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Tip 48 – Options for solving problems and achieving goals
When faced with complex, multi faceted problems what can you do? How can you progress on issues even when they have been stuck for a long time?
There are several coaching models that provide alternative perspectives, prompting different questions to help you in a variety ways.
In coaching we say the more choices you have the better. One option clearly gives you no choice, two options can lead to a dilemma, but real choice only occurs when you have three or more options.
So, here are three different approaches to structuring thinking in order to achieve your goals. These are best conducted with a coach, but it is possible to use these for yourself – in effect you use the structure to coach yourself.
1. The GROW model
What is the GROW Model?
The GROW (Goal, Reality, Options, Wrap-up) model is one of the most common coaching tools. It enables the coach to structure a coaching conversation and deliver a meaningful result. The discussion should start with defining the topic in order to understand what specifically the coachee wants to talk about, what territory they are in, the scale of the problem, the importance and emotional significance of the topic to the coachee and the player’s long-term vision of goal for the topic. (Note there are two main functions of a vision: a vision performs both a directional and a motivational function. The purpose of a coherent vision of a desirable future is to create a focus on those things that can be done now to bring that future state about.)
A Simple Four-Step Structure
The framework provides a simple four-step structure for a coaching session:
Step 1: Goal – What is wanted?
Coach and coachee agree on a specific aim, objective and topic for the discussion. This goal is not the longer-term objective that the coachee has. This desired outcome is to be achieved within the limits of the discussion. (Defining what is wanted is the critical first step in almost any situation. "You can have anything you really want but you cannot have everything you want.") Good questions to ask are:
- What is the aim of this discussion?
- What do you want to achieve long term?
- How much personal control or influence do you have over your goal?
- What is a short term goal on the way?
- When do you want to achieve it by?
- Is that positive, challenging, attainable?
- How will you measure it?
Step 2: Reality – What is happening now?
Both coach and coachee invite self-assessment and offer specific examples to illustrate their points and achieve the most accurate picture of the topic possible. Questions for this step are:
- What is happening now? (What, When, Where, How Much, How Often)
- Who is involved (directly and indirectly)?
- When things are going badly on this issue, what happens to you?
- What happens to the others directly involved?
- What is the effect on others?
- What have you done about this so for?
- What results did that produce?
- What are the major constraints to finding a way forward?
- What is really going on? (intuition)
Step 3: Options – What could be done?
In the options stage, the coach’s intention is to draw out a list of all that is possible for the coachee to do without judgment and evaluation. The coach elicits suggestions from the coachee by asking effective questions and guides him/her towards making the right choices. The general idea of the questioning is to prompt the coachee into exploring issues in depth either by direct or implied questions (or even a raised eyebrow) so they become more aware of what is going on and can eventually coach themselves and others. Feedback can then be used to discuss progress and provide guidance, but still by using questions as the main vehicle for progress whenever possible. Consider these questions:
- What options do you have?
- What else could you do?
- What if...? (time, power, money, etc.)
- Would you like another suggestion?
- What are the benefits and costs of each?
Step 4: Wrap-up or Will – What will be done?
In this stage the coach’s intention is to gain commitment to action. Coach and coachee select the most appropriate options, commit to action, define the action plan, the next steps and a timeframe for their objectives and identify how to overcome obstacles. Most of the problems in life stem from one cause: we can't get ourselves to take action. It's not that we don't know what to do. The problem is getting ourselves to follow through and do it. Success isn't determined by genetics. It's about persistent, consistent action. Action is the key. You can be the most talented person in the world or have the best ideas, yet still if you do not take action you will achieve nothing. Having dreams and passion is not enough. If you wish to achieve something, don't let life just ‘happen’ to you. Set goals and take action. Questions for the final step are:
- What are you going to do?
- Will this address your goal?
- When are you going to do it?
- What could arise to inhibit this action?
- How will you overcome them?
- Who needs to know?
- What support do you need?
- How will you get that support?
- On a scale of 1-10 rate your willingness to take this agreed action.
Note: There is a variation on this called TGROW
Where T is for Topic. At the very start the coachee decides what aspect of their business or life, in a general sense, they would like to work on. Some topics that may come to mind are sponsoring, repeat business, etc. Whatever the TOPIC, the next step is to establish a specific goal, which takes you on to the ‘G’ section.
2. The OSKAR model - a framework for focussing on solutions
Solution-Focused Coaching
Many of our approaches to change are problem-focused - in that we attempt to move forward by exploring the problem. We try to understand what the problem is, what has caused it, and what we need to do to get rid of it. This works well in many situations, particularly those involving machines and other man-made artifacts. For example, we may notice that our car seems rather sluggish which prompts us to inspect the wheels. We discover that one of the tyres is flat and so replace it? Problem solved! But when we are working with people, diagnosing the problem often gives us little indication of the solution and indeed may even make the situation worse Fortunately there is another way We can focus on solutions instead. At the heart this solution-focused approach involves:
- Finding out what works and doing more of it
- Stopping doing what doesn’t work and doing something else.
It doesn't mean that we refuse to discuss the problem rather that we use any problem discussion to discover what the person wants to do, to learn about their commitment and passion, and to unearth evidence of skills and resources they are already using.
OUTCOME:
- What is the objective of this coaching?
- What do you want to achieve today?
SCALING:
- On a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 representing the worst it has ever been and 10 the preferred future, where would you put the situation today?
- You are at n now; what did you do to get this far?
- How would you know you had got to n+1?
KNOW-HOW & RESOURCES:
- What helps you perform at n on the scale, rather than 0?
- When does the outcome already happen for you - even a little bit?
- What did you do to make that happen? How did you do that?
AFFIRM AND ACTION:
· What's already going well?
· What’s the next small step?
· You are at n now, what would it take to get you to n+1?
REVIEW: What's better?
- What did you do that made the change happen?
- What effects have the changes had?
- What do you think will change next?
3. The CLEAR Model
The CLEAR model provides a different perspective on what to focus on in a coaching session. The CLEAR model was developed by Peter Hawkins in the early 1980s and so pre-dates the GROW model. CLEAR is an acronym for:
CONTRACTING:
Opening the discussion, setting the scope, establishing the desired outcomes, and agreeing the ground rules.
LISTENING:
Using active listening and catalytic interventions the coach helps the coachee develop their understanding of the situation and generate personal insight.
EXPLORING:
1. Helping the coachee to understand the personal impact the situation is having on themselves.
2: Challenging the coachee to think through possibilities for future action in resolving the situation.
ACTION:
Supporting the coachee in choosing a way ahead and deciding the next step.
REVIEW:
Closing the intervention, reinforcing ground covered, decisions made and value added. The coach also encourages feedback from the client on what was helpful about the coaching process, what was difficult and what they would like to be different in future coaching sessions
What is really useful about this model is its top and tail. Firstly, it makes explicit the importance of not just having a goal (as does the GROW model) but also of the wider issues, encouraging questions like, "What helps you learn?" and "What blocks your learning?" Secondly the CLEAR model emphasises the importance of reviewing the session. This is one of the most powerful tools we have for paying attention to the evolving needs of a situation. It’s easy when using the GROW model to feel that when we have done the wrap-up (W) you're finished. Checking at the end as a specific step enables reflection on the process and determines if the goal is still what is desired.
You can use GROW, OSKAR or CLEAR by yourself or with the support of another person. Generally I advise working through a difficult issue with someone else, because they do not have the same emotional attachment that we have to our own issues.
Click here to arrange an introductory session to find out more.
A coach can help you with these processes and in many other ways.