What happens in a coaching session?
During exploratory sessions with individuals considering coaching, I am often asked what coaching sessions are like and what happens during a session. Most clients have not experienced coaching before, and find it helpful to know how a coaching session is structured as they become acculturated to the coaching process. There are some key frameworks and tools coaches use to encourage deep reflection help the client make meaningful progress towards their coaching goals.
Agenda Setting
Every coaching session starts with agenda setting. The coach guides the process by asking a series of questions about the topic the client would like to focus on in the session, the significance of the topic, and the main objectives the client is looking to achieve in the session. The client always selects the topic that they want to be coached on, and also identifies the outcomes they want to take away from the session. This is incredibly important, as coaching is dedicated to the client’s needs and is not a prescriptive or advice-giving process. Even if a client is unsure on what topics to focus on or what they are looking to achieve, a coach will ask additional questions to help the client explore different options and provide clarity on what to focus on in the session.
Agenda setting always concludes with the coach repeating back to the client the topic of the session, it’s significance to the client, and the objectives they’ll be working towards in the session. This ensures that both client and coach have a mutual understanding, and allows the client to fill-in or add any additional information.
While the agenda setting will only be about the first five minutes, it is incredibly important in order to ensure the client experiences meaningful progress while engaged in the coaching relationship. It provides a roadmap for both the client and coach to help guide the session and refer back to if needed, and outlines measurable objectives towards progress. Without a clear agenda, the session can be a little aimless and not meaningful. The agenda allows the coach to go deep quickly with a client, and is the key to helping the client achieve progress towards coaching objectives.
Powerful Questions & Tools
During the majority of a coaching session, the coach will ask the client a series of powerful questions related to the topic area of the session and geared towards achieving the outcomes the client created during the agenda setting process. Powerful questions help the coach and client seek understanding and gain clarity around the issues the client is bringing to the session. They are short, open-ended, and non-judgemental questions that get to the point as quickly as possible, and allow the client to fully explore their thoughts and emotions regarding the topic. They may be surprising to the client or lead the client to reflect on things they have never thought about previously as powerful questions are rooted in curiosity and encourage the client to look at situations from new perspectives.
A coach may also offer specific tools for a client to use either during the session, or afterwards as a part of the client’s action items. Tools are more structured activities that can help the client further explore their thinking and can help act as a guide for future action. A coach will explain the tool and its purpose, and will ask the client if they would like to engage in the tool. The client can always choose whether or not they want to use a certain tool, and if they want to pause or abandon the tool at any point in time. While tools provide external structure or information, they are always centered on the client’s experiences and rooted in what is most purposeful for the client’s learning and objectives
Action Steps & Accountability
Every coaching session ends with the client choosing action steps they would like to pursue outside of the session to continue working towards their objectives. Sometimes these are identified throughout the session, and the coach will summarize them for the client as the session concludes to ensure these are actions the client wants to pursue. While sometimes a coach may suggest a tool to complete before the next coaching session, the client always chooses their own action steps that will be most meaningful for their progress.
A coach will also check in on what support or accountability the client would like while they are completing their action steps. This can include check-in emails or phone calls, sharing affirmations, and answering any questions that may come up. A coach is a supportive source of accountability and is always available outside of sessions to help clients continue to work towards their goals.
While the structure of every coaching session is similar, each session is dynamic and attuned to the client’s needs present in each individual session. A coach will be able to personalize their approach to help the client meet their desired goals and outcomes throughout the coaching relationship.