaching methodology. In a previous segment I put forward the idea that methodology I had seen used in technology, and software development could be reframed to form the core of a new coaching methodology. This method that draws from software development life cycle, as well as the best proven practices in coaching industry has become known as ASCEND COACHING METHOD. The method starts with asking of questions, which was discussed in the last segment. And continues with an assessment phase, the second step in the method, that I will be discussing shortly. After the assessment phase, the method continues on with a phase of capturing of goals, then creation of a plan, and execution of tasks, or the build phase. The next phase is a tracking of progress, and if there are obstacles or bottlenecks the next steps are considered. The final phase is the delivery on the solution, or put another way, delivery of the goals. These seven phases became the foundations of the ASCEND COACHING METHOD. A coaching methodology that strives to understand the vision of the Client, assess the Client’s current state, create and execute an action plan, and ultimately deliver on the Client’s goals. The method puts the Client’s needs first, and puts the coach in a responder role, working to satisfy the Client’s vision, and agenda. In short, the method’s aim is empowerment of the Client. In this segment, I want to dive deeper into step two, which is the Assessment phase.
To recap the previous step, “Ask Questions”, which is the first step in the process, the coach, and the client engage for the first time. It is the job of the coach to understand the client’s vision, current state, timelines, and expectations. The best way to mine this information, which will be the foundation of the work to be done, is by asking questions, and more than that, asking the right kinds of questions. The questions the coach needs to focus on are open-ended questions. Open-ended questions are questions that encourage the client to discuss their vision, expectations, needs, and blocks. The coach also needs to set aside their own assumptions, and expectations, and be an active listener. Coaches will do this best when they exhibit the four precepts of an active listener. Being an active listener means you seek to understand the client first, avoid judging, you give undivided attention, and use silence effectively in dialogues with the client. By asking the right, open-ended questions, and by using best practices of an active listener, the coach will strive to capture the client’s vision, needs, blocks, limitations, and current state. A skillful coach will devote enough time, patience, and effort to extract this critical information from the client.
If the first step “Ask Questions” was completed successfully we have a great deal of important information collected from the client. The coach has critical information on the client’s vision, desired future state, timelines, and current state. In the second step in the methodology, we consider what all this information means to the coaching process. Said another way, the coach deciphers the client information to understand what needs to be addressed in the work that will become the coaching experience. This second step of “Assessment” parallels the phase in software methodology where system architects, development leads, and other technical resources create a “swag” of the general effort needed to move the current state forward to the future state, or “vision”. There are several pieces to this process of “Assessment”.
The important first piece in the assessment phase is to understand the client’s vision. That is, to understand the client’s desired future state. I the space of career coaching, where I work, this can mean higher compensation for the client, but more and more I am seeing that it means using the client’s passions in their job, and career. The consideration of higher wages becomes less important. To better understand the client’s vision, the coach may ask more in-depth questions, or the coach may use tools that call for the client to describe the duties, the interactions, and the location of their “perfect job”. Or perhaps ask the client to write a short description on a “Day in the Life at your Perfect Job”. These are just other techniques to help the coach understand, and record the client’s vision. The coach works to understand, and capture the client’s aspirations, and their dreams.
The next important piece in doing the assessment is to understand clearly the client’s current state. It is to answer the question of “where is the client now” in their life, and their journey. This becomes the starting point that the coach will compare with the client’s vision, or desired future state. In comparing current state, and future state, or vision, there is normally a gap. This gap tells the coach the delta; that is, how far the client is from realizing their vision. This is a rough cut on how much effort is needed to realize the client’s vision.
Another element to build into the assessment is the client’s timeframe. What is the client’s expectation on how long they believe it may take to arrive at their desired future state? A good coach can be expensive. Ideally the coaching experience is really about building a long relationship with the client, but financial constraints can often drive the length of time the client has to work with a coach.
