This brief exercise serves as a starting point to help you reflect on your goals for coaching, ensuring that your first session is both valuable and productive from the outset.
The initial session
This session focuses on getting to know your coach and discussing the areas you want to work on together throughout your coaching journey.
While goals may evolve over time, taking a moment to reflect on your desired outcomes before starting coaching is an excellent way to make the most of your limited time with your coach.
Identify what matters most to you.
To identify potential topics for your coaching sessions, take a moment to reflect on the following questions:
- What are your strengths? How would you describe them, and what do you think others would say your strengths are?
- What challenges do you face regularly? Consider specific examples from both your work and personal life.
- What does your ideal future look like? What changes would need to happen for you to achieve it? Are there aspects of your current work or life you’d like to change?
- What specific goals have you already set for yourself?
- What truly matters to you? What are your core values and priorities?
Transform your answers into actionable goals.
Now, review your answers again. Do you have a sense of what your coaching might focus on? Consider how your responses can be shaped into clear, actionable goals.
For instance, you might aim to incorporate your strengths more fully into your daily life, or you may want to focus on building skills to address specific challenges you face.
Whatever your goals may be, keep in mind that this exercise is just a starting point. You will continue to refine and develop your coaching goals with the guidance and support of your coach.
Additional ways to prepare for your first session
You can also define and track your personal Focus Areas using our Holistic Coaching Framework on the platform. These areas are flexible and can be adjusted to help you stay on track throughout your journey.
You can also draw inspiration from the wide range of learning resources available in the Academy, including reflective exercises designed to help you discover your own solutions both before and between coaching sessions.