How to Coach Yourself and Others Popular Models for Coaching | Page 281

2.34 FLOW COACHING
The FLOW model is explained in Powell et al. (2001).
• Find the challenge: What is the issue that you need to address?
• Look at reality: What are things like now?
• Open possibilities: What could you do about it?
• Win commitment: What are you going to do and when?
There are clear similarities between the STRIDE and FLOW
models. One of the key differences is that the STRIDE model
starts by looking at the coachee’s preferred future, whereas the
FLOW model starts by talking about the challenge, that is, What
is it that you want to address? From this starting point will then
come the discussion about what the targets are.
Both models emphasise the need to look at what the reality is
now. This is important, as it will open up a dialogue about what
the obstacles or blocks are which are stopping the coachee from
making progress. Only once these are brought to the fore can
the issue really start to be addressed. It is surprising how often
this is the key part of a coaching session and that by just seeing
thesituation clearly (rather than what was thought or imagined
to be the situation), the resolution often becomes obvious and
straightforward.
Lastly, the STRIDE model encourages the coachee to evaluate
both the appropriateness of the target and the progress towards
it over time.

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