The coach also needs to assess any client limitations, or constraints the client has to contend with as they work to deliver on their vision. In the world of career coaching, if the client is in a junior position, and wants to advance to an executive level, but does not have a college degree, then the lack of a degree might be a constraint to the client in reaching their aspiration. Another limitation might be the client’s bandwidth. For example, the client may want to move forward with a job search, but they are over-worked, and have family obligations, such as being caretaker for an aging parent. The coach needs to identify these constraints, or limitations, and make this part of the overall assessment.
During the Assessment phase time lines also need to be called out. In short, what are the client’s expectations in terms of time to arrive at their future state? When the coach clearly understands the client’s vision, or future state, and also understands the current state, while accounting for any constraints, the coach should be able to make a determination if the client’s time lines are realistic, or unrealistic. In my work in career coaching, I sometimes hear from a client that is well into six figures salary that they want to make a move to a different industry, and get this done within a month. To my experience this time line is very aggressive. I’m not saying it is impossible, but certainly very optimistic. As an expert in the coaching niche, a good coach will call out time lines that appear unrealistic. It is fine to be optimistic, but at the same time the coach needs to weigh out how realistic the client’s time frame appears. In general, it is better to error on the side of allowing too much time, than not enough. Missing unrealistic deadlines can be counter-productive, and lead to frustrations.
As the second step in ASCEND COACHING METHOD the “Assessment” phase is all about evaluating the important information the coach has gathered from the client in step one of the method, “Ask Questions” to understand what it means to the coaching process. The aim of step two is to clearly understand the client’s vision (future state), and the client’s current state to determine how realistic the vision is, and approximately how much effort will be needed to deliver on the vision. As the coach is making these determinations, they also need to consider what the client’s limitations, or constraints are. The coach needs to determine if the limitations will severely block progress, or if these limitations can be reduced, or removed. In addition, the client’s time frame needs to be considered. The coach needs to evaluate if the client’s time frame is realistic, given the estimated effort needed to move the client from current state, to the realization of the client vision (future state). The coach will truly be helping the client if they call out time lines that are unrealistic. Failing to achieve deadlines that are too aggressive will lead to frustration. One critical role of the coach during the Assessment is to help client understand realistic time lines, and set realistic expectations. With important client information gathered in step one “Ask Questions”, and analyzed with regard to current state, and future state (client vision), the client and the coach is prepared to move on to the third step in the method, “Set Goals”. “Set Goals” will be the topic of the next segment.
AUTHOR: Brian Kail, MBA, CPC is a professional Career, and Executive Coach. For more information see AscendProCoach.com
To recap the previous step, “Ask Questions”, which is the first step in the process, the coach, and the client engage for the first time. It is the job of the coach to understand the client’s vision, current state, timelines, and expectations. The best way to mine this information, which will be the foundation of the work to be done, is by asking questions, and more than that, asking the right kinds of questions. The questions the coach needs to focus on are open-ended questions. Open-ended questions are questions that encourage the client to discuss their vision, expectations, needs, and blocks. The coach also needs to set aside their own assumptions, and expectations, and be an active listener. Coaches will do this best when they exhibit the four precepts of an active listener. Being an active listener means you seek to understand the client first, avoid judging, you give undivided attention, and use silence effectively in dialogues with the client. By asking the right, open-ended questions, and by using best practices of an active listener, the coach will strive to capture the client’s vision, needs, blocks, limitations, and current state. A skillful coach will devote enough time, patience, and effort to extract this critical information from the client.
If the first step “Ask Questions” was completed successfully we have a great deal of important information collected from the client. The coach has critical information on the client’s vision, desired future state, timelines, and current state. In the second step in the methodology, we consider what all this information means to the coaching process. Said another way, the coach deciphers the client information to understand what needs to be addressed in the work that will become the coaching experience. This second step of “Assessment” parallels the phase in software methodology where system architects, development leads, and other technical resources create a “swag” of the general effort needed to move the current state forward to the future state, or “vision”. There are several pieces to this process of “Assessment”.
