There are many ways to help people to achieve their goals. The strengths coaching approach is one that can be used to help individuals, teams and organisations to achieve their picture of success.
The approach starts by clarifying the real results people want to achieve. It then involves helping them to build on their strengths, follow strategies that work and do their best to achieve success.
Imagine that you want to follow elements of this approach. The following section looks at how you can use it to help a person to achieve their goals. You can also adapt this approach when helping teams or organisations to achieve their aims
Clarifying The Picture Of Success
Imagine that you are running a session with a person who has asked for your help. The first step is to create an encouraging environment in which they feel welcome and at ease.
You can then invite them to describe the specific topics they would like to explore. Some people may aim to regain a sense of control, overcome setbacks and refocus on their life goals.
Some may aim to find creative solutions to challenges. Some may aim to do satisfying work that pays a salary. Some may aim to achieve peak performance. Some may aim to leave a positive legacy.
Bearing in mind what the person wants to explore, explain what you can and can’t offer. You can then make clear contracts about the topics to cover in the session.
Moving on to the first topic the person wants to explore, you can clarify what the person wants to achieve. One approach is to explore the following themes.
Imagine that you have explored this step. Before moving forwards, it can be useful to check that you are clear on what the person wants to achieve. You may want to say something along the following lines.
As far as I understand, the real results
you want to achieve in this situation are:
To …
To …
To …
Is that right?
Sometimes you may immediately help a person to focus on finding solutions to a challenge or taking steps to reach a goal. You may also be able to offer some practical tools they can use to get some early successes.
On other occasions it can be useful to go through the following stages. You can help the person:
To build on their strengths;
To follow strategies that work;
To do their best to achieve their picture of success.
Let’s explore how you can go focus on these themes. You will, of course, do this in your own way.
Strengths
Every person has strengths. Bearing this in mind, you can clarify how the person can build on these to work towards achieving their goals. Here are some themes it can be useful to explore.
Imagine you have clarified some of the person’s strengths. It is then time to move on to the next stage.
Strategies That Work
The next step to help the person to follow strategies that work. This can involve helping them to learn from both their own and other people’s successes.
Every person has a positive history. They have overcome challenges and worked to achieve specific goals. Bearing in mind what the person wants to achieve, you may want to explore the following themes.
When appropriate, you can also offer ideas they can use in their own way. Before doing this, however, it is important to ask them:
Is it okay for me to share some ideas?
It is vital to get a person’s psychological permission before sharing ideas. If they say that is okay, then it can be useful to ask yourself the following questions.
“What are the results the person wants to achieve? What are they doing well that can help them to achieve their goas? What can they do better and how?
“What are the kinds of knowledge, models and practical tools that I can share to help them to achieve their goals? How can I pass on this knowledge in a way they can accept and use?”
Imagine that you have explored these themes. It can then be time to move on to the next stage.
Success
You can help the person to do their best to achieve their picture of success. If appropriate, look ahead and help them to translate their strategies into a clear action plan. Here are some themes it can be useful to explore with the person.
There are many ways to help people to reach their goals. The strengths approach helps people to build on their assets and add to their repertoire. It then enables them to do their best to achieve success.
Let’s return to your own life and work. Looking ahead, can you think of a situation where you may want to follow elements of the strengths approach? How can you do this in your own way?
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to complete the following sentences.
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