Designing Actions & Goal Setting

Designing Actions & Goal Setting

The Shift from Compliance to Experimentation

In traditional management or advisory relationships, "actions" are often viewed as task lists, assignments, or homework designed to solve problems. In professional coaching under the ICF framework, action design is re-centered around learning and experimentation. The primary purpose of post-session action is not just to cross off tasks, but to deepen the client’s self-awareness and test new behaviors in real-world contexts.

When actions are framed as experiments, the pressure of "failure" is removed. If a client commits to trying a new communication style with their team and it does not go as planned, the outcome is not a failure; it is valuable data. The coach partners with the client to explore this data in the next session: What worked? What didn't? What does this reveal about the team dynamics or the client's approach? This shift from a compliance mindset (doing the action to please the coach or meet an external standard) to a learning mindset (doing the action to discover and grow) is central to the ICF philosophy.

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Collaborative Action Design: Partnering with the Client

A hallmark of Competency 8 is that the coach and client partner to design actions. The coach does not assign tasks. Eliciting actions directly from the client ensures that the actions are highly relevant, realistic, and carry a high degree of personal commitment.

Eliciting Actions from the Client

To facilitate client-led action design, the coach uses open-ended, evocative questions. Examples include:

• "Based on our conversation today, what is one action you feel inspired to take?"
• "How could you practice this new boundary-setting behavior in your daily routine this week?"
• "What is a small, manageable experiment you could run to test this new perspective?"

The Role of Coach Suggestions

There are times when a client is stuck or explicitly asks the coach for ideas. In these situations, the coach may offer a suggestion, but it must be done with strict adherence to client autonomy:

1. Ask Permission: "I have a couple of ideas that other clients have found helpful. Would you be open to hearing them?"
2. Offer Objectively and Lightly: Present the ideas without attachment, as options among many.
3. Return Ownership to the Client: Immediately check in on how the suggestion lands. "How does either of those ideas fit for you?" or "How might you modify that to make it your own?"

The client always has the right to reject, modify, or adapt any suggestion. The coach must never show disappointment or push back if a client declines a suggestion.

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Clarifying Forward Goals and Measures of Success

Action design must be anchored in the client's broader, long-term goals. Every session-specific action should ideally serve as a stepping stone toward the client's overall desired outcomes. The coach partners with the client to clarify these connections and define what success looks like.

Defining Success on the Client's Terms

Rather than assuming what success means, the coach asks the client to define it.

• "If this action is successful, what will be different for you?"
• "How will you measure your progress with this goal?"
• "What does a successful outcome look like in this situation?"

This ensures that the measures of success are subjective and meaningful to the client, rather than based on the coach's or organization's definitions.

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Identifying Support, Resources, and Potential Barriers

Designing an action is only the first step. To set the client up for success, the coach must partner with them to look ahead and prepare for execution. This involves identifying necessary resources and proactively planning for potential obstacles.

Sourcing Resources and Support

A coach helps the client identify what they need to succeed:

• Internal Resources: Mindsets, personal strengths, past experiences of success, or determination. "What personal strengths can you draw on to complete this action?"
• External Resources: People, tools, information, or time. "Who else needs to be involved in this?" or "What information do you need to gather before you can take this step?"

Proactive Obstacle Planning

One of the most valuable interventions a coach can make during action design is helping the client anticipate barriers. Many actions fail not because of a lack of intent, but because unforeseen obstacles arise.

• "What might get in the way of you executing this action?"
• "If [the obstacle] happens, how do you plan to handle it?"
• "How can we adjust this action so that it remains realistic even if your week becomes incredibly busy?"

By addressing these barriers during the coaching session, the client builds resilience and a concrete plan for dealing with challenges before they occur.

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Exam Prep: Key Scenarios for Action Design

On the ACC Exam, test questions will often present scenarios where a client is unsure of what action to take, or where the coach has a strong opinion on what the client should do.

• Avoid Prescriptive Options: Never choose options where the coach decides the homework, gives a checklist, or instructs the client on what to do.
• Look for Exploration of Barriers: The best answers often include the coach partnering with the client to check the feasibility of the action and asking about potential obstacles.
• Choose Client-Led Action: The ideal response is one where the coach asks the client to identify their own next steps based on the session's insights.