If you’re not using assessment coaching in your coaching practice, you’re setting yourself up for failure. By the time most coaches truly understand their clients, they have already made at least a dozen mistakes that could have been avoided by using assessment coach tools. Even if you aren’t losing clients because you inadvertently piss them off, you probably aren’t helping them get the results that will step out of important meetings to take your call.
The Biggest Assessment Coaching Mistake
The biggest assessment coaching mistake is also the most common. It’s not treating high “D’s” and low “D’s” the differently. A “D” on the DISC assessment refers to dominance.
Characteristics of a high “D” is that they like to drive the bus, they don’t like to be told what to do, and are easily angered. The worst thing a coach can do with clients that have a high D is either be bossy and tell them what to do or to take things personally when they confront you. Instead of telling them to clear their schedules to make time for whatever needs to happen, challenge them. Instead ask, “What can you do to make time for that?” or “What can you do to make sure it happens?” or even, “I bet you can’t get it done by Tuesday.”
Are You Brave Enough To Stand In The Line Of Fire?
High D’s are notorious for blowing up. They have an angry edge that can wilt even the most secure coach; without even being aware that they are raising their voice. If you get defensive with these clients, they will lose all respect for you and they won’t even return your calls. If you go head to head with them, you may win the battle but you will inevitable lose the war.
Using assessment coaching tools can help you influence these clients by understanding what matters to them most, and getting them to focus on what they want. These clients are all about achieving goals and winning big, but their Achilles heel is the Shiny Object Syndrome; where they tend to bounce from one thing to another. If you able to support them without pissing them off they are fun to work with and you can help make a huge difference in their lives.
Are there assessment coaching techniques for the low “D”? Yes, but that will have to remain a story for another day.
Colette Seymann
JTS Advisors Designated Accountability Coach
Hi Collette,
This is an interesting article on Assessment Coaching. You’ve shared an assessment tool for coaches to use so they are better able to serve their clients. I think it is very important to understand the personalities of their clients. It reminds me of learning styles. For example if there is a student and a teacher, it is important that the teacher understands the ideal way the student learns. There are over 27 learning styles but most teachers are unaware of all of them, therefore are not as effective with their teaching methods. Their methods must match the student’s learning style. A coach being aware of the DISC assessment will be better able to serve his/her clients in a similar fashion and avoid a lot of unnecessary problems.
Raena Lynn