CLEAR Coaching Model Gets Results in Real Time

The CLEAR Coaching Model was developed by Peter Hawkins in the book, Creating a Coaching Culture. CLEAR is an acronym for Contract, Listen, Explore, Action, and Review. Along with Transformational Coaching principles, this coaching model gives you the framework to help change behaviors now versus some time in the future.

There are numerous coaching models each with their own pros and cons. Let’s review how this coaching model will help you.

As a coach, it is difficult to motivate a person to change a behavior immediately and in the long-term. It’s easy to believe we should be able to tell or show someone what a good job looks like, and they will immediately adapt. Do any of the coaching models you’ve been taught work that way?

The most common coaching models train us to set goals in the future. The CLEAR Coaching Model provides an alternative to the models we use for goal setting and targets more immediate improvements.

How the CLEAR Coaching Model Differs from GROW Model

An example of a coaching model we have been trained to use is GROW model. It is the best known and taught coaching model. That said, it is not the best model for every situation. Hence, let us review the differences in the GROW and the Clear coaching models.

CLEAR differs from GROW by focusing on a behavioral shift at the time of coaching, not by setting a longer term goal for change.

In addition, CLEAR focuses on ongoing coaching sessions to review behavioral changes. In contrast, GROW focuses on setting goals, creating action plans, and conducting periodic reviews of goals.

The CLEAR model is also less structured than the GROW model as it focuses more on motivations and behaviors.

GROW transitions quickly from goal to action. CLEAR, on the other hand, encourages the coach to slow down and explore the motivations involved.

The CLEAR model is definitive about the need to adopt a listening mindset, in a way that GROW is not.

As you can see, there are differences and similarities in GROW and CLEAR models. Next we will review in more detail the benefits of using the CLEAR coaching model.

Benefits of the CLEAR Coaching Model

The CLEAR coaching model allows the coachee to get to the root cause of their behavioral challenge. The coach can help the coachee identify emotions and motivations behind situations. In this way they can work together to fundamentally transform these behaviors.

CLEAR allows the coachee to practice behavioral changes in a safe environment. They can practice, change course, and then create a new pattern of behavior. Transformational change is the underpinning of the CLEAR coaching model process. As transformational coaching is key in the CLEAR process, we will cover this in more detail.

Transformational Coaching and The CLEAR Model

The foundation of the CLEAR Coaching model is transformational coaching.

What is transformational coaching?

Transformational coaching is focused on enabling self-actualization. It enables the coachee to fundamentally change a habit and way of doing things.

There are three practices designed to facilitate the desired outcome. These practices are:

1. Working on Multiple Levels at the Same Time

To effect maximum change, the coach must work on the coachees physical, psychological, emotional, and voluntary parts. The coachee must be able to think, feel, and do differently.

2. Shift in the Room

The coach helps the coachee change their perspective. This is called “creating a shift in the room.” The coach then uses the CLEAR coaching model to achieve this shift.

3. Four Levels of Engagement

Transformational coaches use the four levels of engagement to help them track when they are working with coachee assumptions. This framework uses four levels of awareness from which we engage with our daily experiences: drama, situation, choice, and opportunity. The CLEAR coaching model process can be delineated into the four levels of engagement.

CLEAR Coaching Model Steps

The CLEAR Model comprises five steps or phases for the coaching interaction to move through. Each serve the purpose of gaining an understanding of the changes desired and also alignment path forward.

Contract

To set the tone for the conversation it helps for the coach to ask the coachee what success should look like in the end. This step, known as the Contract, allows both participants to visualize the goal.

This is a contract between the coach and coachee. During this phase you should agree on the goal and how to know if you are making the right level of progress towards it.

It is important to note that this step focuses on the change needed in the room at the time of coaching as we discussed earlier.

Example questions to use during the Contract step of the CLEAR Model:

Listening

Active listening is a critical part of the CLEAR Coaching Model. The goal of this step is to have the coachee share their thoughts and feelings. During this phase the coach should ask questions for understanding and to encourage the conversation.

The coach’s objective is to listen for and identify the coachee emotions, perspective, and motivation surrounding the goal of the coaching session.

While listening is the focus of this step, the coach may interrupt if the coachee veers too far off topic or becomes overly negative.

Example questions to use during the Listening step of the CLEAR Model:

Explore

Now it’s time to explore the the different perspectives and possibilities in the scenario being discussed. By asking more in depth questions, the coach can guide the discussion to a greater level of detail.

You may find that by asking questions you don’t necessarily know the answer to, you’ll drive deeper analysis.

As you explore the situation make sure to mix up the type of questions you’re asking. This will ensure that you’re both collecting more information and also helping the coachee to explore their own thoughts and feelings about where they need to improve.

Types of questions to use in the Explore step of the CLEAR Model:

These questions should assist the coachee to develop an emotional connection to their behavioral change. The objective is come out of this stage with a determination of what needs to change and what some of the options are.

Action

During the action phase, the goal is to reach an agreement on the required changes. To do so, the coach should guide the coachee to consider the possible options available to them. Again, the coach should guide the discussion but rely on the coachee to lead so that they can truly internalize the change needed.

Another important part of the action phase is to povide a safe space to practice and rehearse new behaviors. Practice is necessary to create a new habit. The coach should encourage the coachee to practice until it feels comfortable.

As in prior steps, asking the right questions will help the coachee to settle on the change needed. It will also help them to learn as they are practicing new behaviors and skills.

Example questions to use in the Action phase of the CLEAR Model:

Review

The Review step is the time to replay the key points of the discussion. This allows both participants to reflect on whether the objectives outlined in the Contract step were met. If not, it’s appropriate to circle back.

Be sure to review action items and next steps with the coachee. While progress in the room is important, true behavior changes require continual practice and focus to become habits.

Finally, the Review step is also the time that the coach should lead the coachee through an evaluation of what went well and what needs to change for the next session. Feedback from the coachee is integral to ensure the sessions are successful.

Application of the CLEAR Coaching Model

The CLEAR model and transformational coaching do not apply to all coaching situations. It can be tricky to identify the correct coaching circumstances. With this in mide, let’s review two examples of the right behavioral situations to use this model.

Example 1: The coach is working with a leader that has a behavior impeding their influence. An example would be the coachee does not use active listening skills. This is a good opportunity to use transformational coaching and CLEAR in your coaching sessions. In the sessions let the coachee practice active listening in multiple scenarios that mimic their real world environment.

Example 2: A sales manager has an employee that does not utilize sales leads appropriately. This is not a GROW type behavioral issue as it requires immediate change not development. Use CLEAR and transformational questioning instead. This will allow the coach to understand why the coachee is not following the right process. Then they can work on changing the psychology and motivating the coachee to see the value and to use the correct process.

Note in these examples there was a need for a quick behavioral change. Furthermore, with the right questioning and exploration, the coach could identify the emotions and motivations to help action to change.

The CLEAR Model can be Transformational

As we have seen, use of the CLEAR and transformational coaching models can drive behavior change quickly. This change will be long lasting. With the use of the appropriate questioning techniques, the coach can assist the coachee to identify the emotions or motivations behind their old behaviors. Equally important the coach can assist the coachee in creation of new, healthier behaviors. These changes will be long lasting because they are rooted in an internal change.

Check out the best leadership coaching models in the ultimate guide such as the IGROW model and FUEL coaching models.