Coaching is more than just action planning

A man always has two reasons for doing anything: a good reason and the real reason. – J.P. Morgan

Over the last several years, organizations have spent more and more money on leadership coaching for their executives and key leaders. When done well, leadership coaching can have a dramatic impact on the development of those being coached. This is due in large part to the relationship established between the coach and client. Through this relationship, and the ability of the coach to uncover the internal drivers of client behavior, sustainable results can be achieved. Unfortunately, not all coaches work with their clients to get at the drivers of behavior, preferring instead to jump to problem solving and action planning too quickly. In doing so, the client may not be able to sustain the change in behavior they are striving for, because they aren’t personally invested in the solution.

In order to create a sustainable change in behavior, it is necessary to not only identify the external goal one would like to achieve, but also connect this goal with an individual’s inner motivation for achieving the desired result. Stated simply, when a client offers an external goal (i.e., obtain a promotion, make a career transition), there is often an internal motivation for wanting to achieve it (i.e., build self-confidence, working for a company with similar values). By helping a client see the internal motivation they may have for pursuing a goal, you allow them to connect purpose and passion to its achievement.

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