Reflections on Powerful Requests

Think of an issue in your life right now where I would like to take some action. What would be a powerful request that I, as a coach would make to move myself forward?

I’d like to fit more cardiovascular exercise and weight training into my life.

I want to wake up 3 days a week 1 hour earlier and get a work-out in.

What would be the minimum that I would accept of myself?

I day a week.

What would be the potential benefits of this request?

Overall fitness would increase.

What would stop a client from being ready to do fieldwork?

Fear
Fear of failure
They might not know where to start
Resistance
Feeling overwhelmed with other issues that they don’t have control over.

If a client continually fails to complete fieldwork, what are some of the possible things that might be going on?
It might not be the right time, or the client might not be commited to the fieldwork, or there might be some fear and resistance i involved.

How can I as a coach balance the need to support my clients with the need to challenge them?

The reason for the powerful requests or challenges is to help the client to keep moving forward toward his or her goal. I don’t think it’s necessary do this every single week. Some weeks a challenge might be just the thing to get the “game” going and nudge the client into action, and other weeks a powerful request, or even a request to do nothing is more appropriate. Sometime people make a leap in learning when they aren’t doing anything active.