Cathy Liska The techniques for understanding discussed in the first blog post of this series also equip the coach to develop rapport and create trust. In a coaching relationship, rapport and trust give the client a comfort level for strategizing change with their coach. Once the coach identifies the clients focus, processing, and communication preferences, the coach develops rapport by matching or blending to the client’s style.
Coaches speak the client’s language to enhance both understanding and the client’s comfort level working with the coach. For example, the coach works through the emotional or logical focus of the client with the client, balancing by asking questions so that the client considers all angles. This empowers the client to effectively think through the change.
The coach recognizes client preferences for how quickly they make decisions. The coach creates trust by accepting the client’s preference, and asking the client questions about their process and decisions. The client fully evaluates their choices, enhancing their conviction to change.
When a client chooses what they want to do and how, the coach asks the client to describe their future success. The coach starts with the client preference for visual, auditory, or kinesthetic and includes all three. Because the coach starts with the client’s preferred language, the client is at ease describing their goals. This process empowers the client to buy in to what they want to change and how they want to change it because the client describes the success fully.
The coach effectively motivates the client to change by communicating in the client’s language and focusing on desired outcomes.
