Every coaching session begins with an agenda. The client’s agenda. The coach holds the space for the client and for the client’s agenda and allows it to unfold through the session.
Does the choice or articulation of the agenda have a bearing on what could be achieved in a coaching session? Is it important to think through an agenda before your session? How can you chisel the agenda to help the session be more productive?
These are some questions, we don’t often ask, perhaps because as coaches we don’t want to sit in bias or judgement of one agenda versus another.
I have been asked this question often and it is a pertinent question because the agenda is the point of leverage in a coaching session. So based on my experience across clients and sessions, I am offering a view on what a useful agenda might look like.
To begin with a useful agenda comes from something you wish to deal with NOW. It’s useful to ask the question on whether you’re framing it POSITIVELY and is it FORWARD LOOKING looking. There’s no rule to it but it helps if it is ANCHORED to a larger goal or expectation from your coaching journey. Don’t stress on tightly knit connections.
What else? It should be DEFINITIVE – Concise, but descriptive and complete, single minded and focused. It always helps if it EXCITES, exhilarates, inspires, or provokes possibilities that you look forward to. It should be visible, accessible, attainable but STRETCHED. Just out of reach like the jar of honey on the top shelf of the cupboard, when we were kids.
Lastly ask yourself, what success will look like and when? TIME LIMITED is a great way to generate creativity and inspire action.
Let’s call this a DEFSTAR NOW agenda for good measure and memorability:
Definitive, Exciting, Forward looking, Stretched, Time limited, Anchored and Reachable.
If you have anything to add to this list or would like to share your examples and experience, please do leave or comment or message us. If you’d like to know more or get in touch, do sends us a message here
