What is Contracting?
In the dictionary, contracting is ‘to agree to do something by a formal written agreement, to ‘enter into a formal and legally binding agreement’.
Is it the same in coaching? contracting is an (ongoing) conversation between coach and coachee (and sometimes other stakeholders) with two main purposes: first, define the parameters of the coaching relationship and second, define the goal(s) of the coaching session(s) (Contracting in the coaching process vs Contracting the coaching relationship).
Contracting can have degrees of formality and can result in either a verbal or a written agreement. A contract is “an explicit agreement of what the consultant and client expect from each other and how they are going to work together” (Peter Block, 2000), therefore contracting is the process of developing a shared understanding between the coach and client about what will happen in the coaching process and how that interaction will take place.
Contracting is such an essential process in a coaching conversation, that is one of the eleven core competencies that a coach needs to master for the International Coach Federation’s (ICF) and for the majority of the coaching associations worldwide.
Why is this so important? I guess in every business is important to put things in writing, to protect the parties from misunderstanding, to bind the parties to keep their commitment to each other, to get paid at the end of the job, to get the service paid for. Is it then ‘technically important’ as in ‘business-like’? I have the feeling that there is more to it than a signature on a paper….
Once upon a time, I went to an international summer camp with people from all over Europe. One evening someone proposed to play some card games. While at the beginning everyone got excited, it became quickly clear that each country, if not each region, had different card games, with specific aims and rules.
To be able to play together, we had to first chose a game, explain the procedure, and even clarify that cheating was not appreciated. We could not make assumptions that rules were known or accepted by everyone. We had to create the space, before being able to enjoy it.
In a coaching relationship, these assumptions can be the features of the session, roles and responsibilities, method and process, participation levels. If these assumptions are not expressed and agreed, trouble can emerge. If the contracting process is not fully appreciated by the coach, who is in charge of the process, it risks to be ineffective. That would be a waste of resources as the thinking space is not properly built.
The purpose of contracting is to make assumptions explicit, so that the coaching session can be effective.
In my search I have found hundreds of reasons why contracting is a must. For example it must be done to avoid problems down the line, to protects all parties from disappointment, misunderstanding, disagreement, loss of faith, and (potentially) litigation if things do go wrong. It allows all the parties involved to discuss, until agreed, the ground rules. It helps identify the expectations of all the parties involved and to fully explore what a ‘successful outcome’ would look like for each stakeholder. If a common agreement on the successful outcome is not reached, ‘success’ will not be recognised and acknowledged and disappointment will prevail.
Contracting must be done to set the tone of the coaching relationship, to agree on the standards of the relationship (mutual respect, non-judgmentalism, willingness to give and receive feedback, honesty within the relationship, and preparedness to be challenged.
All very interesting, all acceptable. But the more reasons I found, the more I realized that those are actually features, details that should be present to reach the one real purpose of coaching: to unlock people's potential to maximize their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching or telling them.
In which way contracting can contribute to it? How can contracting help in unlocking people’s potential? By creating the thinking space.
The purpose of contracting is to create the thinking space to unlock people’s potential to maximize their own performance.
Sounds better. But what does it mean in practice? How does contracting create the thinking space? According to Kline, attention, appreciation and encouragement will create a thinking environment. I can assume then that contracting must explain to the client how the coaching session works, so that they will not be interrupted. That this time will be for them, to find something positive for them, that they will be treated with unconditional regard, that they are respected and not judged, that they will be safe. Through contracting the client will understand the process and this will unlock the potential. Is this enough for the contracting to work?
I’m not sure yet. Something is missing that I cannot yet define properly.
The coach is there to unlock the client’s potential. Why does he need me to sign a contract? A contract is usually to protect who offers the service. We hate contracts because of small prints that got us into trouble. We don’t like contracts, we avoid them.
If I enter a coaching relationship and the first thing I am offered is a contract, I probably become diffident. I raise my guard. I get scared and I fly.
How in the world can contracting be of any help?
Well, is probably about the other side of the medal. What happens after we have signed a contract? There is a likely feeling of relax, of ‘done thing’. And there is a kind of commitment feeling: I am engaged in the relationship. I am committed to something.
That’s the thing: contracting can help the client reach his potential, by making him accountable, by understanding that a significant amount of work may need to be undertaken to reach a successful goal.
Is therefore, the goal of contracting, to get the coachee to agree that she will do what it takes to get a result out of the coaching session(s)?
