Coaching Different Personality Types

By Pete Liska https://www.linkedin.com/in/peteliska/

In my last Blog, I talked about my friend Beth being a Pleaser and Celebrator.  Today I’ll continue this with examples for coaching the different personality types that I learned during my coach training.

When coaching a Pleaser, questions that include something about how they set personal boundaries are helpful.  Working with Beth, I have seen her miss out on some personal things she likes to do since she wanted to please someone else and it interfered with her scheduled plans.  This can be a challenge if your client prioritizes pleasing others and forgets to please or care about themselves.  Ask them how setting boundaries is helpful to others.  Ask a Pleaser client how them balancing their own interests or objectives with taking care of others demonstrates self-respect and then ask how that impacts others.

Additional considerations when coaching a Pleaser include awareness, as the coach, of such things as creating space and being comfortable with silence in the coaching session.  Push in a collaborative way and use calm tones.

Beth has a secondary personality style of Celebrator.  When coaching this type of person pay attention to them talking.  Balance giving them time to talk with keeping the conversation on track.  For the Celebrator, ask about how they will create flexibility in their plans.  Ask questions about how they will stay engaged and follow-through.

Pleasers like being acknowledged (we all do) and also often have a hard time accepting praise.  Celebrators love praise.  For both ask how they want to be acknowledged and how they will acknowledge themselves.

Coaching certification is designed to develop coaching competencies that in turn support the coach focusing on the client and adjusting the process to what works best for the client.  This also involves co-creating the relationship; the client is invited to explain what they like and what works for them.