Sara Hauber's 7-Step Effective Coaching Cycle
Coaching sometimes feels like magic. But it is not some mysterious, structure-less process that miraculously ends in clients reaching their goals.
Rather, effective coaching is structured so that with every single minute I spend with you as my client, we are making the most of our time together to get you to your goals faster and easier than you ever expected.
Below is an illustration of the coaching cycle I developed.
Rather, effective coaching is structured so that with every single minute I spend with you as my client, we are making the most of our time together to get you to your goals faster and easier than you ever expected.
Below is an illustration of the coaching cycle I developed.
Step 1, Ask: This is the absolute most important skill an effective coach has. Without the ability to ask the right questions (and yes, there are definitely right and wrong questions), clients can't get clear on their goals. And without clear goals, nothing in the client's life can change. We have to know where you want to go in order to get you there, and that depends on my ability to ask the perfect questions, worded in the right way, at just the right time.
Step 2, Listen: Equally as important as Step 1 is Step 2, listening. And I would say this is where I stand out amongst other coaches. When I am listening to your answers to my questions, I completely disappear so that I am totally open to and focused on your words, your emotions, and the space in between. I hear intention and desire even when you are not aware of either. I can instantly tell when something is not true for you, when you are repeating someone else's goals, or when you are simply not willing to admit what you really, really want. Without asking, coaching can't work. But without my outstanding ability to listen, you could easily be allowed to fool yourself into chasing the wrong goals.
Step 3, Clarify: In coaching, we never start moving you anywhere until we are 100% certain it's where you want to go. So clarification or validation is key.
Mini Cycle A: This mini cycle means that asking, listening, and clarifying go on until you come to a conclusion about exactly what you want to go after. Then, Step 4 begins.
Step 4, Strategize: Now that you know what you want, we get to work brainstorming how you'll begin to go after it. I'll keep asking, listening, and clarifying as you come up with ideas for how to take the first step toward what you want. And yes, you will be the primary strategizer: The steps you take to reach your goals must come from you. I will remind you of practical realities in your life that could get in the way and help you devise strategies for overcoming them. But you will be the ultimate decider of what you choose to implement in the next step.
Step 5, Implement: This is the first step that you take all on your own. It means you put into practice the strategy we agreed is the most likely to succeed to help you get one step closer to what you want.
Step 6, Solve: This step could also be called "Analyze" or "Evaluate," because this is where you determine whether your strategy was successful and, if not, we figure out a new strategy and try that one instead, implementing Mini Cycle B.
Mini Cycle B: This mini cycle occurs during the active "How" portion of coaching, in which you are continually setting concrete SMART goals and implementing them, seeing if they work, and overcoming obstacles on the way to your goal. We do this as many times as needed until you reach Step 7.
Step 7, Celebrate: Congratulations! When you reach this step, you have achieved your goal! And now, we can begin the cycle again, coming up with your next goal and setting the Coaching Cycle in motion again to get you even more of what you want in a life you will love!
Step 2, Listen: Equally as important as Step 1 is Step 2, listening. And I would say this is where I stand out amongst other coaches. When I am listening to your answers to my questions, I completely disappear so that I am totally open to and focused on your words, your emotions, and the space in between. I hear intention and desire even when you are not aware of either. I can instantly tell when something is not true for you, when you are repeating someone else's goals, or when you are simply not willing to admit what you really, really want. Without asking, coaching can't work. But without my outstanding ability to listen, you could easily be allowed to fool yourself into chasing the wrong goals.
Step 3, Clarify: In coaching, we never start moving you anywhere until we are 100% certain it's where you want to go. So clarification or validation is key.
Mini Cycle A: This mini cycle means that asking, listening, and clarifying go on until you come to a conclusion about exactly what you want to go after. Then, Step 4 begins.
Step 4, Strategize: Now that you know what you want, we get to work brainstorming how you'll begin to go after it. I'll keep asking, listening, and clarifying as you come up with ideas for how to take the first step toward what you want. And yes, you will be the primary strategizer: The steps you take to reach your goals must come from you. I will remind you of practical realities in your life that could get in the way and help you devise strategies for overcoming them. But you will be the ultimate decider of what you choose to implement in the next step.
Step 5, Implement: This is the first step that you take all on your own. It means you put into practice the strategy we agreed is the most likely to succeed to help you get one step closer to what you want.
Step 6, Solve: This step could also be called "Analyze" or "Evaluate," because this is where you determine whether your strategy was successful and, if not, we figure out a new strategy and try that one instead, implementing Mini Cycle B.
Mini Cycle B: This mini cycle occurs during the active "How" portion of coaching, in which you are continually setting concrete SMART goals and implementing them, seeing if they work, and overcoming obstacles on the way to your goal. We do this as many times as needed until you reach Step 7.
Step 7, Celebrate: Congratulations! When you reach this step, you have achieved your goal! And now, we can begin the cycle again, coming up with your next goal and setting the Coaching Cycle in motion again to get you even more of what you want in a life you will love!