CONTRACTING - OBJECTIVES & AIMS

The contracting session is possibly the most important meeting between the coach and their client. Within it, the boundaries in which the coaching relationship operates are established and the mutual expectations under which both the coach and the client will operate is set. It sets the tone for future meetings and the professional basis on which future meetings will be held.

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The contracting session clarifies the following:

  • The objective of the coaching programme

  • The contract between the coach and coachee

  • The logistics and process under which coaching will take place.

It will be necessary to re-contract with the client as the programme of coaching sessions progress. This enables a greater level of focus to emerge as understanding of the goal/objective increases through each session - and to honour the changing nature of the coaching relationship and the level of trust, rapport and challenge that can develop with the client.

There may also be times when the coach is required to “spot contract” in the moment during the coaching conversation, for example, when a boundary may be reached or the coachee has an overt reaction. Setting up an effective contract at the start of the relationship will enable the coach to do this; building a container for the partnership and the work done together.

KEY STAKEHOLDER INPUT INTO COACHING PROGRAMME DESIGN

It is important to consider the views of wider ‘stakeholders’ of the coaching programme - the organisation, colleagues, peers, line reports and line managers. What might they want to see as an outcome from this coaching programme?

These perspectives may not necessarily determine the focus or objectives of the coaching programme - they should inform it - in providing a connection to the wider organisational objectives in providing coaching support and an effective return on investment for the work undertaken in the coaching programme.

Contracting with the Coachee and the Organisation

While the contacting can be reasonably straightforward if the client is also the ‘sponsor’ of the coaching programme (paying for the programme), a new dimension of contracting arises when the coaching is paid for by an organisation for which the client works (known as the ‘sponsor’). In this case the client and the organisation sponsoring the work must be treated as two different entities.

Public Goals (shared between sponsor and coach)

Coach leads this goals conversation - This covers contracting with the sponsor, explores the rationale for the coaching and seeks out the willingness of the client to engage in the coaching process. This is a visible contract with the sponsor comprises specific public goals where possible.

This information is normally captured during a 30 minute 3 way meeting between the coach, client and sponsor before the client formally commences their coaching sessions to ensure their sessions are aligned to what the business expects of them in the coming months and beyond. Feedback questions the coach typically asks the sponsor as part of this conversation include:

·         What does [client] need to focus on in terms of delivering value for [organisation] in their role over the next few months?

·         What does [client] need to focus on in terms of developing their personal qualities over the next few months? 

Consider client and colleague (junior/peer/senior) stakeholder interactions…

·         What behaviours do they possess that you value and want to continue benefitting from?

·         What hidden talents do you suspect [client] may not be utilising as much as they could?

·         What behaviours need to stop and start? What mind-set shifts may be required?

·         How could you work together differently as part of [client]’s development journey over the next few months

·         When would you consider reconvening to review progress as part of the coaching programme? [typically 3-6 months later]

The client may suggest edits or additions to the questions explored when planning this conversation.


Public Goals (shared between sponsor and client/coachee)

Coachee leads this goals conversation - This involves the coachee contracting with their sponsor/line manager. This conversation covers what the sponsor and the wider organisation wants to see from the coachee and the coaching process that would be seen as a good return on investment.

The client is asked to prepare what questions they will ask in advance of the 3 way conversation between the coach, client and sponsor.

This is included in the visible contract with the sponsor and comprises specific public goals where possible.

Private Goals (confidential between coach and client)

This is a visible contract with coach and client with private goals. It typically covers these 3 areas:

Coaching Purpose

  • What do you want to achieve through the coaching sessions? 

  • What themes do you want to explore?

  • What goals do you have for the coaching? 

  • What other development have you done / are doing to work on these areas?

Success Measures 

  • How will you know that you have been successful in coaching?

  • What will be different for you, your team, your colleagues, your clients etc.?

 Coaching value 

  • What are the benefits to you in achieving these goals or developing in this way?

As part of this the expectations the coach and coachee may have of each other are also explored with the following common questions:

  • What are your expectations of me as your coach?

  • What previous experiences do you have of working with a coach?

  • What expectations do you therefore have of me?

  • Can I tell you what expectations I have of you? (covers requests pertaining to: timeliness, honesty, and engagement in the process)

  • What role do you see me playing as your coach?

  • What requests do you have of me as your coach?

  • Is there anything else?

Contracting Logistics

The logistics of how the coaching will operate needs to be agreed and mutually understood in order to manage expectations and assumptions and to ensure that the coaching programme is undertaken in a professional manner. We’ll cover the following as part of this contracting process:

  • The coaching programme consists of _____ sessions.

  • Each session will last ____ hours.

  • I will attempt to arrive _____ minutes before the session begins. Are we both able to make that commitment?

  • The sessions will be held at _____________.

  • If for any reason with of us should not be able to attend the meeting, I would request that we each give each other ____ hours/days notice.

  • Should a meeting be cancelled within ____ hours/days of the scheduled meeting, a cancellation charge of _____ will be levied.

  • All private goals are confidential. All notes I make throughout the programme that refer to these goals will be handed back to you at the end of the programme or destroyed.

  • All ‘public’ goals will be clarified between you, me and the ‘sponsor’ before the start of the coaching programme. The use of reporting mechanisms to the ‘sponsor’, measures of success and the agenda of any review meetings will be discussed and clarified at this meeting.

  • Coaching is more effective when open and honest feedback is sort and given from both parties as part of the coaching sessions. Do you feel able to engage in this process?

  • Review sessions will be held after session _____ and at the end of the progra