Course of a (systemic) coaching session

The course of a systemic and solution oriented coaching session that is described in the following can be compared to a conversation you would have in a travel agency. The goal is similar: The client wants to get somewhere.

The overview of the course:

1. YES-Setting
2. Concern - why are you here
   • What is your objective
   • Expectations - job clarification (of coach)
3. Goal description
   • possible: miracle question
4. Solutions in the past
5. Scaling
6. Valuable observations
7. Invitation to experiment (=homework)
8. Final words
9. END - this is really the end, every other topic/question will be discussed in the next session

YES-Setting

This is the "welcoming part" of the coaching session. The important and name-giving aspect of this part is, that the coach creates an attitude within the coache that says "YES!". The saying yes can be achieved via different options:

• The coach welcomes the coachee and presents him/herself with name
• The atmosphere is welcoming, pleasant and reassuring
• Small-talk about topics where both agree, means where the coachee can respond with YES: e.g. "The weather is warm/rainy" or "How did you get here - the traffic is X."

Besides, in this first part, the coach can start to get to know the coachee by asking him questions about positive things (resources question), e.g.:

• What are you proud of?
• What gives you pleasure?
• What comes easily to you?
• What do others say you are good at?

These questions help to reveal the resources that lay in the coachee and that may be useful afterwards during the solution finding process, where the coach can refer to the answers given here.

Already at this point, the coach focuses on the competencies of the coachee and not on the problems.

Solutions are more important than problems.

At the end, before continuing with the concerns of the coachee, the coach has the possibility and should clarify his/her role and that he/she will interrupt when necessary. This way the coachee does not feel caught off guard when the coach has to interrupt the talking of problems, in order to e.g. orientat him/her towards solutions.

Concern

After the YES-Setting, the coachee can tell why he/she is here, in this coaching.

What is your concern - Why are you here?

Since we don't want to focus on problems, the coach needs to make sure, that this part is short and does not pass 5 to 10 minutes. The content in form of problems is not so relevant. In case the coachee looses him/herself in describing the problem, the coach should intervene and bring the coachee back on track through questions that relay on the original question.

Objective

Part of explaining the reason if doing the coaching is to describe where the coachee wants to get.

What is your objective - What should be different?

This can be one smaller or bigger objective. Generally, objectives cannot be too big, since they are the foundation of motivation.

Expectations

A very important issue that needs to be clarified at the beginning are the expectations of the coachee towards the coach.

What do you expect from me?

Without a concrete "job clarification" it is not possible to offer counsulting/coaching.

References

This page is based on Information material of Institut für Bildungscoaching & Nicolai Albrecht.