How to Structure an Effective Coaching Session

I’m Mike Foster, and I’m here to help you become an effective coach, build a meaningful business, and impact the people you’re called to serve.

Today, I want to talk about a common question I’ve been getting…

“How do I structure a coaching session?”

As coaches, our primary goal is to facilitate growth for our clients.

Without a clear structure, sessions can become aimless. This leaves clients feeling stuck and coaches feeling ineffective.

Having a clear structure for each session is like having a roadmap that guides your client from their current state to their desired state, so they get results, keep working with you, and refer their friends.

Here’s the structure I use to facilitate breakthrough sessions.

1. Prime the Pump: 

The first five minutes set the tone for the session.

Ease them into your time together by engaging in light, relational conversation. Discuss recent events or general interests to warm up the conversation. It’s like priming a pump before starting an engine or stretching before a workout.

Chat for 3-5 minutes and then get started.

2. Start the Session:

Begin with a 5-minute check-in.

Simply ask, "How are you coming in today?" This open-ended question allows the client to express their current feelings and sets the direction for your time together. Remember, this is about them, not us. Even if you have an idea of what to talk about, it’s important to let them lead the way with whatever is top of mind.

3. Identify the Problem:

Spend the next 20 minutes diving into the heart of the session.

Based on their check-in, dive into one specific problem to keep the session focused. They might mention 3 or 4 different topics you could talk about. Let the client lead the conversation to what's most pressing by asking questions like, "What would be most helpful for today's session?" or "How can we make this the best 60 minutes of your week?"

Dig into the deeper layers of their core problem to find the root.

4. Brainstorm Solutions:

For the next 15 minutes, shift from the problem to the solution.

Help them reframe the problem, look at their beliefs from new angles, and explore alternative perspectives. Sometimes, it's helpful to reverse roles and ask the client to coach you on a similar problem.

It’s amazing to see how clients can lead themselves once you provide space and permission.

5. Create Action Items:

The last 10 minutes should focus on defining clear, actionable steps.

Ask, "What's the one thing you can do that would greatly improve or completely solve this problem?" This might be the most important part of the session. As coaches, we get paid for producing results, and results come from taking action. 

Make sure you end every session with a clear action item, so they move toward their goal.

6. Review and Wrap-Up:

In the final five minutes, review the session to ensure clarity and commitment to the action steps.

Recap the journey from the initial check-in to the solutions and action items discussed. This reinforces the session's work, sets a clear path forward, and creates a sense of closure. It also creates accountability for the following week. 

Altogether, most sessions last around 60 minutes.

This gives you ample time to dive deep while forcing you to remain focused.

That’s all for today!

Here’s your action item:

Try structuring your next session with this framework and notice the difference.

Thanks for reading,

Mike Foster

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