Your client is struggling to adapt to a new change. What can you do to help them?

I would listen intently to the clients story about the change paying close attention to the way they share context of the change , the words used to describe the nature of the change and the emotions /feelings about the change . Having coached clients going through a transition, I inquire about the change at different dimensions - internal / external , personal / professional , individual / team etc

An effective coach will always assess a client’s readiness for change before having them pursue it. There’s a big difference between someone in the pre-contemplation stage of change and someone who is ready and fully resourced. A key piece to this first step is to confirm the desired change matches accurately so the client is set up for success, not failure. Imagine someone that wants to change their work style because they think it will help productivity, but they aren’t clear on how that could benefit them or why the effort is worth it. Pause and coach the client into 'readiness' before setting action goals.

Change isn't bad, it is a part of a cycle. When we start going after a goal - we cannot get there doing the same things. That means something has to change.

Understanding the underlying resistance is helpful- asking questions so that the client is understanding her resistance and then aligning to the shift they want to make. I would also help in thinking through different perspectives as a thought partner and then working on an actionable plan.

Its important for the coachee to be able to articulate: What the change is (talking this out can help organise their thoughts). What does this change mean to them personally, their role and their team (if they have one). What fears or resistance they are experiencing about their willingness and ability to either participate in or lead the change. The Kubler-Ross change/grief curve can help bring into focus where they are on the change journey- whether it's shock, denial, anger or sadness, which can be deeply reflective for the coachee wrangling with the change they are part of. Finally, allowing space for the coachee to explore the choices available to them will help them determine what and how they are prepared to forge a way forward.

In my experience; first understand the motivations of the leaders who resist change. To help leaders embrace change, address their concerns with empathy, transparency, and strategic communication. Partner with them in articulating the problem statements, solutions, benefits and process. They will then feel accountability. Steps to do in understanding resistance: Address any Fear: Provide a clear vision of the benefits Acknowledge past Failures: Address concerns, emphasizing lessons learned and highlighting the differences in the latest change. Challenge any Bias & Ego: Appeal to purpose and values, aligning the change with broader goals. Empower Control: Involve leaders in the change process, demonstrating their valued input and steer.

Resistance can be a powerful signal. It can be the coachee resisting or colleagues and team members or customers. I like to externalize early in the process. I do this by running small exercises with a short response window. The art is building shared understanding and finding simple yes pathways and stories. Example: new software deployment What would have happened if you kept the old software? If there was no tool, how would you have done the work? How does the customer benefit from this change? Where has the team previously resisted a change, and how is that change landing now? It does not work for all people, and sometimes you may need to give someone time to go and digest.

Motivational Interviewing is a great technique to help clients explore all aspects of change, including resistance to change. When your client uses "sustain talk" (statements expressing resistance, ambivalence, or reasons for maintaining the current behaviors rather than pursuing change), lean into it and facilitate awareness and insights related to resistance and ambivalence. While exploring "sustain" talk, go beyond surface observations and also pay attention to signs of "change talk."

Using a framework like ‘ Wheel of Change’ helps client to analyse change from two axis - positive or negative and change or keep . Questions like ‘ what is coming in the way of managing the change ‘ or ‘ what is the real challenge with respect to the change ‘ help in getting better clarity for the client

Fear keeps us from taking the leap into what we want. It is the safety net. We think it is better to stay where we are than to push through the fear. Resistance is your paradigm trying to keep you safe. Do you want to be safe or live the life you want? Your choice, just don't let the paradigm being the one controlling this.

Before developing the learning plan a deeper exploration of the values and limiting beliefs many be required. Supporting the client to challenge their set beliefs and evaluating fresh perspectives will help them to own the way forward strongly.

For developing skills, it's vital to integrate the practice of presence into the learning process. As your client embarks on acquiring new skills, remind them to approach each learning activity with mindfulness. Encourage them to see each new skill not just as a tool for change, but as an opportunity to deepen their awareness and engagement with the present moment. In goal-setting and action-planning, guide them to be conscious of their inner motivations and the essence of their objectives. This mindful approach to learning not only enhances their ability to adapt to change but also cultivates deeper self-awareness and presence in their everyday activities.

