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A Powerful 15-Minute Coaching Session

Posted On: January 27, 2022

As a coach, I always fretted about 15-minute laser coaching sessions.

I always also wondered, “How can I coach in only 15 minutes?”

There are many beliefs around how long effective coaching sessions should be. However, nowadays, we not only lack a full hour, but seem to be so easily distracted that hour-long sessions may actually be a barrier to signing on coaching clients.

For me, I have found that I so resonate with Solution Focused coaching techniques, which helps me focus my coaching presence in a way I did not have access to in the past. The structure of a Solution Focused coaching session lends itself so easily coaching sessions of any duration, including a 15-minute laser coaching session.

Note session structure/elements in italics. (See this video by my mentor, Kirsten Dierolf for more.)

 

An Example of a Powerful 15-Minute Coaching Session

 

Ticket Office/Coaching Agreement

Coachee:
I have this stressful situation at work (coachee dives into it for 2 minutes, gets directly to the point).

Coach (me):
Can you share one word to describe how you feel about this?

Coachee:
Shares 4 sentences around what they think about it and what they currently do in the situation. (Client is a woman. She is playing with her hair, looking hither and thither, taking time to select her words.)

Coach:
This is important, based on what you are saying (repeating the words from the client), I can gather what you are thinking about it (I point to my head) and what you are currently doing. How do you feel in here (point to my heart)?

Coachee:
Hmmm… oh, yes, feeling… I feel X (she mentioned a feeling word, for privacy reasons I am not listing it here).

 

Best Hopes/Desired Future/Miracle Question

Coach:
So, now you feel X (I say the word back she coined). In an ideal world, let’s say a miracle happened and this situation was perfect for you. How would you feel?

Coachee:
I don’t know… can you ask that differently?

Coach:
Sure, maybe take the opposite of this feeling. What would the opposite be?

Coachee:
Oh, yes, the opposite of X is Y.

Coach (I can use a virtual drawing board or a physical one depending on meeting space):
I will draw a continuum with X on one end and Y on the other. What kind of expression does X and Y have?

Coachee selects happy face for Y and sad, crying face for X.

Coach:
I noticed when you selected the Y feeling and assigned a happy face for it, your entire body language and mood changed. You stopped playing with your hair, and you suddenly had an aura of complete calmness.

Coachee:
OH, you noticed that? I guess you are right! (A big smile ensues.)

Coach:
So, when you take a look at that continuum we just drew with your two feeling words and emoticons, what comes to mind?

Coachee:
How can I get from here to there?

 

Successful Past Gallery

Coach:
Well how about we look at this from a different perspective… Can you share an example from your past where you handled a similar situation in a way that felt good to you?

Coachee (silent for several minutes to think about it):
Well, of course, there were many situations that now when I look back on them, I feel I handled them successfully, but at the time they were happening, I felt totally stressed out.

Coach:
That’s understandable. Would you like to select one to discuss?

Coachee:
Sure. (She talks about one minute.)

Coach:
Is there anything you can extract from this experience that could work in this situation you are facing now?

Coachee:
Gosh, I had never thought about this before!! Yes, I think so….. (she talks about it…)

Coach:
This is really insightful, I can see some similarities between that experience and what is happening now… can I share my insights?

Coachee:
Yes, of course!

Coach:
(Shares insights, gains confirmation of clarity from Coachee.)

Coach:
May I ask – After discussing your past successes in this arena, if we revisit the continuum created earlier, how do you now think about the jump from X to Y?

Coachee:
Silence for a minute….

Coachee:
Well…I have never thought of this before. This is really interesting. I actually think this jump would be really easy!! (She sighs, and relaxes into her chair.)

Coach:
Wow, your eyes just lighted up!! When we first started the conversation, your message was very different than now.

Coachee:
Yes, no doubt about it. I was mired in the problem. But this discussion has helped me see that I can make the situation better.

 

Gift Shop

Coach:
Would you like to discuss how to make this easy jump?

Coachee:
Yes, let’s! (With enthusiasm)

Coach:
What do you think is the smallest tweak you can make to start moving from X to Y?

Coachee:
I think I can…. (she came up with many small tweaks very quickly and easily, increasing her momentum toward feeling better and better)

 

 

15-minute Coaching Session: Final Thoughts

I must say that this experience really motivated me. Seeing how my client shifted their perspective on a deep, personal level in only 15- minutes is so transformative to the client – and to me as the coach. It’s mutual co-creation at its best. And, just to let you know, when I followed up with this client, the client was able to apply their insights to their situation, feeling ease and success over a few weeks to a month period, effectively finding a solution that made sense to them, their values and their life philosophy, while reducing stress and increasing satisfaction.

 

 

Author, Jennifer Kumar is an ICF certified leadership coach boosting the profiles of international professionals working across cultures. Keep tabs on Jennifer’s coaching programs as she will be launching a 67 Hour Online International Solution Focused Coach Training (ACSTH / ACTP) for emerging coaching professionals (the path to ACC ICF certification) for or get in touch with her today.

 

Links within the coaching conversation in this post will generally lead you to more information about the updated ICF Core Competencies. Take a moment to listen to our insights into other ICF Core Competencies (2021):