You’re coaching Toru. You have 30 minutes to help Toru achieve his goal. To use this time effectively, make sure you are clear on Toru’s goal. Otherwise, you’ll waste Toru’s time by asking irrelevant questions.
 
Question: How often are you clear on the other person’s goal?

• Consistently?
• Usually?
• Sometimes?
• Rarely?

Make sure you consistently are clear on the other person’s goal. I know that I’m clear on the goal when I restate the goal and the client says, “Yes, that’s what I want to accomplish.” Here’s an example of what I do:

Me: What would you like to accomplish in our session?
Client: I want to find ways to get better at my job.

Me: What do you mean by “get better” at your job?
Client: Well, I’m having trouble with my boss. I’m not getting my projects done on time. I want to find ways to get my projects done before the deadline.

Me: So your goal for our session is to identify ways to get your projects done before the deadline.
Client: Yes, that’s what I want to accomplish.
 
Question: What action steps will you take to ensure that you consistently are clear on the other person’s goal?
 
*To learn more about coaching others on goals, click here.