How To Help Coaching Clients Transform Reflection Into Action

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How To Help Coaching Clients Transform Reflection Into Action

By Forbes Coaches Council | Forbes Magazine | September 26, 2024

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Reflecting on where you are relative to where you want to be can reveal one’s unmet needs and desires, but actually changing your behaviors and adopting the new habits and mindset needed to get there can be challenging. Many coaching clients come seeking support to transform aspirations into actionable strategies after a period of self-reflection, which, while instrumental in providing inspiration and motivation, must be followed up with action to achieve real personal or professional growth.

Members of Forbes Coaches Council share their experiences how they help their clients create action plans to reach the goals they uncover through deep self-reflection. 

1. Start With A Clear Vision.  According to  Dr. Courtney to drive meaningful change, self-reflection must be followed by strategic action.
2. Define Macro And Micro Goals.   Philippe for his clients define macro and micro goals, breaking those down into goals that take no longer than two weeks to achieve. This, coupled with a coaching session every two weeks, creates momentum and an accountability system that allows people to progress toward their goals. The sessions also act as a sounding board where we identify obstacles as soon as possible and draw up action plans to tackle them. 
3. Do Both The ‘Inner’ And ‘Outer’ Work.  According to Kelly reflection and assessment likely illuminate the high-level outcomes desired. Next is to do both the “inner” and “outer” work around the desired change. Examine the “inner” work needed: What are you afraid of? What do you know about yourself? Have you been in this place or doing this thing before? And what obstacles do you imagine you will create for yourself? Then, consider the “outer” work: What does this change require from others in your life, and are they on board? What practical things (for instance, setting up a business may require setting up a new legal entity and a website) do you need to do or hire someone to do? What obstacles do you anticipate that will come from others? Working through these questions will set you up to create your action plan. 
4. Leverage Key Questions And Tools.  Barbara believes that guiding a client to set an action plan is a collaborative process. It starts with asking key questions: Where do you want to be? What should it look like? What’s blocking you now? From there, the action plan begins: What’s the first step to make this a reality? What has held you back before, and how can you overcome it now? One tool to use in this process is a “clarity/contrast” worksheet, which asks, “What do you dislike about your current situation, and what would you like it to look like?” This helps identify the problem and the desired direction. The “be x do = have” concept is another powerful tool, encouraging clients to consider who they want to be, not just what they want to achieve. This approach supports not only task completion, but also personal growth, which aligns their actions with their goals. 
5. Plan And Follow Up Step By Step.   Rick recommended six steps to ensure success. Step one is to get focused. Precision is critical—define your goal with 4K clarity, understand the purpose driving you and test your belief in the goal and your ability to achieve it. Step two is creative thinking. Break free from old patterns. Explore new ideas, methods and collaborators to unlock untapped potential. Step three is critical thinking. Evaluate which ideas are worth pursuing. Step four is to build the plan. Define what needs to be done, by whom and when. Step five is to review and reflect. Regularly assess and adjust your plan. Step six is taking ownership. Are you truly committed? A simple “yes” or “no” will reveal whether you’re ready to succeed or if it’s time to reassess.
6. Help Them Identify Their Ikigai.  According to Aurelien, to guide a client in setting an action plan for true personal or professional change, he starts by helping them identify their ikigai—the intersection of what they love, what they’re good at, what the world needs and what they can be paid for. We explore their lifelong strengths and passions, aligning them with opportunities to bring value to others.

A few other coaches suggested the following: simplify the implementation, overcome inertia by beginning immediately, do a pre-mortem to anticipate obstacles.

2 key takeaways from the article

1. Reflecting on where you are relative to where you want to be can reveal one’s unmet needs and desires, but actually changing your behaviors and adopting the new habits and mindset needed to get there can be challenging. Many coaching clients come seeking support to transform aspirations into actionable strategies after a period of self-reflection, which, while instrumental in providing inspiration and motivation, must be followed up with action to achieve real personal or professional growth.
2. Members of Forbes Coaches Council share their experiences how they help their clients create action plans to reach the goals they uncover through deep self-reflection. Their insights are:  start with a clear vision, define macro and micro goals, do both the ‘Inner’ and ‘Outer’ work, leverage key questions and tools, plan and follow up step by step, help them identify their ikigai, simplify the implementation, overcome inertia by beginning immediately, and do a pre-mortem to anticipate obstacles.

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Topics:  Leadership, Vision, Mission, Coaching, Learning