Business Coaching Example

Here is an example of a business coaching engagement using models, processes, and the coaching competencies.

Imagine you are starting a coaching engagement with a business coachee.  First you prepare by completing your training and setup.  To co-create the coaching relationship, start with in an introductory session.  Ask the coachee about themselves and their interests and objectives.  Discuss different approaches including whether the coachee wants to talk only about the business or take a more holistic approach.  Based on this conversation you decide to start with the process for CPC and the GROW model: Goal, Current Reality, Options, Will or Way Forward. 

Using your process, in an opening session you ask the coachee about what they want in all areas of their life.  It helps them gain clarity about their big picture, competing priorities, and influencing factors.  Then, in the second session, you provide the coachee with the information they gave in the first session formatted as their story and a tool for staying engaged.  By the third session, you collaborate to co-create the coaching process.  Prior to the session, you send a form with questions about the status of their business to define their reality, their thoughts, and their objectives, moving toward their goals.

Following the GROW model, you ask the coachee about their status quo and their goals in terms of business growth, management, sustainability, scale-ability, and sale-ability.  With the goals and reality defined, the coachee is ready to explore their options and opportunities.  Next you ask the coachee how they will move forward.  Specific action steps are scheduled.  In the following coaching session, you ask how they are doing.  You challenge them on incomplete tasks and celebrate their progress and success.

Sometimes you are working on tasks during the coaching session.  Other times you role play challenging conversations.  When the coachee reaches a point where they have accomplished what they wanted from the coaching, you plan a session to strategize how they will maintain their progress and continue creating successes.  In a closing session, you review what the coachee accomplished through coaching and their resources moving forward.

Questions for this Coaching Scenario:

• What are your objectives for a coaching relationship?
• What will be helpful to discuss?
• What is your understanding of the difference between focusing on the business versus a holistic approach?
• How will you measure the value of coaching?
• What is your vision for your business?
• What do you want?
• What influences your choices?
• What influences your decisions?
• What priorities compete for your attention?
• What is the status of your business?
• What is the status of your business plan?
• What is the status of your marketing plan?
• What financial statements can we review?
• What does your organizational chart look like?
• Describe your management style.
• Describe your business culture.
• What is your customer base?
• How do your customers perceive you?
• What do you do best?
• What do you want to improve?
• What are your sales goals?
• What is your customer satisfaction goal?
• How sustainable is your business?
• What are your considerations for sustainability?
• What is scale-able in your business?
• What are your thoughts about future sale-ability?
• What is your succession plan?
• What do you want to work on first?
• What are the influencing factors?
• What might get in the way?
• What are your resources?
• What strategies do you want to consider?
• How do you want to move forward?
• What are your action steps?
• How do you feel about your plan?
• What is working well?
• What do you want to improve?
• What is your next priority?