Coaching your clients to a decision
People enlist the help of a coach for a variety of reasons, but the underlying motivation for most is a desire for change.
But what happens when clients understand the need for change but have no idea which path to take? They are stuck and frustrated. And you are left struggling to figure out how to help.
There can be a number of reasons behind the indecision:
* Too much information:
They are overwhelmed by choices, options, tools (personality tests, lists), or resources (books, blogs, social media feeds)
* Fear of missing out: “If I commit to a decision, what other opportunities will I miss out on?”
* Or, just plain old FEAR: How will this decision impact my income, my family, my security? What if I fail?
When your client is at a standstill, instead of doing more research or revisiting the pros and cons, try one of these methods to uncover a spontaneous, intuitive, unscripted answer:
* Academy Awards
Get your client to close their eyes and imagine their favorite actor onstage at the podium, ripping open the envelope to reveal the decision. “And the decision is…”
* Practice
Have them tackle minor decisions first. These small gains will give them confidence to make bigger decisions.
* Heads or tails:
This seems reckless, but there is a method here. By inviting your client to flip a coin, it can elicit a passionate response, making clear their preferred choice.
Excessively weighing options can lead to overwhelm and inaction. This can be so much more problematic than a bad decision. The longer it takes your client to make decisions; the more likely outside influences will start to make decisions for them. Help them get to a place of action.
“If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.”
Neil Peart
The choice is yours,
Jane Gardner