In my coaching practice, I like to have my client take the SCALE assessment and then we just talk about the results. Remember, we are having a conversation about the results, not about the person. I explain what the scores indicate and, together, we come up with an overall interpretation of the report. Coaching is a self-guided process; we are just the facilitators of their growth after they choose what they want to work on. The next step is to have the client pick one to three skills they want to work on. It is my experience that they cannot really work on one emotional intelligence skill without impacting others, so I ask them to pick the one they have the most interest in developing. I also share that the one they pick needs to have the most meaning to them, not necessarily the one that is the lowest of their scores. Having meaningful choices in the process further deepens the coaching relationship and the likelihood of successful growth. From this decision point I am able to help the client design an action plan to help them meet their goal with checkpoints along the way – meaning additional assessments to see how their scores are changing.
Key Takeaways from Coaching with Assessments
Some quick takeaways from this process are to remember that the assessment piece is a coaching tool that give a discussion point that is non-judgmental for the client, allows the process to remain client directed, and a big factor in developing the coach-client relationship. The use of an assessment tool provides accountability and progress monitoring to make space for long term coaching and referrals because their success is documented. There are different assessment tools that can be employed depending on whether you are coaching individuals professionally or personally and across many industries, including education. Though there are many assessment options available, know your tools. Pick one, or some, that are meaningful to your client and you are able to explain in a credible way. Also, be mindful to choose a vetted assessment tool to ensure better results for your clients and credibility for you as a coach. Finally, everything you do with your client should be based on their results and personal goals. As you develop the action plan with your client, the goals, objectives, and growth measures should be crafted around their skills development as evidenced by their assessment.
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Reference
Nelson, D. B., & Low, G. R. (2019). The SCALE®—Skills for Career and Life Effectiveness. The Skills for Career and Life Effectiveness Assessment. https://doscale.com/
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