Strength Based Coaching


In my limited coaching experience, when coachees are asked what they would like to talk about or focus on, it is usually on an area of “weakness”. This comes as no surprise as research has shown that across a wide array of psychological events, people tend to focus more on the negative as they try to make sense of the world. We have a tendency to

1. Pay more attention to negative events, rather than positive ones

2. Learn more from negative outcomes and experiences, and

3. Make decisions based on negative information rather than positive data

To me, this makes strength-based coaching that much more important. To me, strength-based coaching is really about drawing the coachee's attention towards their strength, not to distract them from their challenges but to help them amplify their strength, to leverage it to help them overcome challenges or even to maximise their potential. It’s helping coachees realise that they have it within them to overcome their challenges. 

This is key to helping coachees overcome challenges because solutions are found when our focus is turned towards what we have, our strengths and what’s within our control. Not when we’re focused on what we lack and on areas outside our control. 

When I was reflecting on the lesson and how to summarise my learnings in the blog, I thought that strength-based coaching is about giving the coachee new “hope” and I thought, maybe that’s how I would do it… 4 points, H.O.P.E.

• Hone – Help the coachee identify and hone the awareness of their strengths. By asking questions such as, “What are some things you are inherently good at? “ or “What are some talents or skills others have complimented you for?”

• Optimism – help them raise their level of optimism. Help them realise there are things that they excel in and it’s possible to use their strengths to overcome challenges. Help coachees develop a mindset that focuses on possibilities, growth, and potential.

• Partner – coaches are partners with coachees. As coaches, we create a safe and supportive environment where coachees can be empowered to explore and develop their strengths

• Encourage – encourage coachees to reflect on their strengths regularly. Encourage them to take notes on how their strengths show up in different situations, how it helps them and perhaps in situations when their strengths aren’t helpful.

And on that last note, we must realise strengths overused could potentially lead to pitfalls. Hence the line from John Lydgate’s poem, “For whoso hath too much of any good, Of that same good he shall be soon bereft.”

In short, strength-based coaching is really about helping the coachee focus on what is strong, not on what is wrong.


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