Integral eco-archetypal image

Integral eco-archetypal image
Integral eco-archetypal image

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

The Tao of Coaching

Another excellent coaching model that will continue to inform my practice as a Quantum One Life Coach is covered in the international best-seller by Max Landsberg. Although much of “The Tao of Coaching”focuses on organizational coaching for management in which there are multiple opportunities for vertical and horizontal coaching on the organizational ladder, there are also certain aspects of the model that have wider application in the Quantum One Life Coaching practice. Given that Quantum One Life Coaching does offer services in corporate coaching, Landsberg’s model is useful in a corporate environment as well as in individual situations.

Max Landsberg’s definition of coaching is a useful place to start out in embodying the Tao of Coaching:

“Coaching aims to enhance the performance and learning ability of others.

It involves giving feedback, but it also includes other techniques such as motivation and effective questioning. And, for a manager-coach it includes recognizing the coachee’s readiness to undertake a particular task in terms of both their skill and will.

Overall, the coach is aiming for the coachee to help her – or himself. And it is a dynamic interaction – it does not rely on a one-way flow or instruction.”
(2003, p. xii).

One of the key principles of this model of coaching is to appreciate the effectiveness of asking and not telling during the coaching session in order to empower the coachee to achieve a higher quality of task completion, a deeper level of understanding of the issue(s), a higher level of motivation, and a higher level of learning.

Providing positive and constructive feedback is another important component of this model of coaching. This also means discussing what the coachee might do even better next time. Clearly this is an essential aspect in the area of corporate coaching.


The fundamental component of "The Tao of Coaching" model, developed by former partner at McKinsey & Company, Organizational and business coach, Max Landsberg, in this book, is the structuring of the coaching session, which is known as the GROW model. G denotes goal, R denotes Reality, O denotes Options and W denotes Wrap-up.

In the Quantum One Life Coaching practice, the client/coachee is invited to explore and then set the goal at the outset of the session, although the term of preference for Quantum One Life Coaching is “setting intention(s)” both for the session and for the outcome of the session. This setting of intention may also be in the form of a vision or an affirmation for the individual such as

“as a result of this session, I see myself completing my Bohemian Club project in Santa Barbara, with grace and ease.”

The next phase of the session fully explores the Reality and also the context of the situation. The client is invited to make a self-assessment, check to see what has worked and not worked in the past, what the coachee’s relationship is with the issue and whether or not there is a sense of alignment with the long-range goals/mission/vision for the client.

In the Options process of this exploration, the coach is encouraging the client/coachee to identify and flesh out the various options and choices available based on past successes or the possibility of an alternative solution.

The Wrap-up aspect of this model requires a review of how viable or doable the options are, and then identifying the next steps, the support and resources needed. A time line is a valuable addition to this process.

1 comment:

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