THE VERBAL CONTRACT

While you are practicing your coaching skills and having coaching conversations with actual clients or practicing in the practice groups, or even having conversations with friends— remember that if coaching is to be a conversation like none other, then you must begin by getting the client’s outcome. After all, coaching is all about the client. It is not about you at all! It is not about your advice, wisdom, expert knowledge, experiences, knowledge, or feelings. It is about supporting the client to clarify what he or she wants and then facilitating that process.

So the first coaching question is always, “What do you want?” Now some versions of this question can be some of the following: “What is the outcome that you want in your life, your health, your career, your relationships that I can assist you with?” “What is the most important thing you and I can talk about in the next hour?” “What change do you want to make that will unleash more of your potentials?” “What problem or challenge is interfering with you being at your best that you will like to explore that will make a transformative difference in your life?”