Business Coaching - What to Expect During a 1 on 1 Coaching Session
What Happens in a Typical Coaching Session - The 5 C's to Success
Imagine being on a boat in the middle of the ocean with no GPS or guiding light on where you are going. You are looking all around for the lighthouse but it's nowhere in sight. Whether you are the boat captain or the passenger, that would be a pretty scary scenario to endure. That is similar (although not as dramatic) as having a coaching session with no format or roadmap to success. As a coach, having a coaching session agenda and template helps me stay organized and focused on my client vs having to think about what comes next. This also provides proper expectations for everyone involved.
Being Organized and Having Coaching Tools Will Improve Your Coaching Sessions
In my coaching practice, I have a template for every session to keep organized and stay on topic. I organize all notes and client work in a system (another topic for another day). This also provides the email template that is then sent to the client as a follow-up, including notes, take-aways, any scripting we worked on together, and their spoken action plan for the next call. And while each session is different, the specific and repeatable coaching process is my guiding light during the time together. This saves a ton of time organizing the call and follow-up. Keep reading to uncover the 5 C's of my coaching session agenda.
Here are 5 Simple C's for Successful Coaching Sessions
Celebrate What's Working
Call Out What's Not Working
Check-in on Action Items From Previous Session
Challenges Unpacked and Training
Concrete Action Plan and Goal Progress
Celebrate What's Working
One of my favorite mentors, Tony Robbins, often says "Success leaves clues". This is why I start every coaching session by calling out successes and wins, big and small. This is often uncomfortable at the beginning of our coaching journey, as very few people love to call out their successes, let alone remember them from the past two weeks between calls. I encourage my clients to write them down in a journal or on a whiteboard so they have two or three of them to share. Winning is a habit, just like anything else and when you start to win, it multiplies and creates positive momentum in other areas.
Call Out What's Not Working
Just as important as knowing what's working, knowing what's not working is critical too. And we all know what the definition of insanity is. Let's not keep doing the same thing over and over if it's not moving you forward. Asking "What's not working" is a powerful question, but it may be hard to answer for some. Break down the question into smaller segments - "What's not working in your sales calls?" or "What's not working during your team meetings or weekly one-on-one sessions?". This will spur deeper insights from your clients and give you future coaching topics and training.
Check-in on Action Items From Previous Session
One of the top reasons people sign up for a coach is they want accountability (whether they admit that or not). Something isn't working in their business or life. Goals aren't being reached and frustration is building. I often find it's because they are working on stuff that's not moving the needle or they can't find the motivation or the way forward to reach through the ceiling of where they currently are stuck. During the first call with a new client, part of my coaching agreement is to have them verbally commit to following through on the action steps and plan we create during our calls. It's followed up by permission to provide a kick in the pants when needed, as well. Checking in on those items every call creates accountability and positive movement towards the desired outcome.
Challenges Unpacked and Training
My coaching philosophy is that people have the answers to most of their questions right inside of themselves. Hiring a coach can condense years of struggle on your own - saving time, frustration, and money. A successful coach has personal experiences, training, and knowledge gained from other coaching situations that can propel someone forward tenfold. I unpack my client's challenges with powerful questions that lead to their own insights. If you are a coach, get really good at asking great questions. But not every challenge is easy to unpack and solved by the client. This is the time I provide insights and training, tools, other resources, and roleplaying. I keep a running list of topics I hear from the "what's not working" section. This provides the roadmap for months of work together.
Concrete Plan and Goal Progress
The last "C" in the coaching agenda is to create a concrete plan with achievable goals to be worked on through the next few weeks. These are action items that will move the needle forward; progress that needs to be made to reach the larger goal. This is partially identified throughout the session as things percolate as "ah-ha's" during the session. The key to making growth work is buy-in and commitment. The plan has to be backed by the client's desire to reach the goal. If there isn't a strong "why" behind the goal, then follow through can be a tough hill to climb. In my coaching calls, I end by confirming the action items and asking "what else do you want to have done by our next call and why?" This will lead to a more productive coaching session that everyone feels great about.
Coaching Isn't Just Showing Up
I got into coaching because I love seeing people do great things and be someone they never thought possible. But it doesn't happen by just showing up to a coaching session and hoping the time leads to impact. It starts with having coaching tools and a program that is consistent, easy to implement, and provides clear guideposts for growth. The more you have systematized, the more you can focus on what's most important.
If you want to experience a typical coaching session with me, sign up for a free consultation. Let's uncover your goals, what's working and what's not, where you are struggling, and how we can put together a plan for success. If you’re a coach, download the pdf of a typical coaching agenda and use it for your own sessions.