Time should be spent on allowing the Coachee to work out of they want to develop skills in this space, or whether it is time for change. The Coachee should feel free to explore all of the options available, and see the change as opportunities. If they feel they would like to develop the skills to adapt and change, then time should be spent on identify the end goal, steps to get there, barriers and limiting beliefs, and what support they may need to engage. I'd work on trying to keep the approach of seeing this as an opportunity and move away from the resistance to change.

If the client has the right support, then adaptation becomes easier. But many think that they do not have support & they don't have clarity to move forward as well. If the coach comes into the picture, there is a light of progress in their career. They understand they need to Upskill for taking better decisions & bring some action plans for achieving their desired goals.

Tracking the progress made at regular intervals is important with clear milestones in place .Acknowledging and validating the effort made by client to work towards the desired state as they navigate the challenge is very valuable. Allowing for reflections during and between sessions helps a lot .

The reason we have goals is to grow. Grow into a new version of ourself - at the goal. We are always growing - be an active participant.

Measurement and reflection is key here and I would encourage the Coachee to track their progress - ask what good looks like and how will they know they have achieved their goal? Encourage them to make time to reflect on how far they progress and check in on the impact it is having - how they feel, how it impacts others, and the changes they can see around them. Quite often we miss the progress and dismiss it as small, but all growth is significant and should be recognised and celebrated.

The growth can be embraced with a progressive mindset with clarity & competencies. The coach has to help the client to think progressively & come with desired goals along with milestones. The time/duration should be tagged along with the milestones & making the client accountable is important. That's where the coach plays a major role. By this resistance will move out & resilience comes in

Challenging the mindset happens earlier as part of the exploration phase . Various coaching tools / assessments are handy . Using coaching tools is basis client openness rather than the coaches agenda . Important to keep in mind always the desired outcome agreed with client at the contracting stage.

Help the client envision the story of who they can be/what they can do/what they will feel when they are on the other side of this change. Encourage them through visualization and storytelling to embody the idea of living the change which can be a powerful resource to navigate through relapse or resistance.

This challenging needs to be done throughout the process - challenge at the resistance identification stage and all the way through. Work with them to help them see that changing their mindset to one of growth focused will help them to see the opportunities from the change and help them resist the change.

Change of mindset can happen at any time & any phase. Few get it in the exploration phase. The client can come with multiple things but the coach has to help them to choose the highest priority & work towards it. Challenging their thoughts & limiting beliefs are very essential in this phase. This will make them reflect & realise deeply

Change is equated with loss in many people's minds, even when a change is positive. There is a wonderful and simple exercise that demonstrates this point. Ask a room full of people to pair up and face one another. Then have them turn their backs on each other and "change 3 things about your appearance." As they laugh and try to guess what their partner changed, you can ask who removed something and who added something. The vast majority (maybe all) will have removed something, unconsciously equating "change" as "loss." Helping clients understand and accept that reality, honoring what has come before, and supporting their desire to embrace opportunities and possibilities will give them greater courage to move forward.

Few habits would be like a way of life. Changing or altering those would be a big challenge. But if a coach can imbibe the importance of the change through his questioning & challenging skills, certainly there would be a sense of awareness with the client. This will help them to think forward.

It's in human nature to resist changes, especially when they are imposed. It's the fear of the unknown, losing agency, or learning something new. A good paradigm is one of the transformational experiences. The first step is to reactivate old emotional learning through mindfulness. Then, proceed to disconfirm it via experiential mismatch. Finally, you can replace it with the newly updated learning.

Use double-sided reflections to reflect on both sides of the client's expressed ambivalence (e.g. "You are saying that you often feel tired, and you are also saying that a part of you does not want to slow down yet."). Double-sided reflections can evoke powerful awareness, so ensure that you offer plenty of space for the client to think through the reflection.

Acceptance from the coach is very important. If the coach is going with prejudice thoughts it would become difficult & change cannot happen in one session or the readiness may be missing. But if the coach is ready to invest his time, certainly there will be progress in the process