In my previous posts, I have explored some key characteristics of emotional clients and action-oriented clients. Based on these key characteristics, I have provided some methods in which we, as coaches, can apply to handle these clients. Given the limited time we have in a coaching session, it is our desire to maximise the time we spend with our clients. As such, I argue that by categorizing these clients to these three categories may help speed up our coaching processes so as to not waste time not exploring angles that may or may not be relevant to the coaching session.
The insight-seeking clients.
In this post, we explore the third category of clients whom I have the pleasure of meeting — The insight-seeking clients. In my experience, this type of clients tend to form the majority of coaching clients. Generally speaking, clients who are insight-seeking are in a certain sense, ‘lost’ in their current situation. As coaches, we believe that clients are creative, resourceful, and whole. Therefore, one helpful angle to approach the client is to believe that the client has possibly thought through their current struggles prior to having this coaching conversation. My personal practice is not to assume that they have, but I will ask clients to share with me what they have thought through thus far. This will allow me a sensing of what the client is going through and potentially inform me of points where I figure clarity is required. Personally, the points that appear fuzzy in the clients’ sharing tends to be the places that causes the client to be stuck.
There are two reasons why clients leave out information: (1) they never thought it through, (2) they are avoiding it. The first reason is simple. It is impossible for us as human beings to cover all grounds. We are not perfect. Hence, it is understandable to miss out certain key points in our thought processes. If our client did not consider certain things prior to the coaching conversation, working things with them may help them gain the clarity and insight they require. The second point is a little more tricky. Clients who avoid certain information generally have certain struggles regarding the topic. These struggles may be emotional in nature (e.g. past trauma) or psychological in nature (e.g. they do not want to share too much until they have gained enough trust with you). Either way, uncovering these topics may move the coaching session to a deeper level.
The three types of insight-seeking clients.
Generally speaking, clients seeking insight tends to desire the following from the coaching session:
- Clarity in their current situation
- Clarity to make certain decision
- Tangible action(s) moving forward (not to be confused with action-oriented clients)
Firstly, if clients require clarity in their current situation, that is not because the client do not understand their situation. Rather, it is because the client is struggling with a certain underlying factor limits their view or perspective. Uncovering this limiting factor allow the coach work on the real situation that causes the fuzziness in the clients’ perspective, helping them see better.
Secondly, if clients are able to make sense of the happenings of their life but are uncertain about what they could do to move forward, working through the causes of uncertainty may provide clients with the necessary arsenal to make a decision on how to move forward. In my experience, the causes of uncertainty is either a lack of information about the way forward or an issue that the client may not share that hinders their consideration. In the case of the latter, asking them about things that held them back may be helpful to move the coaching conversation to a deeper level.
The third type of insight-seeking clients are clients who are clear about their situation and about the direction that they should go, but are unclear about the possible actions they could take. Clients who fall within this category tends to be stuck at the action-planning phase in their decision making. This is not to be confused with action-oriented clients who are comfortable with planning their actions to attain their goal. Insight-seeking clients who are stuck at this phase tends to have something underlying their decision process that is hindering them in moving forward in their goals. Remember, clients are creative, resourceful, and whole. Clients who have clarity but are unable to move forward must have considered potential options that are opened to them. Hence, uncovering factors that hinders them will bring the coaching conversation to a deeper level. Resolving these may help clients figure out action-items that they are comfortable with taking given their existing struggles.
Concluding remarks
In my experience, insight-seeking clients tend to make up the bulk of the coaching clients. These clients may be stuck in certain phases in their lives due to certain emotional or psychological factors that limit their perception or their ability to make decision. Uncovering them may be uncomfortable for some clients (especially if certain things are emotional in nature such as past trauma). However, recognizing these limiting factors are important to move the conversation forward to achieve the desired outcome of the client.
Book a session with me!
Hi! I am offering pro-bono coaching as part of my training to be a certified ICF coach. If you would like me to journey with you through your struggles in life, do feel free to hit me up! Do click on the link below to book a coaching session with me. Do remember to indicate “pro-bono coaching” as well as you met me through my website, simchenxing.com!
Sim Chen Xing 
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