The purpose of contracting is to create the thinking space and to make people accountable of unlocking their potential to maximize their own performance
Contracting in coaching is essential for creating a mindset shift, to set the boundaries about how to behave in a session and to direct the efforts towards enhancing the coaches performance. It defines the ways of working in order to achieve specific goals. If both parties agree to the rules, then the game can be played at its best, without having to stop for clarifying or disagree, as both coach and coachee understand each other and have set responsibilities, boundaries and accountabilities.
How does contracting create the thinking space and make coachees accountable?
1) By giving and getting information, asking and responding to questions
2) By discovering a little about what the client is seeking from coaching
3) By determining what needs to happen and in what context
4) By telling the client something about our skills and experience
5) By sharing a little about our coaching approach how we work
6) By asking if they’ve had coaching before
7) By asking what their understanding of coaching is
8) By establishing a set of mutual expectations
9) By gaining permission to challenge
10) By gaining permission to bring the coaching back on track
11) By asking for any questions
12) By confirming client is happy to proceed
13) By getting the coachee to engage
14) By getting the coachee to agree to honesty
15) By getting the coachee to trust the coach
16) By defining clear goals (smart)
K4.2. The benefits of contracting and re-contracting
Knowing what the purpose of contracting is, sets the foundations to understand its benefits. Witherspoon (2000) identify 3 main functions of contracting:
1) To define:
- the coach’s and client’s roles
- the desired results
- a common language for coaching and development activities.
2) To establish structure:
- the steps needed for realizing the goals
- the coaching methods employed
- time frames
- progress measures
- and more
3) To model the action-learning process (the essence of coaching):
- Disclosure
- Inquiry
- Commitment to one another’s success
By satisfying these 3 functions, contracting produces numerous outcomes:
Clear Expectations: Contracting is like setting clear rules and expectations. It's like deciding what game you want to play and agreeing on the rules together. When everyone knows what to expect, it avoids misunderstandings and helps build trust. It ensures clarity for coach and coachee regarding the session’s aims and direction; Agreeing and contracting for even a notional outcome for the session can make that session focused and forward moving – whilst leaving room for carrying on the contracting process throughout the session until the ‘real’ issue emerges and the ‘real’ desirable outcome becomes clear. This can take a good deal of exploration, time and patience, but it’s crucial to the success of the intervention. It’s for the coachee to identify the theme and destination of the session, not the coach, but once the ‘real’ issue has emerged, defining and contracting for a clear outcome is a crucial part of achieving that outcome, and part of good contracting is the agreeing of SMART goals the coachee is confident of achieving.
Success: While accidental success is always possible, it is the exception. Success is usually the result of intentional agreements and honoured commitments
between coach and client. The process of reaching those agreements is
contracting, which can be explicit or implicit, formal or informal, written
or verbal. Whatever form contracting takes, it is crucial for successful
coaching engagements.
Productivity: the session is more likely to reach the objectives. This is firstly because time has been taken to define the goals and the clarify what success looks like for the stakeholders and secondly because of the accountability. Contracting helps define the goals and objectives of the coaching journey. It's like setting targets for a treasure hunt. When you know what you're looking for, it's easier to find the treasure at the end of the journey!
Accountability and Responsibility: When we know our roles and responsibilities, we become more accountable. It's like having a coach as your cheerleader, and you as the star player. Together, you work towards winning the game. Defining a plan together means the coachee is involved intellectually, emotionally attached, and likely to see it through.
Building Trust and Comfort: By openly talking about how the coaching will work and what will be kept confidential, both the coach and coachee feel more comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings. It's like creating a safe space to open up and explore new ideas without fear. In order for a coachee to speak openly and honestly with their coach they must absolutely trust that the information they give will not only be treated confidentially, but with empathy, sensitivity and respect. Contracting enables this trust to be built before the coaching begins.
Chemistry: it’s typical for chemistry meetings to confirm whether coach and coachee have a good feel for one another. This is a great indicator that the partnership will work well. Contracting takes it up a gear. It means both can get a better understanding of each other, enhancing rapport and smoothing the practicalities of working together.
Satisfaction: contracting means fewer conflicts and a more harmonious working relationship. Understanding how someone else works, what they value, and what they dislike means you understand why they may do something differently to how you would. The chances of frustration creeping in are therefore much smaller.
Respect: contracting generates a deep understanding of one another, which leads to better, longer-lasting relationships.
