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the client’s challenges, and consider what I’ve seen or used in other circum-
stances that might fit this situation. Then, we work together to develop a
customized approach.
How that occurs is actually less structured than it might seem when I de-
scribe it in stages. Nevertheless, drawing on the three major methodologies
ofaction learning, gap analysis, and systems dynamics, I’ve broken down the
process of developing an intervention into what I call the five A’s. These are
depicted in Figure 6.1.
The first A is Awareness.The process starts, as I mentioned, with a great
deal oflistening, and a certain amount of data collection, to gain a detailed
understanding of the challenge at hand. I like to think of this awareness as
being like the Roman perception of Janus who had faces looking to the past
for understanding and to the future for strategy. The next A is Anticipation.
This involves setting up the goals or objectives of where the client executive
or organization wants to be in the future, with or without an intervention.
With the first two components, we can identify the gap between where we
are and where we want to be. The third A is Action.We u s e action as the
arena for learning in order to push the executive toward that future goal.
This may be individual coaching that has actionable objectives or part of a
total cultural shift in an organization. The fourth A is Alignment.The fact
that a real business challenge is being tackled helps make sure that individual
objectives align with the team and the organization, in terms of values, cul-
ture, and strategy. Finally, the fifth A is Assessment.It’s necessary at the end
ofthe intervention to measure what we’ve done in order to demonstrate that
progress has occurred.
I find that an engagement is successful when there’s a commitment to
change on the part of the client and a good fit with the coach. For example,
when a project does not succeed, failure often boils down to the fact that the
coach and client’s personalities or approaches to business or life were not in
synch. Generally speaking, if a degree of rapport develops in the initial inter-
views and both sides sense that values are in line, it is likely that chemistry
will be good. If the coach sees, or the client is able to determine, that the
problem or challenge is within the coach’s realm of experience, that’s further
FIGURE6.1 The Five A’sAwareness Anticipation Action Alignment Assessment