Do you ever read something unrelated to coaching and think, "I wonder if I could use this in my coaching?"

This happens to me all the time!

I have long been inspired by the work of Drs Kaplan and Norton in their creation of the business model, "The Balanced Scorecard" and I was curious how I might create a life coaching framework based on their original design. After working with lots of clients and colleagues on this, I eventually wrote a book on it.

Here's the original Balanced Scorecard model:

• In order for a business to achieve its overall strategic objectives it needs to identify and plan for a number of goals to be met in four key categories or perspectives: Financial, Customer, Internal Business Process and Learning/Growth.
• A company cannot achieve its Financial objectives unless it first achieves its Customer objectives.
• Customer objectives can't be met until the company first achieves its Internal Business Process objectives.
• And none of the above can ever be achieved unless the organisation also achieves its Learning and Growth objectives as they feed the success capability of everything else.

So, here's the life coaching framework - The Personal Balanced Scorecard:

• In order for an individual to create and sustain the life they want, and to do this strategically, goals must be identified and worked toward in four key categories or perspectives: Impact, Relationship, Personal Operating System and Learning/Growth.
• A person must first know what sort of Impact they want to have on their own life as well as on others/environments around them.
• A person can't achieve their Impact objectives unless they are also achieving their Relationship objectives, including the relationship they have with themselves and others.
• A person's Relationship objectives can't be met unless the person is also achieving goals in making their Personal Operating System more effective, which includes everything from living ones values in an positive-action way through to leveraging their strengths more consistently.
• And none of an individuals Personal Balance Scorecard objectives can be met without consistent focus and commitment on their overall personal and/or professional development plan.

You don't need the book to be able to figure out how this works. Find out what type of impact the client wants in their life and in the world. Discuss what relationship they need to have with themselves and others to achieve that. Work with them to identify strengths, habits, values, opportunities for improvement, resources, etc to support them to be more effective. And ensure they develop a plan to keep learning more, whether through working with you or on their own (long-term perspective).

However, if you do want to get the 300 page e-book which also works as a workbook, you're more than welcome to check it out:
http://www.thepersonalbalancedscorecard.com/

The next issue of "Coach the Coach" will look at the 70:20:10 model of learning and where coaching fits in.

If there are any topics you'd like me to cover in this column, please feel invited to email me directly with your requests through my website (see link in bio).

Noel Posus is a master coach with 20+ years experience as a professional educator, coach and author. He won the prestigious inaugural "Coach of the Year" award (2008/2009), Finalist in the Coaching Business of the Year (2010) and is an ambassador/leader for the coaching industry. www.noelposus.com