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Change is hard!

There's a video and music on this blog!

I recently moved house, which is often considered one of life's most stressful events. It took well over a year from initial thoughts about moving to finally making the change.


Many of us find it difficult to make changes, even when we are excited about a new opportunity. Helping people to identify and implement changes is at the heart of much of the coaching that I do. One model that I find useful when thinking about change is Stages of Behaviour Change (Prochaska et al., 1992), otherwise known as the transtheoretical model.

Many of my clients start a series of coaching at the contemplation stage. They have started to think about making a change but are not sure how to proceed, or they are at the preparation stage, where they have made a commitment to a change, and working in partnership with me is a way to support the process.


During the coaching engagement, my clients sometimes discover aspects of themselves that they were not previously aware of, which shifts them into precontemplation stage, as they think though if and how this impacts them. These moments of discovery can often be one of the key catalysts for change.


As the coaching progresses, my clients experiment with new ways of thinking or being, and they move into the action stage. This is followed by the maintenance stage, as we discuss how new behaviours and positive changes can be maintained beyond our coaching. Sometimes, my clients shift back to earlier stages as the desired changes become difficult to sustain. As a new behaviour becomes a natural way of being, the final stage, termination, has been reached. At this point, it is helpful to review the change and what contributed to the successful outcome.


While change is very hard, I've found that it can often be small shifts in behaviours that can make a big difference to my clients' work and life situations.


If you are ready to make a change, let's talk!


Two core principles underpin my coaching approach:

  • Each individual I work with has the ability to change and draw on their own skills and knowledge to achieve their greater potential.

  • Self-efficacy (the belief in one's ability to be successful) is developed by experimenting, practicing and mastering new skills.


References

Peltier, B. (2010). The Psychology of Executive Coaching: Theory and Application (2nd edn.). Hove: Routledge.

Prochaska, J. O., DiClemente, C. C. and Norcross, J. C. (1992). In search of how people change: Applications to addictive behaviors. American Psychologist, 47 (9), 1102-1114.


Hermit crabs, videoed at dawn, need to move house fairly frequently! The video is accompanied by a traditional tune - Rose Division - played on the banjo by the talented Joff Lowson.

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