1. The document discusses the responsibilities of an executive coach in a collaborative coaching process. It questions whether the coach's job is to support a client's happiness or give options for the client to choose from. 2. A 10-step collaborative coaching discussion process is outlined that involves identifying goals, strengths, obstacles, options, and a plan of action agreed upon by the coach and client. 3. The process is proposed as a way for coaches to begin working collaboratively with clients to achieve goals and fulfillment through open-ended discussion and accountability over time.

1. Rex Gatto Ph.D., BCC
Executive Coach and President
Gatto Associates LLC.
Collaborative Coaching
Is it the coach’s job to support the client to achieve happiness and
satisfaction or to give the client options from which to choose?
What are the coach’s responsibilities and what are the client’s
responsibilities before, during, and after coaching?
Can a coach help the client achieve happiness?
Barry Schwartz’s video Paradox of Choice set an interesting
perspective that if you have low expectations you will be happier.
That could be understood in the reverse as high achievers have
higher levels of frustration because they do have high
expectations for themselves and others. People who want to work
with a coach are usually high achievers. So what is a
Collaborative Coach to do in helping clients’ achieve happiness;
help them set low expectations?
To begin a coaching process a coach could discuss the ten points
below as a road map to collaborative coaching. The coach’s job is
to guide and support the client by drawing out and helping the
client understand options and directions from which to choose.
How is that done, by asking questions?
Following is a collaborative coaching discussion process:
1. Identify what the client wants. Ask if there were no
limitations or obstacles in your life what would you be doing?
What would bring you to a state of fulfillment in your work
and personal life?

2. 2. What do you do very well at work and personal life?
What do you feel you do best (don’t compare yourself to
anyone) just focus on yourself.
3. What are your energizes and drainers? Have the client
complete a life energy list of what Energizes YOU and
Drains YOU? Knowing what motivates and drives the client
to put out energy is extremely important to the collaborative
coaching discussion process.
4. What are the client’s obstacles to achieving the goals
and accomplishments s/he wants to accomplish? Ask
the client to identify life obstacles and to develop an action
plan to move beyond those obstacles. Understand whether
the client is using the obstacle(s) as an excuse or a reason
for not taking action. Assign homework and ask for weekly
updates.
5. Identify the client’s personal beliefs and what s/he
thinks they are capable of accomplishing. Asking the
client to write a retirement speech of all that is to be
accomplished, this often sets the stage for a robust
discussion.
6. What are the client’s options and possibilities in the
workplace and personal life? Ask the client to develop a
career plan for his/her personal and professional life. This
would include career development by position and work and
family development including children and planning with
regard to family.
7. Self-observation by the client. Ask the client to complete
skill-based assessments that will support self-awareness
and growth. Examples of key skills: communication,
leadership and followership, conflict resolution, EQi, self-
esteem, and teamwork to name pertinent assessments.
8. Develop a realistic plan of action. Ask the client to
complete and action plan outlining: goals, energizers,
personal and professional goals and directions, strengths,

3. and areas for development to memorialize a coaching
starting point moving to discussion and accomplishments.
9. Develop a timeline of accountability for the client. The
client needs to address what s/he will do to accomplish all
they want during a coaching process. How and when will the
client accomplish what he/she wants during and after
coaching?
10. Establish a process for working together after
reviewing with the first nine points. How can we best
work collaboratively together to achieve the above points,
is always a great question for coaches to ask clients?
In Summary
Use the above process as a way to begin a Collaborative
Coaching Process (CCP). It is important to know how to coach,
ask the right coaching questions, and constantly remind yourself
of the professional and ethical actions of a coach.