Bhaskar N.
Organizational Change Management, Organizational Design, Developmental Coaching, Leadership Development
Would you like to share your experiences on 'Laser Coaching'? Is it the future of coaching or a flash in the pan approach? Are the results sustainable? Will this make Coachee more/less dependent on us?
In this world of 'instant gratification'... we want everything this INSTANT!!! Whenever my daughter (4 yrs) want something... she wants it NOW... anything and everything I do to pacify her is a futile exercise. In corporate world this is no exception. The clients I meet want to know their answers too quick and too fast. If I tell them, "this is going to take 3 to 6 months" of dancing with you... they are too polite to show up for the next appointment. I have been reading some stuff on internet about Laser Coaching...
Dr. Cheryl Moen Vermey, CPCC, ACC, CTC on her website ( http://www.envision-coach.com/lasercoaching.php ) asks, "Do you have a narrowly defined issue or goal that can be dealt with in a single hour session? If so, then Laser Coaching may be for you. This service is perfect for the busy professional who needs some quick thinking, processing, and a resulting action plan that can then be implemented"
Another source (www.procoachsystem.com) claims that "Having a private session - even once per quarter - will force you to stay at your edge. And being at your edge is where you need to be if you are serious about reaching your goals. During these intense 15 minute sessions you will gain clarity, rise above your fears, commit to an action plan and be held accountable for your results. The sessions will provide you with valuable insights and fresh energy."
Further, Shirley Anderson MS, CMC, MCC ( http://www.coachmiami.com/11points.htm ) outlines 11 points about Laser Coaching and offers her training schedule free online. She uses enduring principles as a foundation / base...
I find it very interesting... many of my clients are quite happy with the kind of sessions they are having. I wouldn’t want to miss out on this one, if this is going to be the future... or just old wine in the new bottle?
What is your experience on this?
Answers (8)
Maria M.
Strategic Business Advisor from Planning to Execution, Speaker, Trained Life Coach, For Financial Advisors & Accountants
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It's been around many years. I have audios on the subject :) sometimes it's called "just in time coaching".
I use it in my marketing funnel. I've had clients who can't afford monthly coaching who over a year do 4 sessions with me, and then the next year do more, and so on and so one. But it all started with 1 one-hour session.
I tape my 1-hour sessions with clients and then send them a CD of the session where they can take notes.
Anita S.
Cross Cultural Consultant - I've Made It - Training & Coaching for Global Success- Canada-India
Hi Bhaskar,
Interesting observations re: laser coaching. Personally I think different situations and needs call upon different solutions and coaching is no different. Personally we will have clients who need quick solutions or generally have a "band-aid" approach to life. It is up to us as Coaches to work to devise our value systems as well as determine areas of optiminal performance.
Re: the future. An analogy. Remember the prediction of newspapers and going out of business with the advent of electronic media? Well both of them co-exist and have their loyal followers/readers as well as people like me who access both depending on the need of the hour.
My personal experience re: laser coaching has been successful when a client has a urgent meeting, presentation, interview and want to bounce off ideas or just have the space to speak out the unspoken thoughts. Most of them are Type A personalities or creative people who want immediate outcomes. Generally my experience has been 5/6 sessions per client for them to achieve their goals. I take more time for clients to create Laser-Goals!
Frank F.
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Laser coaching?! What a ridiculous expression!!
It implies a "quick fix" -- like laser eye surgery.
I doubt laser coaching solves executive myopia.
What will they think of next? This entire coaching
thing is way out of control. Anybody can hang out
a shingle and call themselves a coach. Now they
can be a laser coach.
Can we get real, please?!
Laser coaching is not an incident or a session, it happens in the moment and goes to the heart, of the matter.
I had spent some time in understanding Laser Coaching. When I did so, I was in absolute control against the approach of 'understanding to prove it will not work.'
Shirley Anderson, Coach Miami, Inc., shares an example for laser coaching
Client: I have this pain in my eye, and it is a problem for me.
Laser Coach: When did this start?
Client: When I started sticking myself in the eye with a sharp stick.
Laser Coach: Stop sticking yourself in the eye with a sharp stick.
Another laser coach, Faith Monson says, "The client should come prepared with a clearly defined problem and objective."
My understanding about laser coaching
> The client needs to be clear about the objective/goal
> The goal must be short term. For example "I want to develop an effective presentation for the annual general body meeting"
> The goal must be simple enough for the maturity level of the Coachee
> The coach needs to have expertise in the area of the goal
> Laser coaching stops with showing the way
I disagreee with Bhaskar Natarajan on the following point
The clients I meet want to know their answers too quick and too fast. If I tell them, "this is going to take 3 to 6 months" of dancing with you... they are too polite to show up for the next appointment.
> The coach can't decide how much time the client will take to develop a new habit
> It completely depends on the client's maturity level and implementation of action plans
> An executive coach asks more time not only to find solution but also to ensure development of habit/s
If the 4 year child wants chocolates every time you go for shopping...
Laser Coach's Approach: "Don't buy chocolates"
Traditional Coach's Approach: "Do you think you need coaching in this area?"
My conclusions:
> Laser coaching sounds very similar to workplace coaching or mentoring. Where we focus on the behavioral change (I may be wrong in my understanding)
> Laser coaching and Executive/success coaching cater to different needs
One may choose which one to learn
> One should not compare these two to decide which is better
Please correct me if I am wrong.
Muralidharan T.
Commit-Train-Hire --- The New Mantra for Hiring Talent at Entry Level
Hello,
Before I present my view on this,I would say that my view is more inclined towards the "Indian" context.
Laser Coaching is a concept where the commitment and time are short term. The Coachee's role is drive, motivate the audience on a narrow defined issue in a single hour session and after which he should emerge with a do able action plan.
The most important aspect of this approach is it all depends on how effective the action plan emerged would be.
So to arrive at an effective action plan, you need to pay out. For you to pay out you need to pay in and for that as a coachee you would need enormous amounts of preparation to motivate and emotionally drive your audience in a single hour's time.
So to participate in these kind of sessions, the participants should be equally prepared to recieve what your giving them.So they would also need to do prior preparation. Only if this done , I think a session of this kind would be effective.
And the narrowly defined issue you handle in the session should have a larger context in place or else the sustainability of the action plan would not come into picture.
Warm Regards,
Muralidharan.T
Executive coaching is not intended to make clients dependent on them. It is always the goal to assist clients to become powerful in their own right. Anything else would be unprofessional. Laser coaching is another form of coaching and will work well for many clients.
Books
Sex in the Boardroom (leadership development)
If it's to be: It's up to me
Back from Hell
Merydith's article published in The Washington Post giving leaders tips on how to manage in the financial crisis
Links:
I had one month laser coaching provided by Bob Doyle's organization. It was Skpe based with follow up assignments and ebook based materials and resources plus free website links.
My coach was excellent and I achieved a personal major breakthrough in my personal development. I was helped to realize I was doing 2 things I advised other to avoid, bearing in mind I am also a Management Mentor this was a shock.
The two things were:
1) Using anger to ignite my passion for something and continuing to press the issue until I won people around. I now ask others why they disagree, listen to the point and reflect it back to make it clear they know I have correctly understood their position. It's amazing how this switch has led to people changing their view point by simply accepting their viewpoint is valid as a starting point.
2) I was allowing negative emotions about decisions Senior Managers had made that had negatively affected my career to rule my current behavior. I was taught techniques to avoid this which I practice on a daily basis.
So done well I think laser coaching can be an excellent way of breaking down major areas of resistance,
