Session 2

Design the client-coach-parent alliance

The student and coach spend a portion of a session developing a supportive team to help the student move forward. This is usually one of the first times teenagers have an adult ask them how they can best design a professional relationship. From the coach’s standpoint, it’s important to give the client full permission to ask and request what they need. It’s also helpful to actively design a relationship. They are granted the authority to say what works best for them and how it should be met, as well as what doesn’t.

It’s important that the client takes ownership of the life coaching program. As a parent, you can make the call regarding how involved with the program you wish to be. As coaches, we strive to keep the parents in the loop, offering updates on each session.

Recipe for Academic Success

This is a short exercise used to check in and make sure the student is taking the steps necessary to be academically successful. This comes out of extensive research done in high schools on what the students are doing to earn their desired grades and why it works for them. Simply put, the students who are academically successful are doing three things: The first is applying Academic Life Coaching Thinking Styles (learned in session two) while taking notes–proactively and productively. This means they are taking notes in class, going home and reviewing these notes and adding to them if necessary. Also, taking a step back and looking at them from a what/why/how perspective.

Systems and Organization

Thinking in terms of systems is a powerful way for students to increase their academic performance. Stress is the result of a system not able to handle the load. If people are stressed out, the common reaction is to use the system they currently have in place, just work harder. This is for students who think the only path to better grades is to try harder. But to only try harder with the same system, using the same actions, only leads to stress.

To help students handle the load of work, their system has to be upgraded, so it’s helpful for students to focus on creating an upgrade for that system.

Vision Recording

This may be the most life coach-like exercise of the entire Academic Life Coaching program. Creating a positive vision for the future is one of the main methods that people have been successful, whether athletically, academically or professionally. There is a high value in vision. In the previous session we looked at being motivated away from pain versus being motivated toward what we want. Creating a vision helps students shift more easily into going after what they want. It helps students stay motivated and focused because they have a concrete idea of what life will be like if they put the work in.

If students put in their work and effort they will ultimately get where they want to go. The challenge is to stay motivated even when it doesn’t look like the benefit is in clear view or that it’s going to be easy. The point of creating a vision tape is for them to keep that benefit at the front of their mind and put the work in even before they have to so they can stay ahead and excited about what they’re accomplishing.