How can you adjust your coaching style for clients in a major transition?

Listening empathetically also means taking clues from their body language and what is not said. And that’s when I listen with my “whole” body, leaning in to emphasize, I am here for you.

In my experience, coaching is always about transitions - minor or major. Helping clients move from where they are to where they want to be. When it comes to a 'major' transition, the consequences or implications of making the 'wrong' decision are greater. You wouldn't adjust your coaching style per se, but perhaps spend more time helping your client identify best and worst case scenarios, and help them feel comfortable with their decisions.

If you are fully capable to assist your clients, your style should always be adaptable to the situation and their needs or expectations. Instead, be ready to understand which elements or areas need greater or less support to ensure they are receiving the best possible guidance and coaching to get them through. Essentially too, ensure they know what you are doing, why and how it will help them through their challenge or to seize their opportunity more effectively.

In my experience, it's vital to closely listen to what your client says. Understanding their feelings is key, as the same major change can affect people differently. Coaching, always client-centric, requires openness to the fact that the experience can vary based on each client's unique needs, goals and preferences. As a performance coach, I noticed major transitions often lead to self-doubt. In our chats, I consistently reminded them of strengths and successes to build up their confidence. We then broke down goals, discussing how to move forward by setting small, achievable objectives. Encouraging them to take one step at a time, instead of attempting a giant leap, gave them a sense of control over their lives, even in major transitions.

Au-delà de l'écoute empathique réside la qualité de présence du coach et sa qualité à créer un espace contenant pour l'exploration des situations nouvelles. Une présence attentive à ce qui se dit, se montre et se joue pour le coaché. Une présence attentive à mes propres croyances sur la transformation pour qu'elles n'impactent pas l'autonomie de la personne accompagnée. Les transitions peuvent générer de grandes peurs comme de grands enthousiasmes. Il me semble donc que le rôle du coach est de travailler les permissions et les protections pour que les prises de décisions soient pertinentes, adaptées et favorisent le développement de l'autonomie de la personne dans les nouvelles expériences qu'elle mène.

When I help founders and executives, I don't always give advice. As often they know their business much better than I do. Rather, I help them clarify their priorities, identify challenges and opportunities, analyse their environment, define their goals, gain confidence in themselves and take action. And it is through powerful open questions that we progress most.

Taking things in a new direction usually requires new thinking. Einstein is famous for saying, "you cannot solve a problem with the same mind that created it". Companies often change direction like you would change lanes in traffic, but that doesn't always work. If a transition is significant, it's important to stop the presses and look at this from all angles. Are you in survival mode or are you going in a new direction? Does the organizational structure match the change? Do you have the right team to move forward? What are some sacred cows that might be dictating your current direction?

There's something very seductive about being asked as a 'special contributor' to add your ideas (I'm here typing right?!?!) but I'm struck by how the tone of the piece positions the coach as the 'expert'. The label Powerful Questions implies there's that magic question that a coach can ask which 'poof' ignites a cascade of fabulous insight in the ever-grateful coachee. Beware the search for that elusive Powerful Question because it risks fulfillment of the true-ism that coaches are parentified children busy trying to do more than their position in the system invites by fixing, rescuing and judging the person sat opposite if they don't miraculously respond to that powerful question!! Shared with the guilt of being culpable!

Asking powerful questions help Client to think critically, deeply and creatively which helps Client to develop curiosity and lead to self-awareness. This is about introspection which helps them to find their own solution instead of Coach providing any sort of help or ideas to come up with Client challenge.

Many of the great entrepreneurs and thinkers of all time, from Aristotle to Musk have used first principles thinking. It is the act of boiling a process down to the fundamental parts. This way you know what is true and build up from there. When major transitions are afoot, I don't necessarily change my style, but I certainly look at the right way to tackle the challenge. I find asking epic questions, leads to epic thinking, and that always leads to epic results. You must start with a position of what you know to be true first.

Data-backed, personalized assessments are a valuable part of providing feedback and support to the clients, helping to reveal how they behave and what they want to change. They uncover hidden needs and preferences, and highlight areas for improvement. This feedback shapes a clear path forward in coaching, establishing trust and recognizing early progress. These tailored assessments are key in forming a new understanding of oneself, guiding clients to see what they truly want and where they fit in their new circumstances, and prompting them to adjust their aims and what's important to them during their transition.

As a coach, I get clients to identify answers that will work for them. I think feedback needs to be around supporting them when they identify changes and challenging anything that may prevent them from making that change. It is not up to me whether an idea is right or wrong. My job is to help them to decide this for themselves.

It's interesting how even successful executives value and benefit from feedback that provides support and perspective. For instance, "it would seem that XYZ behavior has served you well throughout your career. This is a new situation where XYZ wasn't helpful for you or it didn't fit the situation. So it makes sense that you might have chosen XYZ because it worked in the past. It's how you've wired your brain to succeed." Then the golden question! "What has this situation taught you about stewarding XYZ behavior in the future to ensure it's applied as a strength? Is there something you missed or misapplied in this situation?"

- un coach est un guide - un coach soutient - un coach propose des techniques sans jamais imposer - un coach encourage, challenge, félicite : le coach n’a pas le rôle de sauveur ce n’est pas sa responsabilité - un coach apporte un apprentissage sur la régulation des émotions (l’explication est nécessaire accompagnée d’exercices et de mises en pratique) - un coach s’adapte au cas par cas pour accompagner chaque personne avec ses expériences, ses valeurs, ses forces, ses croyances, ses faiblesses etc - un coach vous aide à sortir de votre zone de confort avec des méthodes telles que SMART afin de vous motiver et d’avancer vers votre objectif

Dans cette phase de rétroaction la qualité du feed-back est essentielle. La méthode dit en sandwich permet de réaliser un retour pertinent pour le coache. Exposer un point particulièrement positif. Et apporter un axe d’amélioration Pour finir un autre élément positif de l’évolution. Dans cette situation éviter le “mais” qui annule le point positif évoqué avant en le remplaçant par “et”.

