Continuing discussion on the use of various coaching techniques from coach training with coaching client Katrina, this blog series now moves into supporting a coaching client making a big decision.
Within three weeks of her dedicated efforts to find a job, Katrina received two offers. She wanted to talk through both offers and decide which to accept. There are multiple ways to approach the decision – be ready with options for a client to choose.
Examples of coaching questions to help Katrina decide:
- What are the pros of offer A?
- What are the cons of offer A?
- What are the pros of offer B?
- What are the cons of offer B?
- How significant is each pro and con?
- What are the short-term considerations?
- What are the long-term considerations?
- How does offer A fit with your priorities?
- How does offer B fit with your priorities?
- What do you like least about each option?
- What do you like most about each option?
- Describe your process with option A.
- Describe your process with option B.
- Describe your life with option A.
- Describe your life with option B.
- What are the implications others in your life with each offer?
- What are the implications for your self-care with each offer?
- Five years from now, what do you want to look back on?
- How do you want to decide?
Thinking about and answering the questions out loud helped Katrina consider her options and identify which was the best fit. When she said which she was going to accept, she sounded happy and confident. It was important to explore that observation with Katrina and doing so further clarified and reinforced her decision.