PINC – Professional INquiry for Coaching

A Model for Enabling Coaching-Client Relationship

A Playbook for Agile Coaches in Organizations

  1. Map of the User Journey for an Agile Coaching Engagement, and relevant Key Activities
  2. Deeper look at the initial/contracting phase of a Coaching relationship and engagement: which principles are the basis of the relationship, what patterns and anti-patterns may exist, and what powerful questions to ask to uncover them.

A Model for an Agile Coach-Client Relationship

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See also (digital version) of the Map: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xp7id4Cq4ddR2uQybXygzvEIfxHT32uO7G4cktB-h6o/edit#gid=0

Principle > Emergence through questioning <> Pattern / Anti-Pattern > Powerful questions

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Guide for Scenarios in the Contracting/Initiation Phase

Scenario: Defining constraints and boundaries of the coaching engagement

Principle Pattern Anti-Pattern Questions
Coaching is a 2-way relationships Clear Roles Client already has a solution in mind Client is not open to self-reflect What would you like to see change?
What is your role in this?
Self Awareness (Impact of your Ego or low self-esteem) Bring your authentic self to the table
  • Shu-Ha-Ri Thinking (superior/inferior relationship)
  • Judging before you observed the situation
What am I noticing?
Does it feel authentic?
Transparency to all involved parties
  • Client is hiding relevant information intentionally
  • Client asks you to assess people / or spy on them
  • Clients talks about low/high-performers in his organisation
  • The way to reach results is to Divide & Conquer
  • There is no agenda shared with the team
  • What does the team know about my mission?
  • What would you like to have happened?
Clarify Purpose
Unconditional positive regard
Serving the clients agenda (the systems agenda)
Confidentiality with the coachees

Scenario: Defining the outcome of a coaching engagement

Principle Pattern Anti-Pattern Questions
Agree on a coaching goal

To help in

  • Define ‘DONE’ (or ‘good’ enough)
  • Define value + share for the coach
Usable metrics in place
  • Vanity metrics
  • Apply ‘framework du jour’
  • ‘Optimise’ the process
  • Ask for local optimisation
  • What would you like to have happen?
  • What would you like to se in (six month, a year, …)?
  • How do you recognise a step into the right direction?
  • What does success look like?
  • How would you evaluate success?
  • How frequently do we want to meet & reassess the goal?

Scenario: Understand (higher) intent

Principle Pattern Anti-Pattern Questions
Serving the clients higher intent Already established practices achieving self awareness
  • Staying on the surface of ‘what’ and ‘how’ (instead of ‘why’)
  • Tool:
    Exploration workshop on higher intent (values, why, purpose, …)
  • And then … what happens next?

Team PINC Members:

Daniel Hommel, Andrea Provaglio, Mike Leber, Nils von Harleßem, Silvana Wasitova, Lilla Galfi, Peter Schmidt, Martin Stahl, Dhaval Shah