A Coaching Model By Laetitia Bertrand, Life Coach (Confidence and Inspiration), FRANCE
The inspiration for this coaching model comes from this quote :
You’re standing on the shore, afraid to dive into the new waters, and you’re afraid because you don’t want to say goodbye to the mild-mannered, love-lorn Kara Danvers the sweet and dutiful assistant to Cat Grant.
You are standing there, looking out at your options, the icy blue water, the fast-flowing river, and the choppy sea. And they all look very appealing to you, because you’re dying to go for a swim, but you know that water is going to be cold, and the journey is going to be hard, and when you reach the other side, you will have become a new person. And you’re scared to meet that new version of yourself.
Now, we all get used to our own personas, and we’re used to our own comfort zones, but, trust me, in order to live, we must keep daring. Keep diving.” 1
Shores are an eternal feature of our environment; no matter the form their bodies of water take – oceans, seas, rivers, lakes(…) – they are a constant. We might not always think about them or be close to a shore in our day-to-day life, but we know unconsciously that should we choose to, we usually can go to a shore. We can hang out, take a moment to think, have fun, or go for a swim – and sometimes, we even sail across them or fly above them and find ourselves in a different place, on different shores.
In metaphorical terms, shores can represent our possibilities’ starting points for exploration, growth, change, and transformation or evolution. As people and potential coaching clients, we might be aware of those metaphorical shores in our minds and choose to go check them out, dive if the time is right, or only hang out; alternatively, we can choose not to focus on them for now. However, sometimes, regardless of whether we are aware of our (metaphorical) shores, our feet carry us to one, and we stand there looking around, surprised and unable to ignore it any longer. Let us dive into how we can apply this shores metaphor to coaching.
The S.H.O.R.E.S Coaching Model
Explanation:
The S.H.O.R.E.S coaching model is designed to support a generally neurodivergent population that could need to visualize mentally what coaching can be like and the steps it can have. It is meant to disarm inaction caused by the unknown or help feel less intimidated. After all, as Robin Sharma says, “Clarity precedes success” because it helps us understand, focus, take action, and feel more energized and confident that we can do it2,3.
The model can be used to explain what the overall coaching experience can be like, as well as a more session-focused description of how a coaching session happens. In both cases, the model’s primary objective is to empower the client to normalize their journey: we can all come across something we cannot quite figure out by ourselves, and it is okay if we cannot precisely point our fingers to it right away. We can all need support, and to reach out to find that support is courageous. When we search within ourselves, the answers might require vulnerability and bravery to be found, and we can count on our coach to support us through it. While digging deep, we can (re)discover our strengths and sparks. When we take the space and time to, see ourselves think differently or confidently can be empowering. Change can be safe and exciting when we feel secure and in control.
When the model is used in a broader sense, it encompasses the client’s coaching experience from before coaching is even thought of, to after the coaching arc is finished :
Search for something – Getting to the shore.
The client notices there is (an internal or external) something happening, and they need or want to address it.
This step can take time and be confusing, and that is okay!
Handle the situation – Standing on the shore.
The client contemplates the situation and chooses to make an appointment to get support.
This step can also take time and be confusing; that is okay too!
Open up – Dive into the water of their choice.
In session, the client decides to go all in, be honest with themselves, and determine what they want to work towards.
Realign – Dive into the water of their choice and swim towards the next shore.
The client faces their challenge(s) and finds the resources within themselves to reach their goal.
Embody the change – Keep swimming until they are out of the water onto the new shore.
The client checks that they are comfortable and confident bringing into the real world what they have learned or discovered in the session.
Shape* – Stay on shore for a new session (on this topic or a new one), or leave the shore for now.
The client creates their new reality outside the coaching session and decides where to go from there.
*The growth can continue or happen post-coaching session.
In the in-session model, the logic and steps are similar :
Search for something – Getting to the shore.
The client shares with the coach what (initially) made them book a session.
Handle the situation – Standing on the shore.
The client and the coach partner to figure out if there is something deeper to look into and what outcome the client is looking for
Open up – Dive into the water of their choice.
The client decides to go all in and, with the coach’s help, be honest with themselves and dig into the values, challenges, beliefs, holdbacks…
Realign – Dive into the water of their choice and swim towards the next shore.
With the coach’s support, the client finds the resources, ideas, and outlooks within themselves to reach the outcome they had decided upon.
Embody the change – Keep swimming until they are out of the water onto the new shore.
The client and the coach work together to check that the client is comfortable and confident using what they have learned or discovered in the session to craft a new mindset/perspective. Depending on the client, a change in energy can be a good indicator.
Rarely, the outcome may differ from what was initially decided because the client’s perspective has shifted drastically throughout the exploration.
Shape – Stay on shore for a new session (on this topic or a new one), or leave the shore for now.
The client decides how to implement the takeaway(s) into their reality. It often involves crafting an action plan -the coach helps test it out by asking about possible roadblocks, support, and resources. The growth can continue or happen post-coaching session.
S.H.O.R.E.S Coaching Model
In essence, the S.H.O.R.E.S coaching model shows the client that anywhere in the process, they have autonomy over what happens next and how it happens. It empowers them to be in charge and does not limit their possibilities when deciding which shores to swim to.
Learn How to Create Your Own Coaching Model
Your Coaching Model reflects your values,
philosophies, and beliefs and must communicate who you will coach
and the problems you will solve. Read more about creating your coaching model
1 Supergirl TV show, Season 2, Episode 1- Entitled “The Adventures of Supergirl” you can watch the scene here https://youtu.be/L6LmRn7TMQk
2 https://zenhabits.net/clarity/
3 https://medium.com/@SergeyIRL/the-only-4-reasons-you-dont-act-f9cc6cdb5b6e
Overall the https://coachingfederation.org/ and the document called Updated-ICF-Core-Competencies_English_Brand-Updated