When a colleague or client comes to you seeking career coaching, how much attention do you give to setting the agenda? You are not alone if you just dive in with a generalized opening of some sort and see where things go. This approach is not the end of the world, but it’s also not likely to produce an optimum outcome.

Here is a brief guide to follow:

The first step is pretty simple. You ask your client what they want to work on. They might answer with something like, “I’d like to work on my frustration with my boss.” You could proceed directly into coaching based on that prompt or you could dig deeper.

You could ask:

·        How does this matter to you?

·        What aspect of your relationship with your boss bothers you the most?

·        Where do you feel the frustration in your body?

·        How is this impacting you?

·        What, specifically, about your boss, do you want to explore?

·        What else….

This short list of exploratory questions will clarify what aspect of the situation is most important to focus on. Perhaps you might learn that the boss is a terrible listener and your client does not have the opportunity to contribute new, creative ideas. This violates your client’s desire to grow in their position and be challenged.

This tiny bit of structuring avoids a surface conversation or a bitching session.  But you are not done yet. Now it’s time to invite your client to define a successful outcome for your time together. You ask, “What, specifically, would you like to achieve in our time together today?”

Usually, it takes a bit of time for your client to process this. They might define success as a plan of attack or clarity. They might want to determine a step they can take to get their ideas heard.

The final part of setting the agenda is reflective listening. You summarize the focus of the coaching session and the targeted successful outcome. Don’t be surprised if you see your client smile and relax all at the same time. Being head at this level is rare and precious.

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