Coaching Process and Behavior Change Facilitation
Core concepts
The coaching process typically moves through agreement, assessment of readiness, agenda setting, goal clarification, action planning, accountability, and closure. Candidates should understand behavior-change frameworks such as the stages of change, motivational interviewing, self-determination theory, self-efficacy, relapse prevention, and well-formed goal criteria. A useful goal is specific, meaningful to the client, measurable enough to track, and framed in the client's words. Action plans should be small, concrete, and confidence-based. The coach uses scaling, feedback, and collaborative review rather than prescribing steps.
Traps in questions
A frequent trap is the coach setting the goal or choosing the action plan. Another is proceeding to planning when the client is not ready, or ignoring low confidence. Questions may misuse “SMART” as a rigid checklist even when the client's values and readiness matter more. Watch for plans with too many goals, vague actions (“eat better”), or accountability framed as pressure. Also avoid rescuing after a lapse; lapses are information for revising the plan, not evidence of client failure.
Worked example and rule of thumb
A client wants to “get healthy” but rates importance 8/10 and confidence 3/10. The coach does not create a full exercise plan. Instead: “You see this as important. What would make confidence a 4?” The client identifies a 10-minute walk after lunch. The coach asks, “What might get in the way, and how will you respond?” Rule of thumb: when confidence is low, shrink the step; when importance is low, explore values and readiness before planning.