Planning is Everything!

“Plans are Nothing, Planning is Everything”

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Think you don’t have time to plan your coaching session? Think again! You don’t have time not to. Here’s a quick, visual technique to help you build planning into every session you do.

Use these questions to focus on the purpose, process and outcomes of your coaching session. It’s easy to remember—think of it as “5 P’s”:

What’s the Point?
What’s the Pitfall?
What’s the Payoff?
What’s the Process?
What’s the Preparation?

As you look at each area, you’ll refine your thinking, skills and coaching session design. You’ll be prepared. You’ll be in the best possible state of mind to respond to new information, changes in conditions, unexpected turns. Planning helps you focus on helping your coaching client achieve results.Ask yourself questions to make sure you’ve handled these five areas: • What’s the Point?What’s the point of the coaching session? What’s the focus or point of any exercise, activity, questioning or dialogue? Get down to barebones. This is your short-form and just like an “elevator speech”—you want to be able to have the one liner, “totally reduced-to-essence” reason for what you’re doing. Do it for yourself. Do it for your client. If you’re focused on the point, your client will have an easier time understanding, learning and translating insights into action. And you’ll model focus—and believe me, your client will thank you! What’s the Pitfall?
What could go wrong? Anticipate it. This is everything from that you won’t get to the session…the room will be locked…you’ll lose your voice…the coachee is not receptive to your approach.

This includes all pitfalls: physical, mental, emotional, financial, logistical or spiritual potential pitfalls.

Think of Murphy’s Law: Everything that can go wrong, will go wrong.

You just don’t know when. Be prepared. Have a plan B.

The good news: If you think through the pitfalls, then when they happen, you’re already prepared. You’re not caught off guard—or at least you have a better sense of humor when you chuckle—-“Oh! Hadn’t thought of THAT one!”

What’s the Payoff?

What’s the real why? What’s your clients’ deep motivation for doing this session? If the payoff is compelling, you’ll be able to coach rather than pull your client. The payoff will pull, will motivate, will inspire. You can help the coachee connect with their internal motivation. Remember, help them find their own “Why bother!”

What’s the Process?

How will you navigate and guide the session? What process will you use in the coaching session—dialogue, story telling, creating a chart, doing a role play, practicing a new skill? Think through the process so that you have a plan and you have options to respond fluidly to the situation.

For more detailed practices and tips to design dynamic processes, be sure to read: How Adults Learn!

What’s the Preparation?

What do you need to prepare? Don’t wait until the last minute and expect inspiration to strike. Do you have notes you want to review the week before? Is there a book you want to refer to? Are there quotes or inspirational stories that you’re intending to share?

What can you do the night before to clear your mind, desk and time so that you can be completely available for your session?

How about the hour before? Anything you need to do in the physical environment? Any notes so you can clear your mind? Get it in writing. You’ll be
Able to relax.

It’s not the Plan—it’s the Planning!

“In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.”
Dwight D. Eisenhower

You may not be fighting a battle—but you are engaged with many unknowns. Planning for success in your coaching session does not mean that your session will go exactly according to plan. It does mean that you’ll be in a stronger position, because you’ve thought about it, planned it and can go out and do it.

This is true for the coach and it’s true for the coachee. While you can use this to ensure your coaching plan is top notch, help your coachee get a jump-start on planning skills. Give them a “5P’s” blueprint to plan their projects, proposals and presentations. Help them be prepared. Use this tool to achieve powerful results.

Where can you use the 5P’s?

It’s more accurate to say—where can’t you? Help your client use the five planning questions to design a plan of action. Coach for success. Use a planning blueprint for powerful results in a business plan, transition plan, process or product management.

These questions are flexible and adaptable. Prepare for any conversation: making a presentation, presenting product benefits, having a sales conversation, delivering a client report or conducting a meeting.

It’s a power tool to get ready for any meeting—whether you’re meeting with a coaching client, boss, teacher, parent or business colleague.

Make your success visible!

Fill in the chart with your own answers. Plan for success before each session.
Write your answers in boxes. Or write your answers to each area on a star—with one question per point of the star. Make your blueprint easy to see and easy to use. You’ll make it easy to see successful results.

If you’re reading this and coaching yourself—ask yourself the same questions.
If you’re working with a coach, ask these questions to get more focused on results with any project you’re discussing with your coach.

Strategic Storyboarding

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