Coaches help clients achieve their goals by identifying the “gap” between where the client is (now) and where they want to be (the goal).Then, the action steps required to realize the goal are developed and put into motion. Yet it is often the client’s own lack of skills, unproductive attitudes, or misaligned choices that sabotage their success.
Coaches need to be able to readily identify the client’s specific obstacle (skills, attitudes or choices) and apply one or more processes to get the client unstuck and into positive, goal-oriented action. In the realm of relationship coaching, it is quite common for clients to demonstrate challenges in one or more of these three areas. The coaching paradigms used by relationship coaches are very powerful ways to shift the client and can be adapted for all types of coaching.
Note: A fundamental difference between relationship coaching and traditional coaching is that relationship coaches educate as well as coach their clients, especially in the area of skills.
The complete essay can be downloaded below.
This essay first appeared in choice:The Magazine of Professional Coaching.