Self Coaching

This is a very useful and structured approach to self coaching based upon the GROW model. Ask yourself the following questions and record your responses. You'll be surprised at the fresh insights you reach as a result of this systematic and direct approach.
I also use this approach to 'blind' coaching  groups of managers whose needs and issues are disparate. There is no need for them to respond verbally to the coach. All they need to do is write down their response to each question and then do their own internal processing. 

GOAL

1. What topic or situation would you like to explore now?
2. What do you want to achieve?
3. How will you measure your achievement?
4. How would someone else tell that you had achieved it?
5. What else might you achieve?

REALITY

1. What is the current situation?
2. What is the impact of all of this on you – physically, mentally and emotionally?
3. What have you tried so far?
4. What has been the result?
5. Who or what has stopped you?

OPTIONS

1. What options do you have?
2. What else could you do?
3. If a really close friend was in the same situation and wanted your  view what would you say?
4. How would you like things to be?
5. What else could you do to achieve that?

WILL

1. Out of the options so far, which are most appealing?
2. What are you willing to do?
3. When will you do it?
4. When will it be completed?
5. What support might you need and from whom?

Of course, being an executive coach, I would have to say that this is no substitute for the real thing but I believe that coaching is not just something that executive coaches do; coaching is a way of thinking and challenging our reality to do things differently.

Try it and let me know what you think.