by Jennifer Mount, Jennifer@OptUPossibility.com
As a client embarks on the coaching journey, he or she is often looking to make a change, to grow into the next version of him or herself, or to achieve a goal. The client’s network is a great wealth of knowledge, ideas, encouragement, and stimuli that will build the 
confidence within the client to take action. The coach can partner with the client to discover how a network can be an inspirational tool for moving forward and accomplishing what they want. The process of accessing the client’s network both provides support and resources, and it is also a method for developing effective communication and leadership skills. There are five steps to accessing the client network: map the network, identify key people, build a trust team, craft trust team requests, and create a plan of action.
Accessing the client network is a win-win-win scenario. The client wins the support and the resources to achieve a goal. The people within the network who choose to support the client in accomplishing a goal win both the growth experience through participation and the knowledge of how the coaching process may benefit them individually. The coach wins by providing the client with a successful relationship and also by surfacing opportunities to increase business through the network. It creates a collaborative effort in achieving our personal and our collective goals. A positive environment is essential for the client as he or she attempts to make changes in moving towards a goal. The process of accessing the client’s network and the skills obtained within the progression provide the practice, the confidence, and the courage on the road to success for the client, and also the client’s network and the coach alike.
Read the Accessing the Client Network chapter in Coaching Perspectives V for more.
