Quick Coaching Tools – Honest Intentions

Honest Intentions is about asking yourself before a coaching session what your commitment is towards your coachee.

Honest Intentions

Honest Intentions is one of my Quick Coaching Tools. They are exactly what the title suggests. Short snippets of coaching tips, tools and ideas for you to use on a just-in-time basis. Use them as an update and to refresh your coaching practice and professionalism. You could call it coaching in a hurry!

What & Why

Honest intentions are built into the principles of coaching. The coaching relationship is based on a commitment to your Coachee’s goals. It is about a relationship based on equality – adult to adult. As the Coach, you must understand what the Coachee wants, and then try help them to achieve it. Honesty, courage and humbleness must be in your intentions towards your Coachee. Before a coaching session ask yourself what your genuine intention is towards your Coachee. Creating and sustaining trust should be one of your answers.

How

The GROW model provides a framework for managing your intentions during a coaching session:

  • Goal – Your intention is to agree and validate specific objectives for the coaching. The Coachee knows what they need to achieve and why, and they trust your judgment and acceptance on this;
  • Reality – Your intention is to take the Coachee on an accelerated and deep probing exploration of their reality landscape. The Coachee is aware of what is really happening now, and trusts you to be open and honest as you guide them on this journey;
  • Options – Your intention is to encourage the Coachee to explore new options and to be positive, optimistic and creative. The Coachee knows they are trusted by you to make good choices;
  • Way-forward – Your intention is to help the Coachee make choices and take responsibility for specific actions for what they will do when and with whose support and help. The Coachee needs to believe that they have choices and that they’re in charge of what they’re doing. They feel autonomous and trusted to deliver.

Further Reading: ‘Techniques – Building Trust and Rapport’ in the Coaches Toolkit (for Blog subscribers)

Author: Trevor Sherman

Trevor Sherman: Author, Blogger and Coach. What do I do? I develop leadership training material and personal learning modules. I am the owner and operator of this Blog. I coach senior executives for their development and role transition. I am based in Northamptonshire UK and operate globally - in person and through technology.

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