Efficiency: Avoid future problems
So it’s clear that coaching contracting and re-contracting are super important because they lay the foundation for a successful coaching relationship, just like building a strong base for a house. It's like making a roadmap that helps both the coach and the person being coached (the coachee) to understand where they are going and how they will get there together.
K4.3. Approaches that can be used within the contracting process to enable effectiveness
I have learned about contracting for coaching during the course. Despite being quite experienced in commercial contracting I had a breakthrough when I understood that contracting can be already a beginning of coaching. I had a similar notion from other practitioners and courses I attended in the past, but it usually begins after signing a contract rather than during the contracting phase.
At the beginning, I struggled with contracting, almost disliking it, as it was mechanical, forced, unnatural. But now I appreciate it, simply because I have changed my perception about it, from something imposed, to something useful.
The power of contracting is in its mutuality. It’s not about giving information from the coach to the coachee only but it’s about creating a common language from the inset. Now, I am no longer afraid to use ‘too much time’ for contracting, as that is already part of the coaching session, the most important part, actually, where the goal setting is central. This a profound first conversation is informational, but also essential to build trust, rapport and thinking space.
As far as delivery is concerned, contracting can be done in two main formats: written or oral. Written could be by paper document or digital, a web page or an e-doc. Oral can be in person, by video or by audible (recording, mp3 or podcast).
In terms of content, the in person contracting can be performed as a formal conversation, following a sort of script or checklist, or as a friendly conversation, when the coach is able to seamlessly fit all the needed points within the talk.
The written contracting can also take different forms and shapes, and be more or less formal (checkboxes, questionnaires or plain document style).
Which approaches can best support the contracting process to enable effectiveness? In my experience so far, honesty and openness are the most important features of a contracting conversation. When a coachee gets to understand what coaching is and what it is not, how it will work and how it won’t work, and that the coaching session is for his own benefit, some magic starts to happen. Then the coachee begins to trust the coach and commits to actively engage in the process, agrees to try a new way of thinking. More magic happens. The thinking environment is created. The breakthroughs are invited in.
In some cases, organizations may have their own established model for contracting in coaching engagements. This model could include specific guidelines, tools, and templates to ensure consistency and alignment with the company's coaching philosophy. When using this approach, both the coach and coachee should review and agree to the organization's model, ensuring that it aligns with their needs and values.
One of the most effective approaches within the contracting process is using the SMART criteria for goal setting. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. When setting goals using this framework, the coach and coachee ensure that the objectives are clear, quantifiable, realistic, relevant to the coachee's needs, and have specific deadlines. This approach enhances the coachee's focus and motivation while facilitating the measurement of progress and success.
An essential aspect of contracting is setting clear boundaries and discussing confidentiality. The coach and coachee should establish when, where, and how coaching sessions will occur, as well as any limitations on communication outside of sessions. Moreover, ensuring confidentiality builds trust and a safe space for the coachee to discuss personal and professional challenges openly.
Coaching relationships are dynamic and can evolve over time. To accommodate changes in the coachee's needs or circumstances, regular re-contracting is beneficial. This process allows the coach and coachee to assess progress, review goals, and adjust the coaching plan as necessary to maintain alignment with the coachee's evolving objectives.
Contracting and re-contracting are fundamental components of successful coaching relationships. By establishing clarity, building trust, focusing on goals, managing expectations, and enhancing accountability, the contracting process sets the stage for a fruitful coaching journey. Utilizing approaches such as the employer's own model for contracting and SMART goal setting further reinforces the effectiveness of this process. Through a well-structured and transparent contracting process, coaches and coachees can collaborate effectively towards achieving meaningful and transformative outcomes.
Myself? Well, it depends from case to case. I have developed a paper document that I send to my new clients. I will probably create a video as well, which will help those clients that struggle reading or have little time.
I have also prepared a questionnaire for new clients, where I explain what coaching is and how it can help. I have done one for executives but I will prepare one for other purposes as well.
For re-contracting before subsequent sessions, or during the session, I tend to go with my instinct and blend it into the conversation.
Now, let's talk about some models that make contracting and re-contracting effective:
In a nutshell, coaching contracting and re-contracting are essential because they set the stage for a positive and productive coaching experience. It's like having a roadmap and knowing the rules of the game before you start playing. When you use models like SMART goals, establish boundaries, and have regular check-ins, it makes the coaching journey even more effective and enjoyable! So, let's get ready to coach and succeed together!