When you first start working with a coach, you'll spend considerable time creating and refining your program goal. Setting a meaningful and well-defined goal is crucial to a successful coaching program.
Why does a well-defined coaching goal matter so much?
Your coaching goal helps your coach to structure and focus the sessions towards your outcome and to challenge you towards that goal. Without a well-defined goal, your sessions will not be as focused and your coach may be less effective, particularly if that lack of focus increases uncertainty about when to challenge you.
A well-defined goal doesn't just help your coach understand what you are aiming for. It also activates a particular part of your brain (the RAS, "Reticular Activating System") that helps to filter out irrelevant information. In a recent Coach Cafe, we discussed how this works:
The EXACT model is designed for coaching
The EXACT model is designed for coaching goals, which tend to have a different focus to typical SMART goals, which are more suited to a corporate setting. SMART goals (typically standing for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant / Realistic and Time based) are often set by managers for other people to achieve. In this context they can be set too high, while self development goals set in coaching can be constrained by limiting self-beliefs.
The EXACT model is designed to challenge those limits.
"When we set goals for ourselves, we tend to set limits which arise from past failure, fear of challenge and lack of self-belief. This is why we challenge people to set higher goals for themselves when taking the coaching EXACT approach." Carol Wilson
The "EXACT" model has a few benefits over the SMART framework when setting a coaching goal:
It is more likely to create a positive goal
"Assessable" is more flexible than measurable, which is important for personal development goals
Shifting from "Attainable" or "Realistic" to "Challenging" removes some of the constraints that may subconsciously arise from being realistic.
"SMART" goals are more relevant when outcomes are more measurable, and you need to constrain the goal based on available resources.
So, what does EXACT stand for?
Explicit: what exactly do you want to be different? In what way?
Xciting: What about your goal is motivating to you?
Assessable: How will you know that you've achieved your goal?
Challenging: How will this push you out of your comfort zone?
Time framed: When will you have achieved this?
What do you want to be different?
Book a free 20 minute intro call today to explore how a coach could partner with you as you progress towards your goals.
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