Coaching to Each Learning Style
In order to successfully coach to each client’s learning style, you must first be aware
of your own learning style and its consequent biases. Stretch to reach clients with
styles different from your own.
Explore growth options that work with each client’s learning style by tailoring the
questions, learning opportunities and “stretches” that you explore with them:
Type 1
Questions: Invite reflection on personal experience by asking questions, such
as “When have you had an experience of…” or “What did you notice about how
you felt in this experience?”
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Learning Opportunities: reflection exercises, self-assessments, journals,
group learning
Stretch: Encourage them to move from reflection into action.
Type 2
Questions: Ask questions that help your client see patterns and models for
understanding. For example, you might ask, “What happened? What about this
approach worked? What would you do differently if a similar situation showed
up again?”
Learning Opportunities: models, frameworks, formal classes, articles
Stretch: Encourage them to make decisions in the absence of all of
the information.
Type 3
Questions: Ask questions that encourage the client to explore application and
results, such as, “If you were going to move this into action, what’s the first step
you might take?” or “What approach have you used in the past that worked?”
Learning Opportunities: hands-on activities, role-playing, application-based
practice, challenging assignments
Stretch: Encourage them to reflect and think through options before moving
into action.
Type 4
Questions: Appeal to this client’s love of adaptation and possibility. Ask
questions such as, “In a perfect world, what outcome would you like to see?”
or “If you could choose one thing you could do consistently do create this
outcome moving forward, what behavior would you choose?”
Learning Opportunities: stretch work assignments, thought-provoking
content (videos, articles, books), self-directed learning, experiments (“What
could you try…?”)
Stretch: Encourage them to focus, commit and implement.
Creating new results begins with engaging the client’s focused attention and
sustaining attention to new ways of thinking and behaving over time. An effective
coach can adapt her style to align with the learning style of her client in order to
enhance the coaching process.
Coaching World 7