Is Coaching Formulaic?

Coaching is not a rigid formula, and it is not completely unstructured either. The most effective coaching is a dynamic process that combines both a structured, evidence-based approach and a flexible, intuitive style tailored to each individual.

Reasons Coaching is Not Formulaic 

• Individuals are unique: A rigid, one-size-fits-all formula is ineffective because each client has their own unique personality, experiences, objectives, and goals.
• The path is not linear: The journey from a client’s “current reality” to their “desired reality” is not linear and may include twists, turns, and even backtracking.
• A human, not a checklist: Great coaching is an interactive dialogue that focuses on unlocking insight, not on applying a static template. When a coach fails to integrate the client’s unique expression, the coaching can feel formulaic and distant.
• Focus on relationships: The relationship between a coach and client is crucial. A “formula” cannot build the trust, rapport, and emotional connection needed for lasting change.

Coaching competencies are not a strict process; they are a flexible framework that acts as a foundation for professional coaching. While they provide a structured guide with specific skills and behaviors, they do not restrict a coach’s individual style or limit flexibility. Instead, the competencies are used to empower clients and are often described as a blend of art and science, requiring creativity and adaptability to use effectively.

Competencies Provide a Flexible Framework

• Structure versus Rigidity:

The competencies are a “light structure” to guide the coach, not a rigid set of rules to follow without deviation.

• Science and art:

Coaching is seen as both a science (in the evidence-based competencies) and an art (in the application of skills and the coach’s unique style).

• Flexibility is Key:

Masterful coaches demonstrate flexibility and courage by aligning with the competencies while also applying them in creative ways that suit their personality and client’s objectives.

• Empowering the Client:

The competencies focus on creating a structure that empowers the client’s thinking, planning, and goal setting, rather than directing them.

• Adaptable to Different Objectives:

The competencies are a consistent guide, and a coach can experiment with different approaches while remaining authentic to embody them more fully.

Competencies Provide a Structured Framework

• Evidence-based:

The competencies are developed through a rigorous, research-based process, not random guidelines.

• Core Skills:

The competencies identify essential skills and knowledge for effective coaching, such as ethical practice, active listening, and creating a safe environment.

• Ethical Foundation:

A primary competency is demonstrating ethical practice, which provides a critical and foundational boundary for the profession.

• Level of Mastery:

Understanding competencies involves recognizing different levels of proficiency, from beginner to advanced, and knowing how to grow from one level to the next.

The Role of Frameworks and Science in Coaching

While not formulaic, coaching is still a structured process that relies on established frameworks and science. This provides a foundation for effective and consistent practice.

• Provides Structure: Frameworks, like the well-known GROW model (Goal, Reality, Options, Will), provide a clear structure for sessions and help ensure the process stays goal oriented.
• Ensures Consistency: A framework allows coaches to follow a proven methodology, making it easier to support consistent, measurable results for clients.
• Guides the Process: A framework helps coaches stay focused and provides clients with a roadmap, reducing confusion and aligning expectations.
• Based on Research: The science of coaching is rooted in fields like psychology and neuroscience. This informs evidence-based techniques for setting goals, giving feedback, and measuring outcomes.

The Balance of Art and Science

Truly masterful coaching exists at the intersection of structure and flexibility, or science and art.

• The Science: Provides the tools, data-driven strategies, and evidence-based techniques that give the coaching process its structure.
• The Art: Involves the coach’s intuition, empathy, and ability to read body language and mood. This human element allows the coach to adapt their approach to the client’s unique and evolving needs.
• The Balance: The most effective coaches know how to balance the two. They use a structured, scientific approach as a guide, but rely on their artistic, intuitive skills to bring the process to life and adapt to the client in the moment.

Coaching is a collaborative and individualized process that is structured around the client’s specific goals and challenges. While there are structured frameworks and models that can guide the process, the solutions emerge from the client’s own insights and the coach’s facilitation, rather than from pre-set answers.

How the Coaching Process is Structured

• Goal-oriented:

The process is always driven by the client’s goals, which are established at the beginning and revisited regularly.

• Accountability and Action:

During coaching sessions, the client often creates action points to work on, and the coach asks the client how they will manage their accountability to support progress and results.

• Coach’s role:

The coach’s role is not to provide all the answers or a rigid plan, instead it is to ask powerful questions, listen actively, explore perspectives, and flex the process to the client.

Reasons Coaching is Flexible

• Focus on Client-driven Solutions:

Coaching focuses on the client’s unique situation, and the solutions and actions are created by them, with the coach’s support. This is a key difference from training, which can have more pre-determined answers and content.

• Emergent Solutions:

Instead of a rigid, step-by-step plan, coaching generates “emergent solutions” that have a subjective value based on the client’s objectives and experiences.

• Collaborative and Tailored Approach:

Coaching is a partnership where the coach helps the client explore possibilities and build awareness to achieve their specific goals, making the process highly tailored and individualized.

• Structured and Flexible:

While there are useful coaching models and stages (like goal setting, exploring reality, taking action, and reviewing outcomes), these are flexible scaffolds, not rigid laws. The coach adapts the process based on the client’s progress and needs.

Conclusion

Coaching is neither purely formulaic nor entirely flexible; it is a combination of both. A structured approach provides a strong foundation, while flexibility allows the process to adapt to the client’s unique and evolving objectives. The most effective coaches master the art of balancing these two elements, often described as “structured yet flexible” or “client-centered” coaching.