For me, coaching is all about showing up for your client and holding the space for them to unpack what's going on. There are so many tools a coach can use, and I reflect that the main adaptation I make is to change the venue based on the needs being faced, where I can. Often a walk outdoors with a blend of helpful questions and plenty of pauses can be more powerful than any number of models & frameworks.

Ao ajustar-me ao estilo de comunicação do cliente durante o processo de coaching, presenciamos algo verdadeiramente mágico: a transmissão do conhecimento através da vivência, algo que pode ser aplicado tanto na esfera profissional quanto na pessoal. Este fenômeno ocorre porque, na vida adulta, a aprendizagem se concretiza mediante a prática e a experiência direta.

Adapting your coaching style to the client's learning and communication preferences is an important part of coaching. I usually ask my clients to complete both the Honey & Mumford and VAK learning styles assessments, and then discuss the outcomes and what this may mean to the client in terms of how to adapt and get the best out of the coaching sessions. Learning styles questionnaires are just the starting place, and should always be used in conjunction with a conversation with the client about their needs.

It’s important to be a bit more patient when the transition is “major”. The clients might need to take some time to reflect on core values, their purpose, and their mission. And then look at the transition through that lense and decide who they want to be in the next chapter in life. Lastly, take your time with setting goals and getting specific too soon.

Si on est dans une position empathique, il ne peut en être autrement. Nous recherchons à ce que notre client soit aligné avec son système de valeur. C'est le sien. Notre travail est justement d'en être très à l'écoute. Il ne faut pas oublier que nous avons une vue partiale de ce que le client veut bien nous confier. De même si lui qui chemine. J'aborde toujours une séance en étant dans l'accueil du client. Il chemine entre deux séances et je ne sais pas à quel niveau de réflexion, il est. Donc, je l'accueille comme une page blanche et m'adapte à ses réflexions. Si j'utilise un modèle ou outil, c'est seulement parce que c'est ce qui va être utile au client à ce moment précis. Je dis que c'est le client qui appelle l'outil.

I like to work with quests to ensure that clients not only navigate their new environment successfully but also flourish in it. This is an opportunity for clients to review and celebrate the progress made but also consolidate their new identity, solidify their achievements, and plan for continued growth. It is also a great way to provide post-transition support because the journey doesn't end at the threshold of the new chapter. While immediate challenges can be daunting, maintaining focus on the long-term rewards helps clients see beyond the present and envision a future where the benefits of their efforts come to fruition.

Celebration is an important step in the overall process. Recognize and celebrate every achievement is a great tool to rewire the brain in order to boost confidence, motivation and focus. For some people, celebration is not easy so they need to add it in their daily action plan, this will allow them to train this “muscle”.

Validation is so important. Often, it takes a lot for a client to have a light bulb moment. Once they have made that breakthrough, no matter how small, it is important that they realise the shift they are making in their own lives.

Le cerveau humain à tendance à se focaliser sur les événements négatifs . Ce phénomène est lié à notre instant de protection pour la survie. Il est possible de faire évoluer son état d’esprit en notant par exemple dans un carnet chaque réalisation. Ici on apprends au cerveau à prêter attention au positif ce qui a pour effet d’être plus optimiste et de renforcer la confiance en soi.

Gerade im Online Coaching ist es wichtig, noch enger am Coachee zu sein. Aus diesem Grund gibt es bei mir sehr eng getaktete Feedback-Schleifen. Nicht nur via Telefon oder Video-Call, sondern in erster Linie auch via WhatsApp. Erfolge sollen geteilt werden, aber genauso auch die Fortschritte zu begleiten.

Meiner Meinung nach befinden sich alle Klienten, die im Coaching sind, in einem Wandel. Sich dieser Situation anzupassen beziehungsweise damit umzugehen ist nicht nötig als Coach - denn sollte der basic skill eines professionellen Coachs sein.

To adjust my coaching style for clients in major transition, I sometimes embrace the technique of 'coaching in reverse' – instead of focusing on where they want to go, we delve into what they wish to leave behind. This approach unearths deep-seated motivations and barriers, creating a unique roadmap for change that is both forward-looking and anchored in a clear understanding of their past. It's like navigating a ship by understanding the currents it has sailed through, not just the destination it seeks.

Every coach has a unique style that comes from our personality. It is not necessary to change according to the client. No doubt, this may give rise to different chemistry, e.g. some clients may prefer a more nurturing coach, others may prefer one with a more solution focused or logical style. The only time I 'pick' a different style, is when the client feels stuck with cognitive behavioural approach (which is a popular and evidence based method). I would invite my client to get into visualisation, using feelings and metaphors to paint a mental picture of what they see. Metaphor can be be extremely powerful, as it taps into our unconscious mind to uncover limiting beliefs and draws from our imaginative mind to unlock potential solutions.

Often times coaches don’t say what they think or observe. A lot of good can be done by the coach by calling out a behaviour pattern, shift in energy or when an involuntary action is observed. It can serve as a positive disruption. Mostly it will bring these to their awareness and thus open up a further and deeper conversation.

I found myself at many instances in such situations, Listening and analysing is key as well as digging in the culture of the client to understand the way we should communicate, Past experience is extremely needful too I usually put myself in my client's shoe and would advise as if I am driving the entity