New Orleans Life Coach: Creating Change
The foundation of coaching is:
Creating greater awareness with the client about what she wants to accomplish
Helping the client get into or stay in action towards specific goals/agendas
All ICF credentialed coaches understand this foundation and build skills over time to help clients create and sustain change.
In addition to the basic foundations of coaching directly supporting the change and goal achievement process, coaches receive an enormous amount of training about Change Theory and Goals Setting - from the concept of readiness to change (defined in the model below by Prochaska, Norcross and DiClemente in their book, Changing for Good) to the how to support clients towards goal achievement success.
The Prochaska Stages of Change:
Precomtemplation – not thinking about change; do not want to change; may resist change
Contemplation – acknowledging that a change should be made and begin to think about how to change
Preparation – the planning process has already begun, some small steps towards getting ready to change may be in place; in this stage participants are committed to action but may still need to resolve certain issues of ambivalence
Action – overt changes and modifications to behavior begin
Maintenance – work to consolidate gains is in full force; the struggle to prevent lapses and relapses requires energy
Termination – the issue around change is no longer a challenge; the energy required to maintain the change is no longer noticeable
Professional coaches move clients through the goal achievement process by asking the right questions at the right time and providing both support and challenge pushes when needed. Coaches (particularly ADHD coaches) help clients break their goals down into small action steps– offering encouragement and feedback with each met milestone.
Additionally, coaches talk with clients about effective methods for self-motivation as well as ways to reduce procrastination. When clients experience setbacks, a great coach is there with the needed insight or tool to move the client back into action. No doubt, you have stumbled onto your personal saboteur, dabbled in negative self-talk or engaged in an inflexible mindset about your desired change or goal. Coaches can help you to recognize this behavior and help you reframe that internal experience into something positive and progressive.
Coaches are armed with a host of tools to help clients maintain energy around the change and goal achievement process as well as for providing effective accountability to staying on track. Expert coaches understand the external pressures that can derail progress and can help clients frame their mindsets in ways that allow for incremental but meaningful progress. To that end, coaches support progress over perfection– otherwise known as the “more often than not” yardstick for measurement.
Coaching Steps for Making Change and Reaching Goals:
Asking the client powerful questions to provide clarity and deeper awareness of the meaning/value for change or goal achievement
Helping clients break goals down into small action steps
Establishing with the client an understanding of personal motivations (intrinsic versus extrinsic & behavioral versus outcome) around the desired change or goal
Creating strategies for thwarting procrastination or learned helplessness with respect to making change or reaching a goal
Creating an awareness within the client of any competing commitments that may arise and learning how to navigate through them
Helping the client to manage personal saboteurs (The Inner Critic) that might get in the way of successful change
Maintaining commitments and accountabilities (setbacks, dopamine drives/dips, excitement, endurance, rewards, celebrations, WOOP tool) to the change or goal reaching process
Bringing to the forefront a mindfulness around any social pressures that might deter progress
Teaching the client about having a flexible mindset around change and goal achievement
Reminding the client to focus on progress versus perfection with respect to the change and goal achievement process
Are you ready to make change happen in your life? Is there a goal you want to reach? Do you desire to have the best supportive resource helping you achieve success?
Contact Kimberly via email at Kimberly@KimberlyPutmanCoaching.com or by phone at (512.298.9021) or for a brief consultation about how coaching can help you make your desired change.
