How to Develop a Pre-Coaching Ritual.
It’s 5pm and it has been a long day. Your previous coaching client has drained most of your energy and there’s a 101 things outside of the business that need to be done. More importantly in 15 minutes time you’ll be coaching your last client of the day; sound familiar?
So how do you get into the right frame of mind and ensure the next client has got your undivided attention. A possible solution is to develop a pre-coaching ritual.
Over the years I’ve found the pre-coaching ritual I’ve developed helps to clear my mind of any irrelevant stuff prior to a session. It also produces a mental state where I am calm and focused and able to give 100% of my attention to the client.
When developing and using a pre-coaching ritual there are 3 phases.
1. Develop something that works for you.
Think of something that you enjoy and makes you feel calm and energised. This could be a visualisation of a favourite place or activity, a yoga position or a mantra. I have developed a visualisation where I am in a coaching session in perfect flow and harmony with the client. If visualisation doesn’t work for you develop something auditory such as a favourite piece of music. Whatever you use should put you in the perfect frame of mind for the session ahead.
2. Practice the ritual regularly.
Once you have developed something, mentally rehearse it and practice it regularly. The more you practice the more powerful the action will become. Over time when you start thinking about the action the mind will recognise that it is time for Coaching and will begin to prepare automatically.
3. Incorporate the ritual into your Coaching schedule.
Make sure that you incorporate the preparation into your daily coaching schedule. I have fine-tuned my preparation into a five minute visualisation and make sure I have enough time to run through it prior to every session. It ensures that I’m in the Coaching Zone and able to focus fully on the session ahead.
Do you have any tips on preparing for coaching sessions that you would like to share? I would like to hear them.
Tags: Coaching Information, Coaching Methods, Coaching Tips, Performance, Self Development
February 9th, 2011 at 17:07
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February 10th, 2011 at 14:07
My routine has 3 steps
I fire 2 anchors: NLP intregations and sensory acuity.
I invite my unconscious mind to contribute to the conversation I am about to have with ‘Client’s Name’.
I adopt Jamie Smart’s method of quieting the mind.
I also have a shortcut which is that if there is no time for the steps they will come into operation anyway.
Thanks for asking.
Sali
February 12th, 2011 at 08:34
Sali,
Thank you for sharing that. I think it is interesting to see how other coaches prepare for sessions with clients and I think NLP techniques, especially with anchoring, can help. I have used anchoring methods with sports people especially when they have to get in the zone very quickly.
February 23rd, 2011 at 15:17
Your post made me think about two aspects.
Yes there are things I will do prior to a coaching session, most to avoid/minimise distractions during the coaching session. As Sali says there are techniques like firing anchors I can use if I feel my energy and state is not where I want it to be. Generally, the reason for that is something I’ve done (or not). Things like creating a feeling of overwhelm with stuff I “have” to do, skipping lunch, scheduling 12 hours work into 8 hours etc!
Which brings me to my second thought. Personally, I find clients seldom drain my energy and your post made me consider the potential reasons behind that as well as what was going on when I have experienced that apparent drain on energy. I think some of it comes down to who I except as a client – I can honestly say that it’s very easy to be curious before every client session because they are individuals I actually enjoy spending time with. I also find the whole experience of coaching fun and a joy.
Thinking back to when I have experienced that feeling of energy drain it is often when I have been working from a position of “making” someone do something different, as if it meant something about one or both of us if that change didn’t happen. When I focus upon creating invitations for people to change and allow them to say yes or no without it altering either of our “worthiness” then I find it very easy to feel energised. I also find that, at least with the clients I work with, they make changes much easier.
Thank for creating a post that generates thought
Love
Jen
February 23rd, 2011 at 18:44
Thanks for the comment Jen. Like you have said sometimes the drain can be created not by the client but by events leading up to a session. Over time I have learned to plan better. This has included this best times to coach and being aware of my body clock. For example I know that I am less effective later in the day and have to put in strategies to energise myself if I am coaching later in the day. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts.
June 6th, 2011 at 08:17
[...] Doran, who is an executive coach and writes at The S4P Blog , offers How to Develop a Pre-Coaching Ritual. This post is geared towards external coaches, but could easily be used for leaders coaching an [...]