Upbuild Coaching Bits: Presenting Agenda

The Presenting Agenda is the topic that the client brings to a coaching session. It also includes the outcome they want to achieve with respect to that topic. Many coaches get the topic without finding out the desired outcome. It’s important to get both. (The topic might be “my relationship with my mother,” and the desired outcome might be “I’d like to have a plan on how to communicate with her when she is stressing me out.”). Even if the topic seems clear, make sure you find out the client’s desired outcome. 

As a coach, it is important to keep in mind the Presenting Agenda throughout the session and circle back to it at the end of the session.  

Questions that reveal the Presenting Agenda:

• What do you want to work on today?

• What would you like to explore?

• If we were successful in addressing this, what would you like to have at the end of our session?

• This is a huge topic. What part of this would you like to work on?

Coaching application: In every coaching session for the next two weeks, do not move on from the beginning of the conversation until you are clear about the client’s Presenting Agenda, which includes both the topic and the desired outcome for the session. 

Life application: Think about an upcoming conversation that you’ll have with a friend, colleague, or family member. Be intentional about the topic that you bring to the conversation and how you would like to feel (and how you would like the other person to feel) by the end of the conversation.

 Relevant Upbuild content:

• [Podcast] This is Your Damn Life (Apple / Spotify)

• [Podcast] Safe vs. Quality Problems (Apple / Spotify)