All coaches work from a set of assumptions. We might describe these as the fruits of our experience, or the product of years of study and observation. Whether we are able to describe these assumptions clearly or not, they surely exist for all of us. It might be helpful for you as clients or consumers of coaching to know what the four main models or assumptions are and to know from which model I work. The four models are:

Clinical Model- The clinical model stems from psychological counseling and assists the client in changing self-perception and personality (as they relate to the coaching issue). The clinical model often gathers data about the client’s history and family, and can include more of the client’s experience than her work experience in order to progress toward goals. The clinical model fits well for clients wanting to explore a specific need or goal within the context of their whole life rather than just within their job or relationship. If an executive or management coach uses this model in an organization where the organization is paying for the coaching and expects periodic reports, the coach must clearly define boundaries about personal information and the organization must agree to these boundaries so that client/coach confidentiality is protected.

Behavioral Model- The behavioral model is an evolution of Pavlov’s and Skinner’s experiments and assists the client in changing problem behavior by role play, experimentation and self-observation. This model works exclusively with what the client does or doesn’t do and helps the client to act in different ways, to “act as if” he were the leader, singer, father, parent he wants to be. This model works well when the behavior change is fairly simple and the results of behavior change are fairly quickly discernible. A difficulty with this model might be that the client can change behavior with the coach’s support but cannot sustain that change after coaching has ended.

Systems Model- The systems model aligns individual parts to a whole system (an organization, family, or some larger, more complex entity) and assists the client in aligning her own personal vision with the vision of the larger entity (her company, for instance). This model positions the client in a larger context and acknowledges the forces over which the client may have little control. It allows the client and coach to assess the system as well as the parts of the system over which the client may have influence or control and tries to affect the system through these efforts. The systems approach works well for clients who want to understand the complexity of their situation (and feel some relief to know that an organization’s culture is bigger than their part in it) and can look toward long-term impact.

Social Constructionist Model- The social constructionist model stems from the belief that we humans make our own reality through the stories we are told and the stories we tell. This model assists the client by allowing him to tell his story and to align that story with the stories others tell in his organization or environment. This model also acknowledges an environment larger than the client and coach, and assists the client in discovering her unique story so that she can see if it is the truth for her or an outmoded story she has told out of habit. This model works well with clients who are looking for ways to change that are independent of fixing problems and dependent on emphasizing strengths and skills. The liability of this model may be that the story the client ultimately tells is out of sync with the stories told by others in his environment.

I work from a social constructionist model. I’m particularly interested in how you “story” yourself, that is, how you describe yourself and your situation. As I work also from a particular social constructionist model, appreciative inquiry, I also will look for the ways in which your story expresses self-appreciation and recognition. Many tell stories about themselves that are sourced in parents’, teachers’, or boss’ pronouncements about negative attributes. I look for ways to help clients tell more powerful and empowering stories about themselves. When client’s stories seem to be at odds with the story others around them tell (and this happens to all of us), I invite the client to stand in the other’s shoes, to see from the other’s eyes, and then to reauthor their story to incorporate, or at least consider, the story of the other.

As you think about your own experience as a coach of others in your life—your children, peers, direct reports, or friends—think about what model you use with them. What comes most naturally to you? What would you like to try? What do you think would be the most effective model for you as a client?