The important first piece in the assessment phase is to understand the client’s vision. That is, to understand the client’s desired future state. I the space of career coaching, where I work, this can mean higher compensation for the client, but more and more I am seeing that it means using the client’s passions in their job, and career. The consideration of higher wages becomes less important. To better understand the client’s vision, the coach may ask more in-depth questions, or the coach may use tools that call for the client to describe the duties, the interactions, and the location of their “perfect job”. Or perhaps ask the client to write a short description on a “Day in the Life at your Perfect Job”. These are just other techniques to help the coach understand, and record the client’s vision. The coach works to understand, and capture the client’s aspirations, and their dreams.
The next important piece in doing the assessment is to understand clearly the client’s current state. It is to answer the question of “where is the client now” in their life, and their journey. This becomes the starting point that the coach will compare with the client’s vision, or desired future state. In comparing current state, and future state, or vision, there is normally a gap. This gap tells the coach the delta; that is, how far the client is from realizing their vision. This is a rough cut on how much effort is needed to realize the client’s vision.
Another element to build into the assessment is the client’s timeframe. What is the client’s expectation on how long they believe it may take to arrive at their desired future state? A good coach can be expensive. Ideally the coaching experience is really about building a long relationship with the client, but financial constraints can often drive the length of time the client has to work with a coach.
The coach also needs to assess any client limitations, or constraints the client has to contend with as they work to deliver on their vision. In the world of career coaching, if the client is in a junior position, and wants to advance to an executive level, but does not have a college degree, then the lack of a degree might be a constraint to the client in reaching their aspiration. Another limitation might be the client’s bandwidth. For example, the client may want to move forward with a job search, but they are over-worked, and have family obligations, such as being caretaker for an aging parent. The coach needs to identify these constraints, or limitations, and make this part of the overall assessment.
During the Assessment phase time lines also need to be called out. In short, what are the client’s expectations in terms of time to arrive at their future state? When the coach clearly understands the client’s vision, or future state, and also understands the current state, while accounting for any constraints, the coach should be able to make a determination if the client’s time lines are realistic, or unrealistic. In my work in career coaching, I sometimes hear from a client that is well into six figures salary that they want to make a move to a different industry, and get this done within a month. To my experience this time line is very aggressive. I’m not saying it is impossible, but certainly very optimistic. As an expert in the coaching niche, a good coach will call out time lines that appear unrealistic. It is fine to be optimistic, but at the same time the coach needs to weigh out how realistic the client’s time frame appears. In general, it is better to error on the side of allowing too much time, than not enough. Missing unrealistic deadlines can be counter-productive, and lead to frustrations.
As the second step in ASCEND COACHING METHOD the “Assessment” phase is all about evaluating the important information the coach has gathered from the client in step one of the method, “Ask Questions” to understand what it means to the coaching process. The aim of step two is to clearly understand the client’s vision (future state), and the client’s current state to determine how realistic the vision is, and approximately how much effort will be needed to deliver on the vision. As the coach is making these determinations, they also need to consider what the client’s limitations, or constraints are. The coach needs to determine if the limitations will severely block progress, or if these limitations can be reduced, or removed. In addition, the client’s time frame needs to be considered. The coach needs to evaluate if the client’s time frame is realistic, given the estimated effort needed to move the client from current state, to the realization of the client vision (future state). The coach will truly be helping the client if they call out time lines that are unrealistic. Failing to achieve deadlines that are too aggressive will lead to frustration. One critical role of the coach during the Assessment is to help client understand realistic time lines, and set realistic expectations. With important client information gathered in step one “Ask Questions”, and analyzed with regard to current state, and future state (client vision), the client and the coach is prepared to move on to the third step in the method, “Set Goals”. “Set Goals” will be the topic of the next segment.
AUTHOR: Brian Kail, MBA, CPC is a professional Career, and Executive Coach. For more information see AscendProCoach.com
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