EDGE FOUNDATION COACHING MODEL WHAT IS ADHD COACHING?
ADHD coaching is a designed partnership that combines coaching skills with knowledge of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, a neurobiological condition. The coaching process enhances quality of life, improves performance, and supports growth and change. The purpose of ADHD coaching is to provide support, structure and
accountability. Coach and client collaboratively explore strengths, talents, tools and new learning to increase self-awareness and personal empowerment. Together they design strategies and actions and monitor progress by creating accountability in line with goals and aspirations (www.adhdcoachinstitute.org).
Edge coaches work with students in seven major areas: scheduling, goal setting,
confidence building, organizing, focusing, prioritizing, and persisting at tasks. They help students assess their environments, identify needs, set goals, and offer suggestions and guidance. Coaches also set structure, provide support, and help implement
strategies for skill building. Edge coaches teach and foster appropriate social skills, self- discipline, self-reliance, and self-advocacy. They monitor student progress and goals through regular phone or e-mail "check-ins".
The protocol of regularly checking in with clients provides for more structure and is intended to be frequent. When coaching teens and college students, the check-ins may be set up as often as daily. It is the consistency of contact that we use for holding our clients accountable. Typical means of contact include: emails, check-in calls, and some form of follow up if the client doesn‟t call in at the designated time. These are topics that should be discussed during the initial session and revisited throughout the coaching process.
The coach does not control the plan. The coach supports and monitors the success of the plan.
PROCESS FROM THE TIME A PROSPECTIVE CLIENT CONTACTS EDGE FOUNDATION
1. Enrollment Phase
a. Prospective client completes online enrollment form with its brief prescreening.
b. Prospective client receives additional information from Edge Foundation c. Prospective client may receive an enrollment/prescreening call from Edge
Foundation.
d. Prospective client is given name/contact information for a coach and vice versa.
2. Prescreening Phase (initial phone contact between coach and prospective client) a. Coach asks questions to ascertain coaching readiness, understanding of
the coaching process, preparedness to engage in the coaching process, and to determine areas of concern/interest for coaching.
b. Prospective client is encouraged to ask questions of the coach regarding the coaching process, what coaching will “look” like, measures of
progress, confidentiality, time, etc. This is the time for the client to make sure they feel comfortable with the coach.
c. If, after the prescreening call the client wishes to speak with additional coaches, they simply contact Edge Foundation and ask. They then
conduct a prescreening call with each coach in turn. This step is generally omitted for students enrolled in our study.
3. Contracting Phase
a. Coach sends the new client the coaching contract and startup forms via e- mail.
b. Client is to return the completed contract and startup forms to the coach PRIOR to the initial session.
4. Initial Session (one 2-hour session or two 1-hour sessions)
a. Design of Personal Coaching Agreement - this is a goal directed action plan developed with the client. The client sets the goals after discussion with the coach to determine if each goal is reasonable and attainable. The GROW model* of goal setting or use of SMART goals** or similar
processes may be used by the coach to assist the client in goal setting. Action steps are developed so that the client can see the steps needed to reach the goal. For example: The goal is to achieve a 3.0 GPA. Action steps might include: block out 2 hours of study time twice a day away from distractions.
b. Discussion of Coaching Plan – meeting weekly for 30 minutes by phone at the same time every week (coach and client will choose their time) with additional check-ins via email/voice mail/text messages/phone up to 7 days/week (mode and frequency designed with client).
5. Regular coaching sessions (30-minute phone sessions)
a. Client calls coach at agreed upon coaching time (same day/time each week).
b. Client leads the process – here is what I want to focus on in coaching today, progress report of the past week, questions for the coach, etc. c. Coach follows the client‟s lead. There is an agreement between the client
and the coach that if the client goes off on a tangent unrelated to the coaching goals set forth, the coach has permission to remind client of the plan set in motion during the initial session or at the last coaching call. The coach ASKS the client how s/he would like to proceed. Most clients
appreciate the refocusing and choose to either go back to that plan or proceed on a new path. At times the new path is one of discovery, which takes the client back to the coaching goals with a clearer sense of
direction and purpose.
DECISION POINTS FOR COACHES
1. Client stops showing up for coaching – what was the plan with the client at intake? Possible scenarios:
a. Call parents if student gave written permission for this to happen at the beginning of coaching.
b. Voice mail to client – give deadline to return call.
c. Send e-mail and give deadline – set up option for “read by recipient” if available.
d. Send letter of termination (last resort if other methods of contact have failed).
2. Coach does not see progress
a. Ask the client – this is about the client, not the coach. b. Review coaching plan with the client.
c. Consider changes to the Personal Coaching Agreement. 3. Difficult client
a. What is the core issue? b. Ask the client.
c. Take it to coach mentoring/supervision session.
d. Post question on the confidential coach Edge Listserv. 4. Coaching-specific questions
a. Take to mentoring session.
b. Post question on the confidential coach Edge Listserv. 5. Research-specific questions
a. Post question on the confidential coach Edge Listserv. 6. Vacations
a. Client vacations –, resume coaching upon return. Confirm dates.
b. Coach vacation –, find out what the client has on the agenda and arrange for any necessary planning before leaving on vacation.
c. Edge research clients – refrain from absences of longer than one week during the core of the semester. Winter breaks, summer breaks and exam periods are the exception to the rule. Note all missed appointments due to vacation as such on the coaching log.
7. Sick days
a. Reschedule for another day that week if possible. b. Ask for a more detailed e-mail review from client. 8. Client put on academic probation
a. Continue coaching.
b. Consider reviewing the Personal Coaching Agreement and adjusting for new goals per probation.
9. Client suspended from school a. Report this to Edge.
b. Find out if there might be other options for coaching the client. ADDENDA
* The GROW model was originated by John Whitmore in Coaching for Performance and stands for:
Goal setting for the session as well as for the short and long term Reality checking to explore the current situation
Options and alternative strategies of course of action What is being done, When, by Whom, and the Will to do it.
** SMART goals (http://www.topachievement.com/smart.html) are: Specific
Measurable Attainable Realistic Timely