Coaching Models – C.O.A.C.H
Great cash flow coaching goes beyond the ability to ask the right questions. Capable coaches are not only good listeners, but they are also good strategists and people with a vision who use their skills and knowledge to help customers realise their true potential.
There are many tools and techniques coaches employ to structure coaching sessions and help their clients gain self-awareness, define their goals, identify their obstacles and find ways to overcome them.
From these methods, coaching models have been built that can form the foundation in developing robust and repeatable processes that support clients in achieving outcomes that align with their goals, values and beliefs. Cash flow coaching is about having clear and solution-focused conversations.
The COACH Conversation Model supports the cash flow coach by guiding them through the components of a successful coaching conversation. It works for one-off informal sessions but is best used to structure a multi-session program that assists the client work through all of the areas of challenge and change required for them to conquer and achieve their cash flow management improvements.
In either case, the COACH model has five distinct phases. And at each phase conversational questioning is critical to move through that phase and preposition the next phase.
Connection and Rapport
In a previous article on Building Rapport, we examined the importance of developing a genuine connection with your client. There are many aspects to achieving rapport, the starting points being to pay attention to physiology, pace and the environment where the conversation is taking place.
From there, the elements for connecting and building rapport are: -
Active listening
Appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication
Recognising the clients own ‘map of the world.’
Matching and mirroring
Comfort and privacy
Conversational questions that can be used during the connection and rapport phase include: -
What will be of most value to you from these sessions?
What areas are important for you?
What’s important for you to achieve?
Outcomes and Agreement
Having an outcome-focused conversation and considering possibilities, as opposed to problems, the cash flow coach explores the issues with their client at deeper and deeper levels. The success of the conversation is a result of the coach’s quality questions driving quality client answers.
These outcome-oriented questions will focus on what the client wants, how they can get it and how they will know when they have it.
The next part of the conversation establishes agreement and can further open up the dialogue. The agreement is specific about what outcome the client wants to achieve. A well-defined agreement is critical to achieve a good outcome, during coaching sessions, and to keep the sessions on track.
The agreement must be stated in the positive and it must be the client who has set the agreement. To do this, the coach uses motivational words and questioning to assist the client in articulating their focus and in stating what they want, positively.
Conversational questions that can be used during the outcome and agreement phase include: -
What do you really want?
What are the benefits of having that?
How does the situation look to you?
How does it feel to you?
What sounds like the issue to you?
What do you think is really happening here?
If you woke up tomorrow having resolved something important what would be different?
Actions and Plans
Coaching conversations and agreed outcomes are then used to design actions and plans. When designing actions and plans, it is important that: -
They link back to the client's goals
The actions are in the client’s control
They are ecological – they feel right for the person and are consistent with their values and sense of identity.
They are realistic and time-based.
Conversational questions that can be used during the actions and plans phase include:-
Is this a time for action? What action?
What action will you take? What will you do first? What comes after that?
How will you achieve your goal?
By when do you need to achieve this?
Is that achievable?
How realistic is achieving this when thinking about all your other commitments?
Where do you go from here? When will you do that?
What’s your next step? By what date will you complete these steps?
Confirmation and Validation
At this stage of coaching conversations and processes, it is important to get the client to confirm the value in reaching their targeted outcomes. A client needs to be questioned about validating, for themselves, the importance of achieving their goal. This stage also provides a checkpoint for clients to confirm that the goals fit in with other plans, their way of life and their values.
Conversational questions that can be used during the confirmation and validation phase include:-
What is it that is important to you about achieving this goal?
What is the value in achieving it?
What will happen if you don’t achieve this goal?
How will your life be different?
What opportunities will arise from achieving this goal?
What are the challenges?
How does this fit in with your plans/way of life/values?
Does anyone else benefit from you achieving this goal?
Horizons and Insights
In positioning the client for the next phase of their journey, they must leave this coaching conversation with a positive state of mind and a belief they can achieve their goals. They need to have clarity of the way forward (to the horizon). The coaching conversation establishes the value of the session or progress to date and then uses the client’s language to authenticate it.
The coach can frame this by asking “What was the value of this session for you?” or “What are your wins from this session?” Questions like these have many benefits including: -
It causes the client to review their session and search for the positive aspects of their coaching experience. There is always some insight and value that the client can take away from the session. The coach needs to ask the question and allow the client to scan their experience and provide the answer.
The client’s response will also provide you with some insight into what works for them. It may have been a particular technique or framework you used or a specific question that challenged them to gain new insight positively.
Conversational statements and questions that can be used during the horizons and insights phase include:-
Congratulations on your commitment to achieving your goals
Well done on being able to resolve and plan a way forward
What will you do once you achieve your goal?
The structure and flow of the COACH conversational model is a good one for new cash flow coaches to master and experienced cash flow coaches to revisit to ensure they are maximising the outcomes for their cash flow coaching clients.
elevateB provides the training program as well as support and ongoing development for certified cash flow coaches. Individuals who choose to work with a certified cash flow coach are better placed to achieve financial independence and security. If you would like to make a difference and help everyday Australians be more financially prudent and savvy, consider becoming a cash flow coach today. Click here.
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